Start Your Home Bakery: Week 1(The Legal Ish)

Welcome to Week 1 of your cottage bakery journey! If you're reading this, you're probably excited about starting a home bakery but not quite sure where to begin. I get it—there's so much to think about, and it can feel totally overwhelming.

The good news? You don't have to figure it all out at once. Over the next 30 days, we're going to break everything down into bite-sized, manageable steps. By the end of this month, you'll have made your first sale. Don't Freak Out!

This week is all about laying the foundation and well the legal ish. We're making sure you're allowed to do what you want to do and getting crystal clear on what you're actually selling. No jumping ahead to the fun stuff (Instagram, cute packaging, etc.) until we nail these basics. You'll be glad to get this out of the way first.

Ready? Let's do this!

Day 1-2: Research Your State's Cottage Food Laws

I know, I know—researching laws isn't exactly the exciting part. But trust me, this is the most important thing you'll do all week, besides treating yourself with a fancy coffee after making it through the week. You need to know what you're legally allowed to make and sell from your home kitchen.

Cottage food laws vary wildly from state to state. What's perfectly legal in Texas might get you in big trouble in New Jersey. Some states are super relaxed, while others have strict rules about what you can make, where you can sell it, and how much money you can earn. Some states require permits and licenses while others do not.

Your action steps for Days 1-2:

Look up your state's cottage food laws

Check out my state-by-state guide to find your specific laws
Read through the official requirements carefully
Take notes on anything confusing (you can always ask questions by sending me a message or joining my SKOOL group!)

Make a list of what foods are allowed

Most states allow baked goods like cookies, cakes, and brownies
Some states allow jams, granola, or candies
This is a bummer one, a lot of states prohibit anything that needs refrigeration (no cheesecake *how can you ban a cheesecake, they are the best*, cream-filled pastries, or buttercream cakes)

Note any sales limits

Many states cap annual sales at $15,000-$50,000
Some states have no limits at all–yay if you live here
This affects whether you need to register as a business or report income(we will get into that on another post so check back)

Check if you need permits or licenses

Some states require a food handler's certificate..don't worry this is easy to get and inexpensive
Others want you to register with the health department
A few states require you to complete a food safety course (usually online and inexpensive)

Find out labeling requirements

Almost every state requires specific information on labels(we will walk through making these on Canva)
Common requirements: ingredient list, allergen warnings, your name and address, a cottage food disclaimer
Get the exact wording your state requires and plan to be slightly annoyed that you have to fit all that on label that covers most of your beautiful cookie

Quick tip:

Don't skip this step just because it's boring! I've seen new bakers get so excited that they start selling before checking the laws, only to find out later they weren't supposed to be selling certain items. Not fun and not worth the risk.

If your state's laws seem confusing or overly restrictive, don't give up! Many states have been updating their cottage food laws to be more friendly to home bakers. And even if the rules feel limiting at first, there's still plenty you can do. If you feel discouraged, send me a message with which state your in and I will help you figure out a menu to get started. You can do this!

Day 3-4: Decide on Your Starter Menu

Here's where we get to the fun part—deciding what to sell!

But here's the thing: You don't need to offer everything under the sun. In fact, you really shouldn't. Check out my Start Smart, Sell Smart freebie where I provide 5 easy recipes but I only want you to pick 3 for your first menu.

When you're just starting out, it's way better to do a few things really well than to offer 20 different items and spread yourself too thin. Burn out is real and we don't want that to happen. A focused menu makes everything easier—shopping for ingredients, perfecting recipes, managing your time, and building a reputation.

How to choose your starter menu:

Pick 3 items that check these boxes:

You're really good at making them

What do friends and family always ask you to bake?
What do you genuinely enjoy making? ~ The MOST important
What turns out consistently well for you?

People actually want to buy them

Birthday cakes and cupcakes are always in demand
Cookies are perfect for gifts, parties, and “just because” treats
Brownies and bars are easy crowd-pleasers

They fit within your cottage food laws

Double-check your state allows each item
Make sure they don't require refrigeration if your state prohibits it

They don't require super fancy or expensive ingredients

Keep it simple at first
You can always add fancier items later
Remember, you need to price competitively while making a profit but do not undercharge and sell yourself short

They store well and travel easily

Avoid anything too delicate for your first menu
Think about how items hold up during delivery
Consider your climate (frosting in hot summer weather can be tricky if you are from Arizona like me!)

Example starter menus:

Classic Bakery Menu: Remember, only pick 3 to start with

Chocolate chip cookies
Double fudge brownies
Vanilla cupcakes
Chocolate cupcakes
Banana bread

Cookie-Focused Menu:

Classic chocolate chip
Snickerdoodles
Peanut butter cookies
Sugar cookies

Cake-Focused Menu:

6-inch round cakes (chocolate, vanilla, red velvet)
Dozen cupcakes (same flavors)
Cake pops

Pick what makes sense for you and your skills. There's no wrong answer here!

Quick tip:

Start simple. You can always add more items later once you've got a rhythm going. It's much easier to add to your menu than to overwhelm yourself right out of the gate. Pick things that are easier to batch, make ahead, and have easy packaging.

Day 5-7: Test and Perfect Your Recipes

You've chosen your menu—awesome! Now it's time to make sure those recipes are absolutely perfect and consistent every single time.

This might seem unnecessary if you've been baking these items for years, but here's why it matters: When you're baking for yourself or family, “pretty good” is fine. When you're selling, you need “consistently excellent.”

What to do during your test days:

Write down exact measurements and baking times

No more “a handful of chocolate chips” or “until it looks done”
Use measuring cups and spoons (or better yet, a kitchen scale)
Note exact oven temperature and baking time
Write down pan sizes, mixing methods, everything

Make sure recipes are consistent batch after batch

Bake each item at least 2-3 times
Do they turn out the same every time?
If not, figure out why and adjust

Test how long items stay fresh

How do they taste on day 1? Day 2? Day 3?
How should they be stored?
This helps you know how far in advance you can bake

Get honest feedback from friends and family

Not just “it's good!”—you need real feedback
Ask: Is it too sweet? Too dry? Just right?
Would they actually buy this?
What would they pay for it?

Make any necessary adjustments

Too dry? Add more butter or reduce baking time
Too sweet? Pull back on sugar
Not chocolatey enough? Add more cocoa or chips
Keep tweaking until it's perfect

Create a recipe binder:

For each recipe, write down:

Exact ingredient measurements
Step-by-step instructions
Oven temperature and baking time
Pan size and prep (greased? lined with parchment?)
Cooling instructions
Storage instructions
Any special notes or tips

This will be your go to manual when you're filling orders. Trust me, you'll be grateful to have everything written down when you're baking at 5am for a noon pick-up!

Quick tip:

Take photos of each recipe when it turns out perfect. This gives you a visual reference for what it should look like AND gives you content for your social media later! We will go over photography in another post so keep a look out for it.

Week 1 Wrap-Up: You're Off to a Great Start!

Look at you! You made it through Week 1! GO get that fancy coffee!

Let's recap what you've accomplished:

✅ You know your state's cottage food laws inside and out
✅ You've chosen a focused, manageable starter menu
✅ You've tested your recipes and have them written down perfectly
✅ You're ready to move into the business setup phase

This might not be the flashiest week, but it's the most important foundation for everything that comes next. You now know what you're allowed to sell, what you're going to sell, and exactly how to make it. This start allows you to get a month or two under your belt and then you can sprinkle in some fun seasonal treats to keep bringing in new customers and tempt your existing customers, but that's for another time.

What's coming in Week 2?

Next week, we're setting up the business side of things:

Choosing your business name and creating simple branding
Calculating your prices (the right way, so you actually make money!)
Setting up your social media presence and how you want that to look
Getting ready to take orders

It's going to be a good week! See ya then…

Your homework before Week 2:

Make sure you've completed all of Week 1's tasks(DOWNLOAD THIS CHECKLIST)
If you haven't finished testing your recipes, do that this weekend..have a friend, spouse, or a random 5 year old with no filter taste test for you.
Start thinking about business name ideas (we'll finalize it in Week 2)

Questions?

Drop a comment below! What was the most surprising thing you learned about your state's cottage food laws? What items made it onto your starter menu?

Ready for Week 2? Click here to continue with setting up your business basics!

New here? This is part of my Start Your Home Bakery: 30 Days to Your First Sale series for new cottage bakers. Start from the beginning or jump to whichever week you need! Don't forget to join our group(its free)!

Start Your Home Bakery: Week 1(The Legal Ish)