Made to your size- 100 boxes
- Custom sizes & styles
- Free dieline support
- Quality print options
- Proof before production
- 8–12 business day production
The ballotin is the traditional Belgian box for pralines: a short, rectangular carton with slightly tapered sides and a fold-over lid, often tied with a ribbon. Pralines are packed into it loose, in layers, rather than into a fitted cavity tray, which is why it is sized and sold by weight. It suits chocolatiers who make up selections to order at the counter.
The Belgian praline box
Custom Ballotin Boxes
✓Clear proofing before productionSee our process
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Tell us what you are packing and we’ll reply with practical options.
Product features
Built around the jobSized by weight
Fold-over or tuck lid
Ribbon-ready
Seal sticker or belly band
Foil or embossed lid logo
Label space for shelf sales
Padding sheet over the pralines
Specifications made for your product.
Technical snapshotEvery final specification is confirmed against product weight, packing method, print coverage, route, and order volume.
View artwork preparation guide- SKU
- bm-1075
- Dimensions
- Custom-made around the product and packing workflow
- Materials
- Coated white paperboard, Metallic and specialty boards, Kraft board
- Printing
- CMYK, Pantone, white ink, or unprinted
- Finishes
- Matte, gloss, soft-touch, foil, embossing, spot UV
- Quantities
- Starting at 100 on selected configurations
- Proofing
- Dieline and digital proof
Small lid, big first impression.
Artwork and materialsA ballotin's lid is its main face, with narrow tapered sides for a short line or a weight. A single logo, often foiled or embossed, matters more than busy artwork here. Our packaging guides cover sizing, materials, print, and cost in more depth.
Lid, tapered sides and band
We centre your logo on the lid, set short text on the tapered sides away from the folds, and can design a matching seal sticker or belly band that carries your branding across seasons.
Explore print and finishesMetallic and specialty boards
Coated white board gives a clean, classic finish, kraft feels natural, and metallic or specialty boards add shine without extra print. A foil or embossed lid logo gives the hand-finished look chocolatiers expect.
Explore material decisionsChoose your box
Choose your weight sizes, such as 250g, 500g and 1kg, and a fold-over or tuck lid.
Request a quote
Send us your praline sizes and the weight each box should hold, and we recommend a size range.
Finalize the order
Approve the board, lid finish, bands or seal stickers, padding sheets and quantities for each size.
Build the dieline
We draw each ballotin with tapered sides that take your pralines in layers without crushing.
Approve the proof
Check the lid logo, side text and foil or emboss areas on your digital proof before we print.
Roll on production
We print, finish, cut and glue your ballotins, then check and pack them flat.
Best for
Belgian-style chocolatiersCounter selectionsTruffles and pralinesSeasonal giftingWhat changes the price.
Cost factorsEvery project is quoted individually. These are the choices that move the price on almost every order.
- Weight size
- Larger weight sizes need a bigger blank; a range of sizes means a die for each.
- Board
- Metallic, pearlescent and specialty boards cost more than plain white.
- Finishes
- Foil logos and embossing are typical and each adds a step.
- Extras
- Ribbons, belly bands and glassine liners are extra parts and hand work.
Buyer guidance
Choosing this format
What makes a box a ballotin
A ballotin is a small rectangular carton with tapered sides and a hinged lid, made to be filled by hand.
The shape is credited to Belgian chocolatiers in the early twentieth century, who wanted something better than paper cones for pralines. The slightly flared sides let pralines be stacked in without crushing, and the lid folds over and tucks in. Ribbon tied around the box is part of the tradition.
Unlike a chocolate box with a fitted cavity tray, a ballotin holds pralines loose, usually in paper cups, so the same box takes any mix of shapes.
- Tapered sides
- Fold-over lid
- Loose pralines, not a fitted tray
Why ballotins are named by weight
Ballotins are named by the weight they hold, such as 250g, 500g and 1kg, because the mix changes every order.
At the counter, a customer picks pralines and they are weighed in. The box size is chosen to hold that weight in two or three layers. Send us the weights you sell and the size of a typical praline, and we draw each box around them, so you can check the fit on the dieline and digital proof before production.
Packing layers
Pralines are packed in layers, often with a sheet between them, so the bottom layer is not marked.
A glassine or card sheet between layers stops shells from scratching, and paper cups keep different fillings apart. Pack the firmer shapes at the bottom and the delicate ones on top.
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Folding Cartons
Lightweight printed cartons with crisp color, structure, and shelf appeal.
Explore box styleQuestions about ballotin boxes.
Box style FAQsWe’ll confirm the exact details that apply to your structure and volume.
Read all frequently asked questionsHow is a ballotin closed and sealed?+
The lid folds over and tucks in, and a ribbon is traditionally tied around the box. For shelf sales or posting, we can add a printed seal sticker across the lid edge or a belly band, which shows the box has not been opened. Some chocolatiers also wrap the ballotin in paper before the ribbon for a gift finish.
How do chocolates stay at their best in a ballotin?+
A ballotin is made for chocolates that are filled fresh at the counter and enjoyed within days. For gifts that will sit for longer, we recommend a cellophane wrap or sealed bag around the box, which keeps out room smells and changes in humidity. Stored somewhere cool and away from strong smells, the chocolates keep their shine and flavour.
Can a ballotin be posted?+
Yes, inside a padded outer box. We recommend a shipping box sized closely to the ballotin, with the gaps around its tapered sides filled so it cannot move, and a padding sheet on top of the pralines so they do not knock against the lid. In warm weather, many chocolatiers add cool packs and insulation.
Are ballotins suitable for pre-packed chocolates sold on a shelf?+
Yes, though a ballotin is built for filling to order at the counter. For shelf sales, we recommend fixing the selection and weight for each size, or using a chocolate box with a cavity tray that keeps every box the same. Tell us what the label must include, such as ingredients and allergens, and we leave space for it.
How much branding fits on a small ballotin?+
The lid is the main face, so we usually put a single logo there, often in foil or embossed. The narrow sides suit a short line such as the shop name or a weight, and we keep fine text away from the fold lines. Ribbons, stickers and belly bands can carry branding too, so one plain ballotin works across seasons.
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