Cottage food rules
Colorado Cottage Food Laws and Cheesecake: What to Know
A plain answer on where cheesecake stands under Colorado cottage food rules, and what to do before you sell one.
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What to remember
- In 2012 the Colorado Legislature enacted the Colorado Cottage Foods Act, allowing limited types of food products to be sold directly to consumers without licensing or inspection.
- The Act requires producers to complete a food safety training course before starting a cottage foods business.
- The state material we reviewed does not name cheesecake, so treat it as an open question until the state answers it for you.
- A cottage food product can be sampled and inspected if it is misbranded, if a consumer complaint comes in, or if it is suspected in an injury.
You are not the first Colorado baker to type this into a phone at the kitchen counter. Cheesecake sits right at the edge of what home bakers ask about, and the honest answer starts with what the law does and does not say. For the wider picture, read Colorado cottage food laws: what home bakers need, then come back here for the cheesecake question.
What the Colorado Cottage Foods Act says
In 2012, the Colorado Legislature enacted the Colorado Cottage Foods Act. It allows limited types of food products to be sold directly to consumers without licensing or inspection. That word limited is the whole story. The Act is not a blanket permission slip for anything you can pull out of your oven, so the first job is working out which side of the line your cheesecake falls on.
The Act also requires producers to complete a food safety training course before starting a cottage foods business. Do that early, before you spend a weekend testing crusts. Our guide to Colorado cottage food law requirements walks through the groundwork so you are not guessing.
Before you bake a cheesecake to sell
Ask the state first
Contact the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and ask whether your cheesecake qualifies as a cottage food product. Put it in writing and keep the reply with your business records.
Take the food safety training
The Colorado Cottage Foods Act requires a food safety training course before you start a cottage foods business. Finish it before you sell.
Get your label right
A cottage food product can be sampled and inspected if it is misbranded. Build your label before your first order, not after.
Keep a paper trail
Save your training confirmation, your label file, and any written answer from the state. If a complaint ever comes in, you will want it all in one folder.
Labels, complaints, and inspections
Cottage food producers are not inspected as a matter of routine, but the door is not locked. A cottage food product is subject to food sampling and inspection if it is determined that it is misbranded, if a consumer complaint has been received, or if the product is suspected in an injury. That is why the label matters as much as the bake. Our guide to the Colorado cottage food law label covers what to print and where each line goes.
One more reason to sort the label early: a cheesecake that goes out with a vague or missing label is the kind of thing that turns a happy customer into a complaint. Print it properly, stick it on the box, and keep a copy of the file on your phone so you can reprint in a minute.
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The short version
Cheesecake is not a food you should quietly assume is covered. The Colorado Cottage Foods Act allows limited types of food products to be sold directly to consumers without licensing or inspection, and it requires a food safety training course before you start. Get your answer from the state, finish the training, and print a proper label. Then you can bake with a clear head.
Common questions
Can I sell cheesecake from my home in Colorado?
The state material we reviewed does not list cheesecake among the limited types of food products allowed under the Colorado Cottage Foods Act. Confirm with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment before you take orders.
Do I need a license to sell cottage food in Colorado?
The Colorado Cottage Foods Act allows limited types of food products to be sold directly to consumers without licensing or inspection. Whether your cheesecake is one of those products is the question to settle with the state first.
Do I have to take a food safety course?
Yes. The Colorado Cottage Foods Act requires producers to complete a food safety training course before starting a cottage foods business.
Can my cottage food product be inspected?
Yes, in some situations. A cottage food product is subject to food sampling and inspection if it is misbranded, if a consumer complaint has been received, or if the product is suspected in an injury.
What should I do first if I want to sell cheesecake?
Get a written answer from the state about your recipe, then complete the required food safety training. Do both before you advertise or accept a deposit.
Sources
This is general information, not legal advice. Cottage food rules change and every kitchen is different. Confirm your own situation with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment before you sell.