If you've ever stood in line for those tiny, tie-dyed cupcakes in New York, here's some good news. You can now make them at home. Baked by Melissa, the bakery famous for its bite-size cupcakes, has launched its first-ever at-home baking collection. The kits are exclusive to Target, and they hit stores on November 1, 2026.
Why Target, and why now
Founder Melissa Ben-Ishay told CNBC that she's a longtime cake-mix fan. "I love baking cake mix. I truly do. And, quite frankly, sometimes I just think it tastes better," she said. As for the retailer: "We started with Target because I'm a 42-year-old mom of two, and I find myself there a lot."
Honestly, same.
What's in the line
Here's what we found on Target.com on November 4, 2026:
- Christmas Tie-Dye Bite-Size Cupcake Kit, 12.15 oz, $7.99. It includes the cake mix, red and green tints, vanilla icing, holiday sprinkles and three piping bags. The box says it makes 42 bite-size cupcakes.
- Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Bite-Size Cupcake Kit, 12.6 oz, $7.99. It includes the chocolate cupcake mix, hot cocoa icing mix, dehydrated mini marshmallows and two piping bags.
- Red Velvet Bite-Size Cupcake Kit, $7.99. This one includes the mixes for red velvet cake and cream cheese icing, plus piping bags and red sparkling sugar.
- Bite-Size Cupcake Liners, 50 count, $2.99.
- Silicone Bite-Size Cupcake Pan, $12.99.
Target prices can vary by store and location.
The real-budget plan: a holiday cupcake party for under $20
The $18.97 version. Buy the Christmas Tie-Dye kit ($7.99), the Marshmallow Hot Cocoa kit ($7.99) and a pack of liners ($2.99). That's two flavors, red-and-green swirls plus a cocoa option. Use the mini muffin pan you already own.
The $31.96 version. Add the Silicone Bite-Size Cupcake Pan ($12.99) if you don't have a mini pan. Silicone pops the cupcakes right out, which matters when you're turning out 42 at a time.
The cookie-swap upgrade. Bite-size cupcakes travel better than a sheet cake and look more impressive than a plate of store cookies. Pack them in a shallow box lined with parchment, and you've got the dessert everyone asks about.
Tips for a decorating party
Let everyone pipe. The kits come with piping bags, so set out a bag of icing per person and let your guests, your book club or your nieces decorate their own. A little mess is part of the fun. Do the tie-dye together. Divide the batter into bowls, let each person pick a color, and swirl them in the pan; it's the best part of the tie-dye kit. Bake ahead. Bake on a weeknight, freeze the plain cupcakes, and frost them the morning of the party so the icing looks fresh.
Our take
At $7.99 a box, this is one of the easiest holiday wins in the baking aisle. You get bakery-famous flavors for about the price of a coffee and a muffin, plus an easy afternoon project for whoever's around your kitchen. Grab the tie-dye kit first. It's the one that looks most like the real thing.
Shop the post
- Christmas Tie-Dye Bite-Size Cupcake Kit, $7.99
- Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Bite-Size Cupcake Kit, $7.99
- Red Velvet Bite-Size Cupcake Kit, $7.99
- Bite-Size Cupcake Liners, $2.99
- Silicone Bite-Size Cupcake Pan, $12.99
Prices were checked on Target.com on November 4, 2026, and may change.
