Can I sell caramels from home? A 50-state guide.
Caramels under US cottage food law: 49 states allow it outright, 0 allow it with conditions, 2 prohibit it. Full national breakdown with statute links and the food-safety reasoning behind each verdict.
Every cottage food question comes down to two things: what's your state's tier, and does the food you want to sell fit inside it. Caramels is a good example because the answer genuinely depends on where you live.
caramels: 49 states allow it outright, 0 allow it conditionally, and 2 prohibit it under their cottage food exemption. The exact requirements vary by state — see the table below.
Why the law treats it this way
Low water activity (aw < 0.85) or high sugar concentration (> 65% by weight) prevents microbial growth. Honey, chocolate, roasted nuts, and dry mixes are inherently self-preserving. No refrigeration or pH control needed.
What can go wrong in a home kitchen
Moisture ingress if poorly packaged (mold on granola, staleness). Cross-contamination in a home kitchen shared with fresh produce. Allergen labeling for tree nuts / peanuts / soy.
Almost every state allows caramels
49 jurisdictions allow caramels outright: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, and 39 others. In each of these states you can sell direct-to-consumer without a scheduled process, acidified-foods license, or commercial-kitchen requirement — just the standard cottage food label and (in most states) a sales cap.
Where caramels is prohibited
2 jurisdictions prohibit caramels under their cottage food exemption. Selling it in these states requires a licensed commercial kitchen and, usually, a separate food-processor license. Examples:
- Maryland
- Maryland's cottage food not-allowed list explicitly names 'homemade caramel/caramels' as a prohibited soft candy. Soft candies of any kind require a licensed commercial kitchen.
- Wisconsin
- Wisconsin's Kivirist cottage food exception is baked-goods-only. Non-baked candies including caramels are not covered and require a licensed food processing plant.
What to do next
- Check your state's tier. State cottage food law is the floor; find your state on the state directory and confirm the tier plus the sales cap.
- Read your specific verdict. The caramels state-by-state table tells you exactly what your state allows and links to the statute.
- Verify with your local health department. Even in states that allow caramels outright, county zoning and city home-occupation rules can add a permit or restriction. State law rarely preempts local zoning.
- Label correctly. Every cottage food state requires a labeled product: business name, address, ingredient list, allergen disclosure, and a "made in a home kitchen" disclaimer. Exact wording varies — see our state labeling breakdown for your state.
- Stay under the cap. Most states cap annual gross sales under the cottage food exemption. Track revenue from day one; graduating to a licensed kitchen is a real cost and a real transition, not something to trip into.
Crosodo Journal entries are recipe, craft, and cottage-food notes for home bakers. Recipes assume an active starter and basic equipment. Cottage food sales are governed by your state's law — start with the free state directory, check a product with Can I sell this?, or grab a label template. Not legal advice.
