How Many Macarons Do You Need for a Macaron Tower?

No one wants to run out of macarons halfway through stacking a tower, but baking hundreds for no reason isn't much fun either. Let's say you want to build a standout macaron tower for a birthday party or wedding. Before you start whipping up batches, it's smart to figure out just how many you actually need.

Everything depends on the look and size you're going for. Most macaron towers use a plastic or foam cone as a base, but they come in all heights—from mini with 4 tiers to showy ones over 10 tiers. A typical 10-tier tower can hold around 180–200 standard-sized macarons (about 3.5 cm each), but a smaller 6-tier uses closer to 60–75. It's easy to underestimate how many you'll need, so planning it out ahead saves stress—and ingredients.

• Sizing Up Your Macaron Tower
• How Many Macarons Per Tower Size
• Choosing Flavors and Colors
• Assembly and Presentation Tricks
• Serving and Storage Tips

Sizing Up Your Macaron Tower

Getting the size right for your macaron tower saves you time, ingredients, and money. These towers aren’t just for fancy pâtisseries—they actually come in lots of sizes, so anyone can pull it off with the right game plan. To start, you need to decide where your tower fits in: centerpiece, side treat, or the main dessert everyone talks about? The bigger the event, the taller your tower probably needs to be.

Most people use standard-sized macarons (about 3.5–4 cm across). Here's a quick look at common tower sizes and how many macarons they'll hold:

What about the base? Most people use a plastic, metal, or foam cone (which you can find online or in cake supply stores). Measure the base diameter and height to match your event. Here’s what helps:

• Count your guests first—aim for at least 2–3 macarons per person if this is the main dessert.
• Think about table space; taller towers look dramatic but might not fit under low ceilings or on crowded dessert tables.
• Stacking stability matters. A wide base makes the whole thing sturdier. Always check that the stand or cone you buy can handle the total number of macarons you want to use.

This early planning keeps you from last-minute baking marathons or ending up with a lopsided, empty-looking tower. If you want your macaron tower to be the party’s “wow” moment, get these basics down and the rest is just about putting it all together.

How Many Macarons Per Tower Size

The number of macarons you need depends on the tower base and how packed you want your tower to look. Most ready-made macaron tower stands come with clear info on how many tiers and rows they have, but real-life results can differ if your macarons are slightly bigger or smaller.

For those using standard-sized macarons (about 3.5 cm across), here’s what you can expect from different tower sizes:

These numbers work if you’re sticking your macarons side by side with little gaps. If your macarons are a bit larger (4 cm+), you’ll need fewer, and if you want a super tight, full-looking tower, count on the higher end of each range. Best hack? Order or bake at least 10% extra to cover drops, cracks, or last-minute taste tests.

Some stands let you remove tiers if your headcount drops, so don’t feel boxed in by one size. And if DIY-ing with a foam cone, map out the bottom row first, then work your way up—towers get narrower at the top so you’ll need way fewer per row near the top.

The macaron tower at your event won’t just look good: knowing the right number means no half-empty displays or emergency baking the night before. It’s way less stressful to have a clear number from the start.

Choosing Flavors and Colors

Getting the right mix of flavors and colors is what makes a macaron tower pop, both on the dessert table and in photos. If you’re serving a crowd, don’t just pick your personal favorites—think about guests and the event vibe. At most parties, classic macaron flavors like vanilla, chocolate, raspberry, and pistachio are crowd-pleasers. Lemon and salted caramel are pretty popular too. Fun fact: In a 2023 survey by a French pastry supply site, nearly 65% of macaron orders for events asked for two or more flavors in every tower.

When it comes to colors, you can match them to your party theme, go for rainbow style, or stick with a pastel palette for a classy look. Just watch the food coloring—too much can mess with the taste. The best macaron towers usually keep it simple: two or three colors repeated in a pattern, or one main color with one accent.

For weddings and big events, it’s smart to avoid anything messy or extra sticky (like jam-filled macarons) because they can slip on the tower or leak color. If you’re DIY-ing, stick with firm ganache, buttercream, or thick fruit fillings—they hold up better. And a neat trick: arrange macarons with similar flavors apart from each other so people can tell them apart easily. That stops the whole guessing-game mess where people just bite and put them back.

Finally, keep allergies in mind. Nut-free or dairy-free macarons are more common now, but always double-check labels or recipes if you have sensitive guests. A little sign or a color-coded row on your tower can keep things clear and safe.

Assembly and Presentation Tricks

This isn’t just about piling cookies onto a cone and hoping for the best. Building a macaron tower that actually looks fancy (and doesn’t collapse mid-party) takes a bit of strategy. Start by making sure your base—whether it’s a foam cone or a tiered plastic stand—sits steady on a flat surface. Make sure your base is food-safe; you can wrap a foam cone in plastic wrap for peace of mind.

Attaching the macarons is all about spacing and stability. For foam cones, use toothpicks to gently secure each macaron, sticking them at a slight upward angle so they don’t slide off. On a plastic stand, you just slot them onto the tiers. Work from the bottom up, row by row, so each layer supports the next, keeping lines even for that sleek, pro look.

Here’s a quick assembly checklist to keep things simple:

• Let macarons rest in the fridge before stacking—cold shells crack less and hold their shape better.
• Space macarons close, but not squashed, so colors and fillings show off nicely.
• Wear gloves to avoid fingerprints or grease marks.
• Add your best-looking macarons to the front and top where folks will notice.
• Fill any awkward gaps with edible flowers or small fruits if you want to jazz things up.

When it comes to wow factor, a bit of extra effort goes a long way. Use a cake turntable if you have one—it makes rotating while you build super easy. Finish with a dusting of edible gold or a few fresh herbs like mint for color. If you’re worried about melting or sticking (especially during summer), avoid direct sunlight and stash the display in a cool spot until it’s time for dessert.

For reference, here’s a handy table showing setup options and how many macarons each style can usually hold:

Keep extra macarons stashed in case there are breakages, and remember: the first tower might not come out perfect, but by the second or third, you’ll have it down pat.

Serving and Storage Tips

Here’s the deal with serving macarons from a tower: they don’t like heat, humidity, or being handled a lot. Macarons keep their crispy edges and chewy centers best when you treat them gently. Those beautiful towers look great on a table, but you want to plan when and how long to display them, so you don’t end up with sad, soggy cookies.

If your event is indoors, keep your macaron tower in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight or any heating vents. Outdoors is trickier—if it’s hot or humid, only leave the tower out for an hour or two before moving leftovers to the fridge. For buffet-style parties, give each guest tongs or a piece of waxed paper to grab theirs, so you don’t end up with crushed shells.

When it comes to storage before the big day, here’s how most patisseries handle it:

• Macarons taste best 24–36 hours after assembly, so make your macaron tower the day before if possible.
• Store unassembled shells in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
• Filled macarons keep well chilled for 3–4 days. Wait to stack them on the tower until 2–3 hours before serving.

If you’re working on a large display, here’s a quick look at storage guidelines for different needs:

For the best eating experience, serve macarons slightly chilled but not cold out of the fridge. If you freeze them, let them defrost in the fridge for a few hours, then bring them to room temp before stacking and serving. There’s nothing fancy to it—just a little planning so everyone gets to eat fresh, picture-perfect macarons from the tower.