If you’re starting a home bakery or thinking about selling your homemade baked goods, understanding the Cottage Food Laws in Michigan is an important first step. These laws outline what you can legally make and sell from your home kitchen, how to label your products, and where you’re allowed to sell them. Whether you’re baking cookies for local customers, starting a small side hustle, or turning your passion into a business, knowing the rules helps you stay compliant while growing with confidence.

What is a Cottage Food Bakery?

A cottage food bakery is a small, home-based food business that makes and sells certain low-risk foods directly to consumers, usually without needing a commercial kitchen or full food manufacturing license.

In places like Michigan, cottage food laws allow people to bake and prepare specific items from their home kitchen—such as cookies, cakes (without perishable fillings), breads, jams, and similar shelf-stable foods—and sell them at places like farmers markets, roadside stands, community events, or sometimes directly to customers.

These businesses are meant to help people start small and legally from home, but there are rules. Typically, cottage food bakers must follow labeling requirements, list ingredients and allergens, and stay under a certain income limit depending on the state. They also usually cannot sell refrigerated or high-risk foods like cream-filled pastries, cheesecakes, or anything that needs temperature control for safety.

What are Cottage Foods?

Cottage foods are specific types of foods that can be prepared in the unlicensed kitchen of a single-family home within the state of Michigan. However, not all food products qualify under cottage food laws. Only non-potentially hazardous foods are allowed—meaning they do not require time or temperature control for safety.

What is a ‘single family domestic residence’?

A single-family domestic residence is a private home that is occupied by one household and is used primarily as a living space, not a commercial or business facility. In the context of Michigan Cottage Food Laws, this means the food must be prepared in a normal home kitchen within a residential house or similar dwelling where people live, rather than in a rented commercial kitchen, restaurant, or shared industrial space.

Cottage food products must also be stored properly at home using safe food handling practices in accordance with the Michigan Food Law. This helps prevent contamination or adulteration from things like insects, household chemicals, water damage, or unsanitary conditions.

What can you make under Michigan Cottage Food Law?

Fruits

• Whole or Sliced Dehydrated Fruits.
• Fruit “chips” – must be dehydrated.

Not Allowed

• No canned Fruits or Vegetable like salsa or canned peaches.

Pickled Products

Not Allowed

• No canned pickled products like corn relish, pickles, or sauerkraut
• No pickled fruits or vegetables, such as beets, cocktail onions, or cherry peppers
• No fruit or vegetable salsas

Pickled and acidified foods pose a risk of botulism

Vegetables

• Whole and sliced dehydrated vegetables except cut tomatoes, cut leafy greens, or sprouts
• Vegetable or herb “chips”, such as kale or root vegetable chips
• Cultivated or wild foraged mushrooms that are raw or dried. You must be able to provide proof that wild foraged mushrooms were identified by a certified mushroom expert.

Not Allowed

• No cut tomatoes or chopped/shredded leafy greens
• No food products made with cooked vegetable products
• No raw seed sprouts

Baked Goods

• Baked goods, cookies
• Cakes, including celebration cakes (birthday, anniversary, wedding, cupcakes)
• Pies that are shelf stable
• Cooked fruit pies, including pie crusts made with butter, lard, or shortening
• Breads
• Quick breads and muffins (e.g., pumpkin or zucchini bread, blueberry muffins)
• Breads with shredded hard cheeses incorporated into the dough prior to baking
• Breads with herbs, spices, nuts, or finely chopped and dried or freeze-dried vegetables and/or fruits incorporated into the dough prior to baking
• Jalapeno cheddar bread that is made with shredded hard cheese, incorporated into the dough. Jalapenos must be chopped or pulverized and dried, freeze-dried, or commercially pickled and patted dry prior to being incorporated into the raw dough

Not Allowed

• No pies or cakes that require refrigeration to assure safety like banana cream, pumpkin, lemon meringue or custard pies; cheesecake; and cakes with glaze or frosting that requires refrigeration (e.g., cream cheese frosting)
• No breads with fresh or frozen vegetables added
• No breads with soft cheese or large chunks of hard cheeses

Condiments

Peanut butter, almond butter, or other nut butters. Peanut butter made from ground peanuts or other similar nut butters are allowed.

Not Allowed

• No sauces and condiments, including barbeque sauce, hot sauce, ketchup, or mustard
• No salad dressings
• No salsas, tomato sauces, spaghetti sauces PHF/TCS Faq info
• No apple butter, pumpkin butter, or other fruit butters
• No Hummus

Fermented

Not Allowed

• No kombucha tea: Under the Michigan Food Law, you must be licensed to sell fermented foods and beverages, the production of which is considered a specialized process.
• No fermented green olives subjected to processes (such as lye treatment or washing with low-acid foods) that raise the pH above 4.6, with subsequent addition of acid or acid foods to reduce the pH to 4.6 or below

Vinegar or Oils

• Vinegar and flavored vinegars

Not Allowed

• No garlic in oil mixtures

Beverages

No beverages, including fruit/vegetable juices, Kombucha tea, and apple cider. Beverages are not allowed to be produced under the Cottage Food Law.

Candy and Confections

• Confections and candies (made without alcohol)
• Cotton Candy
• Chocolate-covered pretzels, marshmallows, graham crackers, Rice Krispies treats, strawberries, pineapple, bananas, or other non-Temperature Controlled for Safety Foods
• Coated or uncoated nuts
• Hard candies, lollipops, and peppermint candies
• Maple candy
• Freeze-dried candy

Not Allowed

• No caramel apples
• No confections that contain alcohol, like truffles or liqueur-filled chocolates. (You can make and sell confections that use flavoring, flavoring extract (e.g., rum flavoring or lemon flavoring), but not actual alcoholic beverages (e.g., rum extract, rum, sparkling wine/Champagne, Grand Marnier, Chambord, etc.)

Dried, Dehydrated, and Freeze-Dried Products

• Granola
• Dry herbs and dry herb mixtures
• Dry baking mixes
• Dry dip mixes
• Dry soup mixes
• Dehydrated vegetables or fruits
• Dried pasta made with or without eggs
• Dry bread or ‘instant’ bread mixes
• Dried herbal teas that are labeled and advertised to be consumed as a conventional food, with no health claims
• Non-potentially hazardous dry bulk mixes sold wholesale can be repackaged into a Cottage Food product. Similar items already packaged and labeled for retail sale cannot be repackaged and/or relabeled.
• Freeze-drying of some non-Potentially Hazardous Foods or non-Temperature Controlled for Safety Foods foods like candies or raw fruits is allowable under the cottage food law if the freeze-drying is conducted in a commercial freeze dryer to completion. ( may not freeze cut melon or cut tomatoes)

Not Allowed

• No tinctures, herbal teas with dosing instructions or advertised with health claims. These are not considered conventional foods and may be required to be licensed and regulated as a Dietary Supplement.

Frozen Products

• No ice or ice products
• No Potentially Hazardous Foods or Temperature Controlled for Safety Foods such as ice cream, meat, cooked vegetables
• No freeze-drying of foods that require special processing for safety, such as commercially prepared pickles, salad dressings, juices, beans, etc. These are not allowed as a Cottage Food.

Icing and Frosting

• K-State Extension’s (Kansas State University) Simple Buttercream recipe (free)
• American Buttercream recipe from Come and Bake It: Original Edition (purchase)

Not Allowed

No other buttercream frostings. Other Buttercream recipes in Come and Bake It: Original Edition, in other recipe books, or online sources have not been reviewed or approved for use.

Jams and Jellies

Fruit jams and jellies (as defined in 21 Code of Federal Regulations part 150) in glass jars that can be stored at room temperature.

The fruit ingredients are the following mature, properly prepared fruits which are fresh, concentrated, frozen and/or canned:
Blackberry (other than dewberry), Black raspberry, Blueberry, Boysenberry, Cherry, Crabapple, Dewberry (other than boysenberry, loganberry, and youngberry) Elderberry, Grape, Grapefruit, Huckleberry, Loganberry, Orange, Pineapple, Raspberry, red raspberry, Rhubarb, Strawberry, Tangerine, Tomato, Yellow tomato, Youngberry

Apricot, Cranberry, Damson, damson plum, Fig, Gooseberry, Greengage, greengage plum, Guava, Nectarine, Peach, Pear, Plum (other than greengage plum and damson plum), Quince, Red currant, currant (other than black currant)

The following combinations of fruit ingredients may be used:

• Any combination of two, three, four, or five of such fruits in which the weight of each is not less than one-fifth of the weight of the combination; except that the weight of pineapple may be not less than one-tenth of the weight of the combination.
• Any combination of apple and one, two, three, or four of such fruits in which the weight of each is not less than one-fifth and the weight of apple is not more than one-half of the weight of the combination; except that the weight of pineapple may be not less than one-tenth of the weight of the combination.
• In any combination of two, three, four, or five fruits, each such fruit is an optional ingredient.

The following safe and suitable optional ingredients may be used:

• Nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners.
• Spice.
• Acidifying agents.
• Pectin, in a quantity which reasonably compensates for deficiency, if any, of the natural pectin content of the fruit ingredient.
• Buffering agents.
• Preservatives.
• Antifoaming agents, except those derived from animal fat.

Not Allowed

• No vegetable jams/jellies (e.g., hot pepper jelly)
• No low-sugar or no-sugar jams or jellies
• No other non-fruit based jams/jellies
• No fruit or vegetable butters

Other Products

• Popcorn is allowed
• Roasted coffee beans or ground roasted coffee are allowed
• Extracts that are used for flavoring foods, like vanilla extract (and other extracts of foods that do not require temperature control for safety) are allowed

Not Allowed

• No milk and dairy products like cheese or yogurt
• No fresh pastas
• No CBD, cannabis, or foods with these products
• No dietary supplements as a tincture, syrup, tea, capsule, powder, or any other form that require a license to produce and/or sell
• No pet food or treats. A commercial feed license is required to make in a home kitchen.

Labeling Requirements

The basic information required on a cottage food label includes:

• The name and physical address of the cottage food operation (the home kitchen address must be used; P.O. Boxes are not permitted). However, if the operation participates in the MSU Product Center voluntary registration program, an assigned registration number may be used on the label instead of the name and address.
• The name of the cottage food product, which may be written in all capital letters or in standard upper and lower case.
• A complete list of ingredients in order of predominance by weight, including sub-ingredients for any prepared components used in the recipe.
• The net weight or net volume of the product, including the required metric equivalent.
• Allergen information in compliance with federal labeling requirements.
• The required statement: “Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development,” printed in at least 11-point font (approximately 1/8 inch in height) in a color that clearly contrasts with the background. Capitalization may be used in either all caps or standard format.

Hand-printed labels are acceptable as long as they are clearly legible, written in durable permanent ink, and sized to meet the same font requirements listed above.

Label Example

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients: Enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), semi-sweet chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), butter (cream, salt), brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt.

Contains: Wheat, milk, eggs, soy.

Net Wt: 12 oz (340 g)

Bee’s Cottage Bakery
123 Main Street, Michigan

Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.

Allergen Labeling

This can be done in two ways:

• By clearly listing the allergen within the ingredient list (for example, “whole wheat flour” indicates wheat), or
• By adding a separate “Contains:” statement after the ingredient list that lists all allergens present in the product (for example, “Contains: Wheat, Milk”).

The “Contains” statement must include all major allergens present in the product, including those that may come from sub-ingredients (for example, sodium caseinate is derived from milk).

Tree Nut Labeling

Tree nut labeling has a specific requirement: if tree nuts are used, you must clearly identify the exact type of nut in the ingredient list. For example, “almonds” or “walnuts” must be written specifically rather than just “nuts.”

For example, an acceptable ingredient list would be:
Ingredients: wheat flour, water, almonds, salt, yeast.

An unacceptable ingredient list would be:
Ingredients: flour, water, nuts, salt, yeast.

This ensures consumers know exactly which allergen is present in the product.

Cakes

For wedding cakes, birthday cakes, and other specialty cakes that cannot be easily labeled, all required labeling information must be included on the invoice and provided to the customer with the cake. For smaller cakes that are boxed, the full label must be placed on the packaging instead.

Samples and Storage

Samples – When offering samples, they must be pre-packaged in your home kitchen. Each sample does not require an individual label, but properly labeled packages of the product must be on display. Samples also cannot be prepared in a way that makes them potentially hazardous, meaning they must not require refrigeration or heat to remain safe. For example, you cannot mix a dried dip mix into sour cream and serve it as a sample.

Storage – Cottage food products must be stored inside approved indoor spaces only—outdoor buildings like garages, sheds, and barns are not allowed. Acceptable storage areas include a kitchen, basement, or spare room, as long as they are clean and protected from pests, standing water, dampness, and other unsanitary conditions. All food must be kept in airtight, food-grade containers and stored at least 6 inches off the floor to maintain proper hygiene and safety.

Selling

Cottage Food Producers may sell up to $50,000 per year in gross sales of approved foods without needing a license, registration, or inspection. However, sales up to $75,000 per year are allowed if the cottage food items are sold at $250 or more per unit.

Cottage food businesses may advertise online and collect payments either in person or through payment apps.

Products must be sold directly from the producer to the consumer. However, they may also be sold online, by mail order, or through third-party delivery services as long as the consumer has an opportunity to directly interact with the producer before purchase.

All cottage food products must be sold or delivered within the state of Michigan only.

Where Can I Sell?

• At farmers markets, farm stands, roadside stands
• Via phone, the internet, or mail order
• Inside the state of Michigan

Cannot Sell:

• Cannot sell to wholesalers, brokers or distributors
• Cannot sell to restaurant or grocery store
• Cannot donate to a public auction, fundraiser, or soup kitchen
• Cannot sell on consignment

Selling Over The Internet

Yes — you can sell Cottage Foods over the internet in Michigan, but there are a few important rules you must follow:

You are allowed to sell cottage food products online or through mail order, and you can also use third-party delivery platforms.

However, before the sale is completed, the consumer must have an opportunity to directly interact with you (the cottage food producer). This can be through things like:

• Messaging or chatting with you online
• Phone call
• Email communication where they can ask questions before buying

Also, all sales and deliveries must stay within the state of Michigan only.

Love, Bee xoxo