Lefse a Lef-se-ccess!

Each year I attempt to make one of the greatest (well in my own opinion anyway!) Norwegian specialties that my own Mom and Grandma's always made. My Aunties still do! It's something that takes practice to get it just right. I've been trying for more than 8 years to get it right!

Lefse! (n. lef-sa) It's made from potatoes, butter, sugar, milk (or heavy cream), salt and flour. You roll it out as thin as a sheet of tissue paper (making sure to use flour to prevent sticking), transfer it to a hot griddle with a long flat stick and fry it on both sides. Once it's been fried I lay it flat between dish towels to cool and keep from drying out. That's the basic idea.

I remember helping Mom or either Grandma with this as a youngster. They would roll it out and get it on the griddle and I got to flip it over with the stick. There were always so many potatoes cooked and ready for lefse making that it would take several hours to get it all done. But they always made sure to make a lot as it was always a holiday favorite! Mom or Penny and Sharon(my Aunties) and Grandma M. would spend many hours together at times to make it all at once and keep the mess confined to one kitchen. It does get messy with the flour seeming to find a way all over the counter or floor and even on the person rolling it out!

{I was going to put a link on here for people to refer to get a little more history on it. But whatever I pull up gives me an error for some reason and my computer doesn't like it, hence I have issues and need to restart it! Anyway.......I did see one that had nice pictures of the necessities for this project that were for purchase before the little error message came up!}


There are many ways of serving lefse as well. Growing up we would put butter and our choice of white or brown sugar on it. Some people left the sugar out all together. Over in Norway some eat it with cinnamon, peanut butter or even syrup. At our Moberg family Christmas gatherings at Grandma and Grandpa Moberg's, the girls used to help prep the lefse for each meal. We would stand and butter 50-60 or more pieces. Then we'd put brown sugar on a bunch, white sugar on the rest and roll up each piece and put them on plates. One plate had brown sugared lefse and another had white sugared lefse. They were piled high! It saved time as people could go through our buffet style line and just pick up a piece and move on. Otherwise each person had to fix their own and hold up the line! Who has time to wait on a smorgasbord such as ours?

During my own lefse-making project I took pictures of the mess I had and actually emailed them to someone I work with. He had never heard of it nor seen it. So I thought I 'd share them with you. It turned out so well that I'm going to make more before I leave for ND and take it with me. We'll definitely eat alot of it!

Rolled out and ready to fry.

One side has been fried and the other is almost done. See the stick that's used to flip it over, laying just to the right of the griddle?

Another piece ready to fry. The rolling pin has a cotton sleeve over it. It helps prevent the raw potato mixture from sticking to it.


Many pieces of lefse all done! Each round is then cut in half or sometimes quartered, prior to serving.

Lefse is available in some grocery stores (I think in the freezer section?). And if you ever have a chance to try it, please do. It's never as tasty as the home made versions but you'll know what it's all about!