Paper Dessert Cups

Small Cups That Carry the Sweet End of the Menu

Paper dessert cups hold the things that do not fit on a cone or in a box: banana pudding, tiramisu, chocolate mousse, cheesecake layers, rice pudding, fruit parfaits, trifle, cobbler and a spoonful of gelato beside a slice of cake. They are short, sturdy cups sized for one person, and they turn a tray of loose desserts into tidy, grab-and-go portions.

The buyers are mostly bakeries, cafes, dessert bars and caterers. Wedding and party planners order them for dessert tables where guests pick three or four small cups instead of one big slice. Restaurants use them for take-home dessert. Grocery and deli counters fill a case with pudding cups, and food trucks use them for a single sweet item at the end of the menu.

We make dessert cups from 2 oz to 16 oz, with custom sizes, in food-grade SBS, kraft paper or PE-coated board. Single and double wall options are available.

Matching Cup Size to the Dessert

Desserts are rich, so portions are smaller than you might guess. Most dessert tables run on 3 to 5 oz cups, while take-home slices of layered desserts need more height. Here is how buyers usually split it:

For tasting-size portions, our 2 oz paper cups for tasters give you a smaller, upright cup that suits dessert flights and sample trays.

Wall type matters if the dessert is warm. A cobbler or bread pudding served hot is easier to hold in a double wall cup. Cold desserts sit fine in single wall cups, which are lighter and nest more tightly in storage. If you sell both, keep the same artwork on each so the case looks like one range.

Making Layered Desserts Look Good

Unlike a clear plastic cup, a paper cup hides the layers inside, so the top of the dessert has to do the selling. Plan your garnish and lid together. A dome lid shows off whipped cream, berries or a cookie on top and keeps them from getting crushed. A flat lid is better for desserts that will be stacked in a cooler or packed into a delivery bag.

The cup itself can tell customers what is inside. A few ideas that work well:

• Print a band of the dessert's main flavor color, such as brown for chocolate or yellow for banana pudding, so staff and customers can tell flavors apart at a glance.
• Use a small, simple logo. Dessert cups are short, so a wide band with one mark reads better than a large crest.
• Keep the base plain. It is often covered by a hand or hidden in a tray.
• On kraft board, choose one or two dark colors for a rustic bakery look.
• For weddings, add the couple's names or a monogram, and consider gold or rose-gold foil.

CMYK handles full-color designs, while PMS keeps a brand color identical across cups, boxes and bags. Gloss looks fresh and bright, matte looks refined, and spot UV can pick out a logo on a matte cup.

Prep, Storage and Display

Fill dessert cups on a sheet tray so you can move a whole batch into the fridge at once. Most cold desserts set in the cup overnight without trouble, and the PE coating keeps moisture from soaking through. Keep empty cups dry and away from the dish area until you use them.

For a dessert table, arrange cups in rows on a tray or tiered stand, with spoons in a separate cup nearby. Matching trays make a display look planned. If you want one, our custom dessert trays for platters come in sizes that hold a set of small cups.

Spoons are easy to forget. Short, flat-handled wooden or paper spoons fit dessert cups better than long sundae spoons, which tip a small cup over when left in it. For layered desserts, give guests a spoon long enough to reach the bottom layer, since that is often the cookie crumb or cake base that makes the dessert. Keep spoons in a separate jar so guests do not handle cups more than needed.

For take-home orders, a printed sleeve or sticker on the lid can show the flavor and a use-by date, which helps both staff and customers.

Placing an Order for Dessert Cups

1. List the desserts you will serve and the portion size for each.
2. Choose sizes from 2 oz to 16 oz, and pick single or double wall.
3. Decide on lids: dome, flat or none.
4. Send your logo or event artwork. Our design help is free, and so are samples.
5. Approve the proof. Production takes 4 to 6 business days, and shipping is free to the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia.

Orders start at 100 cups, so a single wedding or bake sale is easy to cover. Larger standing orders for bakeries and cafes get volume discounts.