High-altitude baking: Two crucial things you need to know

The most important thing to establish about high-altitude baking is that it’s more of an art than a science. Or, to put it slightly differently, it’s an art informed by science. There are several reasons for this — “high-altitude” can mean many things, anywhere from 3,000 feet above sea level to 6,000 feet, or even higher. What works for a baker in one location won’t work the same for another baker elsewhere. And an adjustment that performs well in one recipe won’t necessarily do the same in a different one. Some people have even reported that they’ve made recipes at high-altitude without any adjustments and things turned out fine!

That said, understanding the role altitude plays in baking can help you make more informed decisions about when and how to make adjustments to a sea-level recipe. Many high-altitude baking guides — ours included — are full of tips, but if you’re just starting out, it can quickly become overwhelming! We recommend beginning with these two crucial recipe adjustments. 

John Sherman

How altitude affects baking #1: Baked goods rise more 

As altitude increases, the air gets thinner. There is less atmospheric pressure, which means that baked goods rise more easily, and more quickly. This can cause lots of problems — baked goods can over-expand and dry out before the structure has the chance to set.

High-altitude adjustment to make → Decrease the leavening

Since leavening happens more quickly at high altitudes, you want to make adjustments to slow it down. This means decreasing the amount of chemical leaveners — primarily baking soda and/or baking powder — in a recipe.

The higher the altitude, the more you want to decrease the chemical leavener. See the chart in our High-Altitude Baking Guide for guidance, but remember — this is an art! Use these recommendations as a starting point and continue to play around and adjust if needed.

The same principles apply to yeast baking: We recommend decreasing the amount of yeast in the recipe by 25% to slow proofing times. (Even still, your overall rising time may be shorter so keep an eye on your dough during fermentation.)

Photography by Rick Holbrook; food styling by Kaitlin Wayne

How altitude affects baking #2: Baked goods dry out faster 

The conditions at higher altitudes are much drier than at sea level, and liquid evaporates more quickly. As a result, doughs, batters, and baked goods dry out easily. Think about when you make bread in the cold, dry winter versus a warm, humid summer. You probably notice a difference in your dough: The winter bread dough may need more water to reach a smooth, elastic consistency. The same principle applies at altitude.

High-altitude adjustment to make → Add more liquid

To start, we recommend increasing the liquid by 1 to 2 tablespoons at 3,000 feet. Increase by 1 1/2 teaspoons for each additional 1,000 feet. (You can also use extra eggs as part of this liquid, depending on the recipe.) As with leaveners above, use these amounts as a starting point and make adjustments from there.

There are many other adjustments you can make when baking at high-altitude (find them in our High-Altitude Baking Guide!) but these two primary changes are a great beginning point if you’re overwhelmed by all the options.

Cover photo (Chocolate Breakfast Muffins) and food styling by Liz Neily.