High Altitude Cooking and Baking Calculator
202.9°F94.9°C · water boils at 5,000 ft
Candy and syrupCook to about 9°F lower than the recipe says (or use the cold-water test)
JellyFinish at about 211°F, 8°F above your boiling point
Oven roastingNo change: use sea-level times and temperatures
Simmering and braisingAllow extra time; USDA says up to a quarter more at 5,000 ft
Safe internal temperaturesNo change: 165°F poultry, 160°F ground meat, 145°F whole cuts
Cake: baking powder, per tsp⅛ tsp less
Cake: sugar, per cup0–1 Tbsp less
Cake: liquid, per cup1–2 Tbsp more
Cake: oven15–25°F hotter
Sources: Colorado State University Extension: High altitude food preparation guide; USDA FSIS: High altitude cooking and food safety; National Center for Home Food Preservation: Temperatures at which water boils. Checked Oct 13, 2026.
How it works
- Boiling point comes from standard air pressure at your elevation, and agrees with USDA's printed table within about 1°F.
- Candy and jelly finish temperatures drop by the same amount your boiling point drops (Colorado State University Extension).
- Cake changes start at 3,500 ft and grow with each band. Try one change at a time.
- Safe internal temperatures and oven roasting times do not change with altitude (USDA FSIS).
Weather moves the real boiling point by a degree or two. For candy, boil water, read your thermometer, and use that number.