My Favorite High Altitude Baking Cookbooks
No recipe today but I hope you’ll forgive me as I’m sharing my favorite High Altitude Baking Cookbooks instead. I’ve gotten a handful of emails asking what my favorite high altitude cookbooks and resources are so I decided to put them all together and make it easy on everyone!
It’s no secret that high altitude baking can wreak havoc in the kitchen. I get emails and questions regarding failed cakes and cookies all the time. It’s usually a family recipe or one that worked at sea level but after moving to the mountains the “fail proof” recipe just won’t work anymore. Trust me, I get it. I have recipe fails more times than I care to admit. So even though I follow a basic set of guidelines each time I create or adapt a new recipe, it’s often times trial and error until I get it right.
I’ve compiled my favorite baking cookbooks. Some of them high altitude specific, others not. All of my recommends are listed here because I’ve used and trust the books multiple times and always get awesome results. If I’ve missed or not included a favorite of yours, please leave a comment and share the love. I’m always looking for new baking sources! Happy holiday baking and thanks for reading! xo, Kelley
High Altitude Baking by Colorado State University edited by Patricia Kendall
Published by the University of Denver, this is a favorite reference book whenever I’m developing a new recipe or having a hard time getting one to work. It’s a cookbook for people living between 3,500 and 10,000 feet. No pictures which is a bummer but it’s still a great resource none the less. My favorite recipes are the Basic Pancakes and Morning Glory Muffins.
The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook by Jennifer Appel and Allysa Torey
Not a high altitude specific cookbook. In fact, The Magnolia Bakery is in New York City. I love it none the less. If you’ve ever been to Magnolia Bakery then likely you’ve had their famous Banana Pudding. It’s off the charts good! It was single handedly the reason I bought the book. It’s been such a pleasant surprise as the other recipes in the book are homey and the section on breakfast-y breads is legit. No pictures but still worth the purchase! My favorite recipes are Raspberry Cream Cheese Breakfast Buns and Hello Dolly Bars.
Colorado Cache Cookbook by The Junior League of Denver
I’m not sure if this book counts as a high altitude specific cookbook or not. It’s sold as a general cookbook but it’s a Jr. League book from Denver which is technically high altitude as it’s 5000 feet. Whenever I make recipes out of here, I don’t adjust the first time around. If I need to tinker after that I will but my experience is that they usually turn out the first time. Again, no pictures but it’s still a great book. My mom passed her love Jr. League cookbooks on to me! My favorite recipes in this book are the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and Lemon Cheesecake.
The Cookies & Cups Cookbook by Shelly Jaronski
Another non specific high altitude cookbook, this cookbook is getting the most play in my kitchen right now. Shelly writes the blog Cookies and Cups. The recipes aren’t fussy or fancy- simplicity at it’s best- and the pictures are wonderful. Every single recipe I’ve made out of this book has been a winner. Every. Single. One. My favorite recipes are the Salty Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and Banana Cupcakes with Marshmallow Buttercream.
Pie in the Sky by Susan G Purdy
My high altitude baking bible. While I don’t actually make a ton of the recipes out of here, I do use it as a base for creating new recipes or answering questions when I experience baking fails.The best part of this book is that each recipe has been tested at and then written for varying altitudes. If you live at 5000 or 9000 feet, Susan Purdy not only makes the adjustments for you but she tells you why. It’s a must in any high altitude kitchen. My favorite recipes are the Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate Icing and the Sun Valley Peanut Butter Cookies.
Flour by Joanne Chang
Last but no least, this is another non high altitude specific cookbook. And funnily enough, it’s a another bakery cookbook from the east coast. This time Boston. Flour has multiple locations around the city and it’s a must visit for me whenever we’re in the city. Every single time I leave with a new favorite! I bought the cookbook years ago and it’s continued to be a favorite. My favorite recipes in the book are the Banana Bread and Homemade Oreos.
Photos by Kellie Hatcher
14 Comments
What are your favorite high altitude cookbooks in general for everyday cooking just got the Instant Pot Ultra.
I am in need of general all-around cookbooks for it
Thank you thank you for your blog
I live at 8000 ft. and have an Instant Pot. While I haven’t baked cake or bread in it, I can say that for regular meals the regular instant pot recipes work. This is because the cook time is related to the pot building to pressure. It’s been amazing for cooking rice. There are a ton of Instant Pot recipe books on Amazon.
I always add a little more liquid and 1-2 minutes more of cooking time to adjust to the high altitude. I just bought two new Instant Pot cookbooks and have been loving both of them: The Electric Pressure Cookbook: 200 Fast and Foolproof Recipes for Every Brand of Electric Pressure Cooker by Barbara Schieving and The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook: Fresh and Foolproof Recipes for your Electric Pressure Cooker by Coco Morante
Do you alter the recipes from Cookies and Cups, or do they just work as is for you? I’m specifically interested in the cupcake/cake recipes… we’re at about 6500 feet above sea level.
I always adjust. I decrease the sugar, increase flour, decrease leavening. It’s such a great cookbook. One of my favorites.
Kelley, do you have a cookbook in print?
I don’t. Maybe one of these days!!
Thank you from 9,600!! I’ve been scared off baking since we bought this place last year (which has been a great excuse to get bolder about cooking), but this post was exactly what I needed to get the courage to go back to my bowls and flour.
I’m so happy you found this useful. There are so many great cookbooks on this list!
Glad I found you. I’m still looking for a good popover recipe. I’ve tried many with no results like I had in the upper midwest. They all come out like hockey pucks! We are at 5900 ft.
My mother, who had a degree in Home Economics, drilled into us three daughters that baking was all about chemistry, and therefore careful measurements and proper combination were paramount. I live at 5100 ft and my favorite cookbook is Pie in the Sky! Purdy’s recipes are like mini chemistry classes, and she explains why!
Totally!
I am so glad I found you I am at 7,666 ft above and need to be totally GF. And bake a lot and have been having trouble.. now this just might help me with my cooking
I would highly recommend the cookbook Pie in the Sky. Each recipe has information on various different sea levels. I live at a little over 8000 ft, and the recipes work for me.