What to Put on Baked Goods Labels: Required Information for Small Bakeries

Your label needs to tell the customer what they're buying and protect you both legally. The core pieces are: product name, complete ingredient list in descending order by weight, allergen warnings, net weight, and your contact information. If you're operating under cottage food exemptions in your state, you'll also need a disclaimer. Check your state's rules—they vary significantly.

The Product Name

Start with what it actually is. "Chocolate Chip Cookies" or "Sourdough Bread" or "Granola with Almonds and Honey." Be specific enough that someone unpacking the box knows what they ordered. If you're selling a seasonal or limited item, the name can reflect that—"Pumpkin Spice Granola" or "Gingerbread Biscotti"—but the core product should be clear.

The Ingredient List

List every ingredient in descending order by weight. This is the part that takes a minute to get right, but it matters. Start with your largest component and work down. For a batch of chocolate chip cookies, it might read:

Wheat flour, butter, sugar, eggs, chocolate chips (chocolate, cocoa butter, sugar, soy lecithin), vanilla extract, baking soda, salt.

Notice that the chocolate chips are broken down into their sub-ingredients. If an ingredient is a compound (like chocolate chips), you list what's in it. If you're using a pre-made mix or buying chocolate chips from a supplier, check the supplier's ingredient statement and list those components.

For granola, the order might be:

Rolled oats, honey, coconut oil, almonds, dried cranberries (cranberries, sugar, sunflower oil), pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, sea salt, vanilla extract.

The order changes based on what you actually use. If honey is your second-largest ingredient by weight, it goes second.

Allergen Warnings

Call out the major allergens clearly. The FDA recognizes nine: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. If your product contains any of these, state it plainly. Many makers put this in bold or on a separate line so it catches the eye.

For the chocolate chip cookies example: "Contains: wheat, eggs, milk, soy."

For the granola: "Contains: tree nuts (almonds), sesame."

If your facility also processes other allergens (even if they're not in this product), some makers add "May contain traces of..." but this is not required by law—it's a business decision based on your production setup. Check your state's guidance on this point.

Net Weight

State the weight or volume of the product. "12 oz" or "250g" or "1 lb 4 oz." Put it somewhere easy to find, ideally near the product name.

Your Contact Information

Include your name or business name and a way for someone to reach you—phone, email, or mailing address. If a customer has a question or concern about the product, they need to know how to find you. This is also a compliance requirement in most states.

The Cottage Food Disclaimer

If you're operating under your state's cottage food exemption, you're typically required to include a statement like "Made in a home kitchen" or "This product is made in a kitchen that is not subject to state licensing or inspection." The exact wording varies by state. Some states require specific language; others give you flexibility. Look up your state's requirement—it's usually on your state health department's website or in the cottage food statute itself.

Two Real Examples

Batch Granola Label:

Homemade Maple Walnut Granola

Rolled oats, maple syrup, coconut oil, walnuts, dried blueberries (blueberries, sugar, sunflower oil), cinnamon, sea salt, vanilla extract

Contains: tree nuts (walnuts)

Net weight: 14 oz

Made in a home kitchen

[Your name] | [Your phone or email]

Sourdough Crackers Label:

Rosemary Sea Salt Sourdough Crackers

Sourdough starter (flour, water, salt), wheat flour, olive oil, rosemary, sea salt

Contains: wheat

Net weight: 8 oz

Made in a home kitchen

[Your name] | [Your phone or email]

What You Don't Need (Yet)

Nutrition facts panels are not required for most home-based bakeries operating under cottage food exemptions. If you're selling through a commercial kitchen or scaling to wholesale, that changes. But if you're baking in your home kitchen and selling locally, you're not required to include calories, fat, protein, or other nutritional data. Check your state's specific rules to be sure.

The Bottom Line

Your label is your first conversation with the customer. It answers their immediate questions (what is this?) and protects both of you by being honest about what's inside. Spend the time getting the ingredient list right—that's where most mistakes happen. Everything else flows from there.

The requirements do vary by state, especially around cottage food exemptions and specific disclaimer language. Before you print your first batch of labels, confirm your state's current rules. It takes 20 minutes and saves you from reprinting later.