This text is an excerpt from the book, Pie in the Sky, by Susan G. Purdy
Recipe Adjustment Guide
The following chart is a generalized adjustment guide, a place to start when making trial-and-error changes to your own sea level recipes that don’t work at altitude. When embarking on a new recipe, it is usually best to follow it once without changes, taking notes on the results. If they were less than wonderful, try it again referring to the table below; start with the smaller adjustments and work up to the larger ones.
For reliable, tested recipes that eliminate the guesswork, buy Susan G. Purdy’s book, Pie In the Sky.
| Adjustments | Altitude | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,000 feet | 5,000 feet | 7,000 feet | 10,000 feet | |
Flour Increase each cup by: |
0 to 1 tablespoon | 0 to 2 tablespoons | 3 to 4 tablespoons | 2 to 4 tablespoons |
| Baking Powder or Baking Soda Decrease each teaspoon by: | 0 to 1/8 teaspoon | 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon | 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon | 1/2 to 2/3 teaspoon |
Sugar Decrease each cup by: |
0 to 1 tablespoon | 0 to 2 tablespoons | 2 to 4 tablespoons | 3 to 4 tablespoons |
Liquid Increase each cup by: |
0 to 2 tablespoons | 2 to 4 tablespoons | 3 to 4 tablespoons | 3 to 4 tablespoons |
| Fats (may not be necessary) Decrease each cup by: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 to 2 tablespoons in very high-fat cakes and some cookies |