Cottage Bakery Information
Baked at Home, Shared with Care
Twelve Moons Baking is a cottage food operation, which means cookies are baked in our home kitchen in small batches rather than in a commercial bakery. This model allows us to focus on quality, care, and the personal touches that make homemade baking special.
What Is a Cottage Bakery?
Twelve Moons Baking operates as a Wisconsin home-based bakery under the state’s current cottage food framework for home bakers. Cottage bakery products are homemade and not subject to state licensing or inspection.
What Wisconsin Law Allows
Under Wisconsin law (via court decisions interpreting the retail food licensing rules), individuals may sell baked goods that are not potentially hazardous direct to consumers without a state food license. “Baked goods” include items like cookies, breads, quick breads, muffins, bars, and other shelf-stable baked products that do not require refrigeration for safety.
Because of this:
No state licensing or inspection is required for these kinds of home-baked goods.
You do not need separate food licensing to sell cookies directly to customers.
Products that require refrigeration or are potentially hazardous (e.g., cream-filled items or custards) are not allowed under this exemption.
Wisconsin law was written and interpreted so that home bakers can sell directly to consumers in person and through in-state channels, including:
At their home by appointment or pickup (Twelve Moons Baking does not use this option)
At local farmers markets and community events
Online (where the sale is completed and delivered in Wisconsin – no interstate shipping allowed)
Cookies cannot be sold wholesale to other businesses (like shops or restaurants) under this exemption.
Food Safety & Best Practices
Although state law does not require a food safety certification for home bakers, we follow careful food handling and sanitation practices, including:
Clean and organized home kitchen environment
Proper storage of ingredients and finished cookies
Packaging for freshness and safety
Why Cottage Baking Matters
Baking at home allows us to:
Keep batches small and fresh rather than mass-produced
Focus on flavor and texture, not shelf life
Maintain a personal connection with customers
Every order is baked with the same care we use when baking for family and friends.