Can I Sell Candy, Jam, Granola, and Other Specialty Foods From Home in Michigan?

The Rule That Governs Everything

Michigan's cottage food exemption lets you sell food made in your home kitchen without a state cottage-food license, pre-opening inspection, or cottage-food fee — but only if the product is non-potentially hazardous. In food safety terms, that means it does not need refrigeration to stay safe. The technical criteria: water activity at or below 0.85, or pH at or below 4.6. If your product meets those thresholds, it can sit at room temperature without supporting the growth of dangerous bacteria like Clostridium botulinum.

That single test determines whether your specialty product can be sold under the cottage food exemption or whether you need a licensed commercial kitchen.

Candy: Mostly Yes

Hard candies, lollipops, cotton candy, caramels, toffee, chocolate-covered pretzels, marshmallows, and uncoated or chocolate-coated nuts are all permitted under the cottage food exemption. These products are shelf-stable by nature — low moisture content keeps them safely in the non-TCS category.

What you cannot sell as cottage food: confections containing unevaporated liquid alcohol (rum balls, liqueur-filled chocolates). The alcohol issue brings Michigan Liquor Control Commission regulations into play, which operate independently from the cottage food law.

Fudge occupies a gray area. Traditional fudge made with butter, sugar, and chocolate is generally shelf-stable, but recipes with high cream content or low sugar ratios can push the product into TCS territory. If you are unsure, the MSU Product Center can help evaluate your specific recipe.

Jam: Yes, With a Specific Legal Standard

Fruit-based jams, jellies, and preserves are permitted — but they must comply with the federal standard of identity under 21 CFR Part 150. In practical terms, this means your jam must meet the applicable fruit-to-sweetener ratio and soluble-solids requirements in 21 CFR Part 150 (at least 47 parts Group I fruit to 55 parts sweetener, or 45 parts for other permitted fruits, and 65% soluble solids).

The critical distinction is between jam and fruit butter. Apple butter, pumpkin butter, and similar fruit butters have significantly less sugar and higher water activity than standardized jams. Fruit butters do not meet the cottage food exemption's safety thresholds and require a licensed commercial kitchen to produce.

Vegetable-based spreads — hot pepper jelly, for example — are also prohibited under the cottage food exemption. Even though pepper jelly may seem shelf-stable, MDARD classifies vegetable-containing preserves as acidified foods that require pH testing and process validation available only in a licensed facility.

Granola and Dry Mixes: Yes

Granola, dry baking mixes, dry soup mixes, dry dip mixes, dry spice blends, and dry pasta (with or without eggs, as long as it is completely dried) are all clearly permitted. These products have low water activity by definition.

The key word is "dry." A granola bar held together with honey and butter sits comfortably in the non-TCS range. But if you add yogurt chips, fresh fruit pieces, or cream-based coatings that introduce moisture, you may push the product into questionable territory.

Other Specialty Products Worth Knowing About

Roasted coffee beans (whole or ground): Permitted. Coffee is shelf-stable.

Dried herbs and spice blends: Permitted. Keep them fully dehydrated.

Chocolate-covered strawberries or fruit: Not permitted. Fresh fruit is perishable, and the coating does not change the underlying food safety classification.

Flavored vinegars: Permitted, as long as they contain no fresh vegetable or herb additions that could lower the pH stability. Plain and fruit-infused vinegars are straightforward.

Vanilla extract and food-flavoring extracts: Permitted, though subject to Michigan Liquor Control Commission rules because of the alcohol content.

Your Label Obligations

Every specialty product needs a compliant label with the product name, net weight (both US customary and metric), a complete ingredient list in descending order of predominance, allergen declarations for the nine major allergens, and the mandatory MDARD disclaimer in at least 11-point font. For jams and preserves, ingredient accuracy is especially important — sub-ingredients in prepared components (like pectin or citric acid) must be listed in parentheses.

If you sell online or through delivery within Michigan, you must also provide a real-time two-way communication option to the buyer before the sale is finalized.

When a Product Does Not Qualify

If your best-selling concept is pepper jelly, fresh salsa, cream cheese brownies, or any product that needs refrigeration, the cottage food exemption is not available. You would need to produce in a licensed commercial kitchen — either through a shared-use incubator (typical costs range from $200 to $1,000+/month in Michigan) or by building out a dedicated facility and completing MDARD plan review.

The Michigan Cottage Food & Home Food Business Guide includes a complete product eligibility matrix, label templates, and the step-by-step process for transitioning to commercial licensing when you are ready to expand beyond the cottage food product list.

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