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Bakery

How to label pies to sell

Pie legality splits down the middle of the filling: fruit pies are usually cottage-legal, while cream, custard, pumpkin, and meringue pies typically are not, because they require refrigeration.

What pies labels get wrong

  • Fruit pies are usually allowed under cottage laws; cream, custard, pumpkin, and meringue pies typically are not (refrigeration-required). Verify your exact filling with your state before selling.
  • The crust decides part of your allergen list: a butter crust declares milk, an all-lard crust does not, and vegetable shortening brings its own sub-ingredients to copy from the supplier label.
  • Fruit usually tops the ingredient list: in a classic apple pie the apples outweigh the flour by a wide margin.
  • Net weight covers the whole pie as sold; a hand pie or slice sold individually is its own package with its own net weight.

Serving size

Pies use a 125 g RACC, about 1/6 of an 8-inch pie. See the RACC lookup for how the FDA sets serving sizes.

Make your pies label

The free cottage label maker builds the ingredient statement (auto-ordered by weight), detects the Big-9 allergens, including the ones hiding in sub-ingredients, and adds your state's required home-kitchen disclosure. Scaling into retail? The nutrition label maker computes the FDA panel from the same recipe for $9.

Free cottage label FDA Nutrition Facts panel ($9)

Pies labeling FAQ

Do I need a nutrition label to sell pies?
For direct-to-consumer cottage sales with no claims, generally no: an ingredient list, allergen declaration, net weight, and your state's disclosure statement are the usual requirements. Selling to restaurants or retailers, or making nutrient claims, typically means a full Nutrition Facts panel.
Can I sell cream, custard, or pumpkin pies under cottage food law?
Usually not. Those fillings typically make the pie refrigeration-required (TCS), and most states limit cottage sales to shelf-stable foods like standard fruit pies. Verify your specific filling with your state before selling.

More product labeling guides

Verify before selling

Product rules vary by state (especially for pies) and change over time. Confirm with your state's program and official sources. Panelry is not affiliated with any government agency and does not provide legal advice. See our disclaimer.