Can I sell macarons from home?
Macaron shells are a dry baked cookie, so most cottage food laws can cover them. The filling is what decides it: ganache, curd, cream cheese, and custard fillings often need testing or a license.
Can you sell macarons from home? Usually the shells, yes. Whether you can sell the filled macaron depends on the filling and on your state.
Cottage food laws cover foods that do not need time or temperature control for safety (TCS). Vermont's Health Department puts it plainly: cottage foods are foods that do not require refrigeration or time or temperature control. Its list of TCS foods includes eggs and milk and dairy products, and it names baked goods that must be kept cold, like cheese danish and cheesecake, as not qualifying (Vermont Department of Health).
Macaron shells vs. macaron fillings
| Part | Cottage food question | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Baked shells (almond flour, sugar, egg white) | A dry baked good. Usually the cottage path. | Your state guide's allowed baked goods |
| High-sugar, shelf-stable buttercream | Often allowed. Some states limit butter-based frostings. | State guide; Kansas uses a 65% sugar test |
| Chocolate ganache with cream | K-State lists it as needing testing or conditions. | State rules; lab testing |
| Lemon or fruit curd | K-State lists it as needing testing or conditions. | State rules; lab testing |
| Cream cheese, whipped cream, custard, pastry cream | Usually TCS, so outside most cottage laws. | State prohibited list |
| Jam filling | Depends on your state's jam rules. | State guide |
What lab data says about macaron fillings
K-State Research and Extension lab-tested frostings and fillings home bakers use (MF3544, Food Safety of Frostings and Fillings). It treats water activity above 0.85 as an indicator of a high-risk food. Two tested results matter for macarons: a cooked chocolate ganache with heavy cream measured 0.88, and a cooked lemon curd measured 0.94. The same sheet lists chocolate ganache, lemon curd, heavy cream frosting, and cream cheese frosting or filling among the items it flags.
Recipes vary, so one lab result does not settle your recipe. It does show why ganache and curd are the fillings to be careful with. Read our K-State frostings and fillings write-up for the full table.
What some states say about macarons
- Kansas: K-State's guide to foods sold directly to consumers says icing or frosting, including cream cheese-based, with more than 65% sugar by weight needs no testing or license. Otherwise, testing decides. Cream-filled cupcakes, cream cheese fillings under 65% sugar, and custards need a Food Establishment license (K-State MF3138). See the Kansas guide.
- Massachusetts: our state data lists macarons among allowed non-potentially hazardous baked goods, and foods that need refrigeration are prohibited. See the Massachusetts guide.
- Michigan: our state data lists macarons among allowed baked goods made in a home kitchen. Michigan's exemption covers foods that do not need time or temperature control. See the Michigan guide.
- Vermont: baked goods that do not need refrigeration fit the cottage food exemption. If you are not sure about your filling, the Health Department has a Cottage Food Product Review Request Form (Vermont Department of Health). See the Vermont guide.
Other states: the rule is the same idea, but the lists differ. Open your state from the 50-state directory and check the allowed and prohibited lists, then use Can I Sell? to compare buttercream, cream cheese icing, and custard across states.
How to sell macarons on the cottage path
- Pick a filling that stays safe at room temperature: a high-sugar buttercream your state allows, or a filling you have had tested.
- Skip cream cheese, whipped cream, custard, and pastry cream unless your state or a lab result says otherwise.
- If your state offers a product review (Vermont does), use it for ganache or curd.
- Label every box. Macarons contain almonds (a tree nut) and egg, and often milk.
- Check your county page for permits and where you may sell.
Selling macarons FAQ
Are macarons a cottage food?
The shells usually fit: they are a dry, baked meringue-and-almond cookie that does not need refrigeration. The filling decides the rest. Cottage laws cover foods that do not need time or temperature control for safety (TCS). A macaron filled with something that has to stay cold is not a cottage food in most states.
Can I sell macarons with ganache or lemon curd from home?
Not without checking. K-State Research and Extension lab-tested home recipes and lists chocolate ganache and lemon curd among fillings that need testing or conditions. One tested ganache had a water activity of 0.88 and a lemon curd 0.94, above the 0.85 line K-State uses as a high-risk indicator.
Can I sell macarons with buttercream filling?
Often, but not everywhere. A shelf-stable buttercream with a high sugar share is treated differently from one made with cream cheese, fresh cream, or custard. Kansas, for example, lets icings with more than 65% sugar by weight skip testing. Check your state guide before you sell.
Can I sell macarons in Massachusetts or Vermont?
Crosodo's Massachusetts guide lists macarons among allowed non-potentially hazardous baked goods. Vermont's cottage exemption covers baked goods that do not need refrigeration, and the Health Department offers a product review form if you are unsure. Either way, the filling still has to be shelf-stable.
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.
