How Much Can You Make Selling Tamales From Home?
By Maya Alvarez··8 min read
Tamales are a volume game with seasonal spikes. Weekend drops of 30–60 dozen are common; holiday weeks can hit 150+ dozen.
Pricing benchmarks
$22–$30 per dozen in most US markets. Premium flavors (mole, rajas con queso) command $30–$36.
Weekend drop math
40 dozen × $26 = $1,040 gross. Ingredients ~30%, packaging ~5% → ~$650 net per weekend, or ~$2,600/month at one drop/week.
Holiday revenue
Christmas week routinely clears $4,000–$8,000 for established tamale sellers.
Where sellers lose money
No cutoff (overcommitting). No deposit (no-show pickups). Underpricing premium flavors.
Scaling past the cap
Most state cottage food caps ($25K–$50K) are hit by tamale sellers within 12–18 months. The next step is a licensed commissary kitchen.
