Sizing a box from a photo is guesswork. On a white background a 3.5-inch box and an 8-inch box look the same, and the most common reason a treat box disappoints is not quality but fit. This guide explains how our eleven treat-box sizes are organized, what typically fits in each one, and a quick way to measure your own treats so the first box you order is the right one.
Start with the compartment, not the box
Every Gretel Baking treat box is a grid of square compartments under a clear window, with a divider insert that lifts out. Across the whole range there are only four compartment sizes: X-Small, Small, Medium and Large. Each comes in a choice of layouts, so the real question is not "which of eleven boxes?" but "which compartment fits my treat?" The count comes afterwards.
| Family | Compartment (inside, approx.) | Depth | Typically holds |
|---|---|---|---|
| X-Small | 1.6 × 1.6 in (4.1 cm) | 1.57 in (4 cm) | Truffles, bonbons, brigadeiros, caramels, small chocolates, petit fours, mini macarons, mini biscotti. One bite-sized piece per compartment. |
| Small | 2.1 × 2.1 in (5.3 cm) | 1.9 in (4.8 cm) | Standard macarons, chocolate-covered strawberries, fudge and brownie bites, cake truffles, small cookies, hot cocoa bombs from 2-inch molds. |
| Medium | 2.9 × 2.9 in (7.4 cm) | 2.4 in (6.1 cm) | Mini cupcakes, everyday cookies, brownies, tartlets, large dipped strawberries, stacked macarons. |
| Large | 3.9 × 3.9 in (9.9 cm) | 3 in (7.6 cm) | Full-size cupcakes with a modest swirl of frosting, cinnamon rolls, bakery-style cookies, muffins, scones, the big 2.5-inch cocoa bombs. |
The inside measurements are what matter for fit. They are a little smaller than the outer box size divided by the number of compartments, because the card walls and the divider take up room.
Then choose how many compartments
Within a family the compartment stays the same; only the count and the footprint of the box change. Four- and nine-compartment boxes are square, six and eight are rectangular. Pick the count that matches how you sell or gift ("a box of six truffles"), and if you offer assortments, remember that a rectangular box reads as a row while a square box reads as a gift. Every size is stocked here and on Amazon, in both colors; the last two columns take you to whichever you prefer.
| Family | Compartments | Layout | Outer size (in) | Shop here | On Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| X-Small | 4 | 2 × 2 | 3.5 × 3.5 × 1.57 | View | kraft · white |
| X-Small | 6 | 3 × 2 | 5 × 3.5 × 1.57 | View | kraft · white |
| X-Small | 8 | 4 × 2 | 6.75 × 3.5 × 1.57 | View | kraft · white |
| X-Small | 9 | 3 × 3 | 5 × 5 × 1.57 | View | kraft · white |
| Small | 4 | 2 × 2 | 4.5 × 4.5 × 1.9 | View | kraft · white |
| Small | 6 | 3 × 2 | 6.5 × 4.5 × 1.9 | View | kraft · white |
| Small | 8 | 4 × 2 | 8.75 × 4.5 × 1.9 | View | kraft · white |
| Small | 9 | 3 × 3 | 6.5 × 6.5 × 1.9 | View | kraft · white |
| Medium | 4 | 2 × 2 | 6 × 6 × 2.4 | View | kraft · white |
| Medium | 6 | 3 × 2 | 8.75 × 6 × 2.4 | View | kraft · white |
| Large | 4 | 2 × 2 | 8 × 8 × 3 | View | kraft · white |
Boxes come in packs of 20 (the Medium four-compartment box comes as 24), each with its own divider insert. They arrive flat and fold together without tape.
How to measure your treat in three steps
- Measure the finished item. After it is dipped, frosted or decorated, measure the widest point and the tallest point. Do not go by the cutter or the mold: cookies spread, and frosting adds more height than you think.
- Add breathing room. Allow at least a quarter inch (about 5 mm) on width so the treat slides in without smearing against the walls. On height, decorations should sit below the top edge of the box, so nothing presses against the window when the lid closes.
- Pick the smallest compartment that clears both numbers, then the count. If you land between two sizes, go up. A treat with a little room around it looks intentional; a treat wedged in gets scuffed in transit.
Two examples. A macaron 1.75 inches across and an inch tall clears the Small compartment (2.1 in wide, 1.9 in deep). A frosted cupcake that measures 2.75 inches across the swirl and 2.75 inches tall needs the Large compartment (3.9 in wide, 3 in deep).
Depth matters more than people expect. X-Small and Small are shallow by design: they hold bite-sized pieces snugly so they do not slide around. Medium is where cookies and mini cupcakes start, and Large is where frosting and height begin.
Packing something whole? Lift the dividers out
The divider is a separate insert, so every box in the range also works as a plain window box. The X-Small four-compartment box (3.5 in square) takes a single large cookie or a short stack of macarons; the Small nine-compartment box (6.5 in square) takes a slab of fudge or a brownie; the Medium six-compartment box (8.75 × 6 in) takes a row of bars; the Large box (8 × 8 × 3 in) takes a generous slice of cake or a small tart. They are just as happy with non-food gifts: jewelry, soap, candles, a pair of socks.
Kraft or white?
Every size comes in both. Kraft is warm and natural, hides fingerprints, and sets off white chocolate, pale macarons and anything with a farmers'-market story. White is the bakery classic: it makes colorful frosting and dark chocolate pop and is the usual choice for weddings and favors. Both are the same 350 gsm food-grade card with a clear window in the lid, both fold without tape, and both ship and store flat. Stickers, ribbon and washi tape work on either.
Still not sure? Try one of each
If you are choosing packaging for a business, or you simply want to see the sizes in hand, the sample pack contains one of every size we make: eleven boxes, mixed kraft and white, each with its divider. It is also available on Amazon. Test-fit your own treats, then order the size that works in a 20-pack.
The short version: bite-sized pieces go in X-Small; macarons and dipped strawberries in Small; mini cupcakes, cookies and brownies in Medium; full-size cupcakes and cinnamon rolls in Large. When in doubt, size up, and when really in doubt, try the sample pack first.