Selling and marketing
How to Sell Doughnut: Price a Dozen and Keep a Margin
A clear way to price doughnut orders so ingredients, labor, and overhead all get paid.
On this page
What to remember
- Price by the dozen so packaging and your time are covered.
- Add ingredients, labor, and overhead before you name a price.
- Use a flat monthly cost, like Brevl at $20, to find overhead per order.
- Check your state home food rules before you advertise.
You already know how to sell doughnut orders to people who ask. The part that decides whether you make money is what you charge and what you count before the box leaves your kitchen. This guide walks through the price, the costs, and the checks that keep a small doughnut order profitable.
What does one dozen doughnuts really cost?
Start with four cost lines: ingredients, packaging, your labor, and overhead. Ingredients are what you buy for the batch. Packaging is the box, bag, sticker, and label. Labor is the time you spend making the batch and cleaning up.
Overhead is the cost of running your shop, not one batch. Brevl costs one flat $20 a month with no cut of your sales. If you take 20 dozen orders in a month, that $20 adds $1 to each dozen. If you take 10 dozen orders, it adds $2.
How do you set the price for a dozen?
Set the price after you know the cost, not before. Add your cost per dozen to your labor and overhead. Then add a margin that makes the order worth your time.
Cost the batch
Add the ingredients and packaging for one batch. Divide by the number of doughnuts you sell from it.
Add your labor
Choose an hourly rate for yourself. Multiply it by the time the batch takes, including cleanup.
Add overhead
Add up your monthly shop costs. Divide by the number of orders you expect. Brevl is $20 a month with no cut of your sales.
Set the price
Add cost, labor, overhead, and your margin. Round to a clean number that is easy to say and easy to pay.
Check the margin
Subtract all three costs from the price. If the margin is too thin, change the size, the finish, or the order minimum.
The same math works for other baked goods. If you also sell cupcakes, use the cupcake pricing guide to compare your numbers.
A worked example for a dozen doughnuts
For example, say your ingredients and packaging for a dozen come to $4. You pay yourself $6 for the hour. Your Brevl shop costs $20 a month, and you take 20 dozen orders that month, so overhead is $1 a dozen. If you charge $18 a dozen, your margin is $7 a dozen after ingredients, labor, and overhead. Use your own numbers in place of these.
Where should you sell doughnuts first?
Start with people who already know your baking. A text list, a neighborhood post, and a weekend pickup can bring your first paid orders without a big setup. Keep the first menu small so you can protect your time.
A market table can work when you can make the batch early and keep the doughnuts fresh. The cinnamon rolls at a market guide shows how to plan a table and price by the piece. For local pickup and delivery, use the local selling steps and swap in your doughnut boxes.
If a shop asks for a wholesale order, price it separately. The wholesale guide walks through cost, price, and your first shop. Do not use your retail price for a wholesale order without checking the margin.
What mistakes cost you money?
The first mistake is pricing from ingredients alone. A box, a label, and an hour of your time can cost more than the flour and sugar. The second is taking a custom order before you know the finish, the filling, and the pickup time.
The third mistake is counting a margin before overhead. Your monthly shop cost does not disappear because the order is small. The fourth is cutting your price to win a customer who was never going to pay your number.
What should you check before you take an order?
Check your state and local rules for home food sales before you advertise. Ask what the customer wants, when they need it, and how they will pay. Put the price, the pickup time, and the order size in writing.
For a first order, keep the choices simple. One size, one glaze, and one filling is easier to cost than a long menu. If the customer wants a custom design, quote it as a separate order with its own price.
How do you get paid and keep the books straight?
Use one place for your orders so you can see what is paid and what is still open. Brevl lets you take card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, plus Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash. It costs one flat $20 a month with no cut of your sales.
A 30 day free trial means you can test the shop before you pay. It works on your phone and on a computer, so you can take an order at the market or price a batch at the kitchen table.
Try the free bake pricing calculator
Free, no signup.
Common questions
Can I sell doughnuts from my home kitchen?
That depends on your state and local rules. Check the home food rules for your state before you advertise. Ask the office what you need for baked goods and what label you must use. Get the answer in writing before you take money.
Should I charge by the doughnut or by the dozen?
By the dozen is easier to price and easier for the customer to order. It also gives you room to cover packaging and your time. You can still sell singles at a market table, but set the single price high enough to protect your margin.
How do I price a custom doughnut order?
Start with your cost for the batch, add your labor for the extra work, and add a share of your monthly overhead. Then add a margin for the custom design or filling. Give the price in writing before you shop for ingredients.
What if a customer says my doughnuts cost too much?
Do not cut your pay to win the order. Check your costs first. You can offer a smaller box, a simpler finish, or a pickup discount that saves you time. If the price still does not work, let the order go.
Do I need a website to sell doughnuts?
You can start with texts and social posts. A simple shop helps when you want one place for photos, prices, and paid orders. Brevl gives you a shop you can customize and costs one flat $20 a month with no cut of your sales.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Your state and local rules can differ.