Cottage food rules
Can I Sell Cheesecake From Home in Tennessee (2026)
What Tennessee's Food Freedom Act lets you sell, and the checks to make before you take a cheesecake order.
On this page
What to remember
- Read the state Food Freedom Act page before you quote a cheesecake.
- Check the department’s exceptions, not just the headline.
- Keep your permit and sales cap questions tied to the Act’s terms.
- Cost your hours and overhead before you set a price.
The question can i sell cheesecake from home in tennessee matters because one cheesecake ties up dairy, eggs, time, and a customer’s deposit. Read the state page before you set a price or promise a date. Old cottage food advice may not match the current Act.
What does the Food Freedom Act allow in your kitchen?
According to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, foods produced in a home-based kitchen in accordance with the Food Freedom Act are generally exempt from all licensing, permitting, inspecting, packaging, and labeling laws of the state. The same page notes exceptions the department sets. The Act took effect July 1, 2025.
The home food exemption is codified at T.C.A. § 53-1-118, according to Cottage Food License. Keep that citation with your order records. If a customer asks what rule covers your cheesecake, you can point to the Act instead of guessing.
Do you need a license, permit, or sales cap?
Find Homegrown reports that Tennessee’s Food Freedom Act imposes no state license, permit, inspection, or sales cap on home-produced food sold under its terms. Those words under its terms do real work. The exemption is tied to food that follows the Act, not to every item you might make in a home kitchen.
A sales cap is a dollar limit on what you may sell. Find Homegrown says no state cap applies to food sold under the Act’s terms. That does not mean every order is profitable. It means the state rule is not the thing stopping you.
You do not need to invent a state permit number to quote a customer. You do need to read the exceptions and keep a copy of the state page. A folder with the date you checked helps you answer questions later.
Can you sell cheesecake to customers under the Act?
A cheesecake is a food made in a home kitchen, so the Act is the first rule to read. The state page ties the exemption to food made in accordance with the Act. The department’s exceptions decide whether your cheesecake stays inside that cover.
Do not assume the name cheesecake settles the question. Check the exceptions for your ingredients and your process. If your plan falls outside the Act, get advice before you take a deposit.
Which mistakes cost home cheesecake sellers money?
The costly mistakes are usually boring. You quote before you cost the bake, you treat your time as free, or you ignore the department’s exceptions because an old post said cottage food was simple. Each one can turn a paid order into unpaid work.
What does a cheesecake order really cost?
For example, suppose your ingredients for one cheesecake cost $16 and your packaging costs $3. You spend 2.5 hours at $15 an hour, which is $37.50, and your oven and kitchen overhead add $6. Your total cost is $62.50. At an $85 price, your margin after ingredients, labor, and overhead is $22.50.
That example shows why a $50 cheesecake price can feel busy but leave you with little. Add the cost of driving to a pickup, a box that gets crushed, or a remake, and the margin shrinks. Build those costs into the quote before you promise a price.
What should you do before your first Tennessee order?
Start with the state page and the exceptions. Then write your recipe cost, your hours, and your overhead on one sheet. Finally, set a price that leaves a margin after all three. If the math does not work, change the size or simplify the finish before you cut your own pay.
The Tennessee cottage food law page goes deeper into what the Act covers, and what you can sell from home helps you sort new items. If you want the wider cheesecake picture, read the cheesecake permit rules guide.
Check the Act
Open the state page and read the exceptions before you quote a cheesecake.
Cost one bake
Add ingredients, packaging, your hours, and overhead. Do not stop at the grocery receipt.
Set a margin
Choose a price that covers all three costs and still leaves something for you.
Keep records
Save the order date, price, costs, and the state page you checked.
Recheck before new items
Read the exceptions again when you add a size, topping, or flavor.
You can sell cheesecake from home in Tennessee when your bake follows the Food Freedom Act and its exceptions. The rule is not a substitute for your own math. Read the state page, cost the whole order, and quote a price you can stand behind.
Common questions
Does a cheesecake qualify under the Food Freedom Act?
The Act covers food made in a home-based kitchen when the maker follows its terms. The state page says that food is generally exempt from licensing, permitting, inspection, packaging, and labeling, with exceptions. A cheesecake is a food, so read the exceptions before you sell one.
Do I need a state license for a cheesecake order?
Tennessee's Act ties the exemption to food sold under its terms. The state page notes exceptions. If your cheesecake stays inside those terms, a state permit is not the first thing to chase. If it falls outside, get advice before you advertise.
Should I put a label on my cheesecake?
State packaging and labeling laws are generally exempt under the Act, with exceptions. That does not stop you from adding an ingredient card. A simple card with the date, flavor, and your contact details can help with repeat orders and customer questions.
What records should I keep for each sale?
Keep the order date, price, ingredient cost, hours worked, and a copy of the state page you checked. Add the flavor and size so you can compare orders later. Good records show you which cheesecake pays and which one only keeps you busy.
Sources
General information, not legal or tax advice. Check the Tennessee Department of Agriculture page and a Tennessee lawyer for your situation.