LEFSE (Recipe #3)

Contributed by Elderid Everly of Sigrid Undset Lodge #32, Palo Alto, CA & Anne Grimdalen Lodge #34, Cupertino CA

  • 5 cups water
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  • 3 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • 1 pound potato flakes
  • 2 cups flour
  • extra flour (for rolling)
lefse platter
  1. Heat water and butter to boiling in large pot. Add cold milk, and the rest of ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
  2. Cool thoroughly in a non-plastic container, and cover with a damp cloth. [Refrigerate.]
  3. When ready to roll lefse, divide dough into 3 parts. Mix one part at a time with 2/3 cup flour. Roll into 12–15" diameter thin rounds on floured cloth (canvas is good one to use) with sock covered lefse rolling pin that has been floured. Use more flour as needed. Transfer with lefse stick to hot lefse griddle (at least 400 degrees).
  4. Bake on griddle until one side is lightly browned, then turn and cook on other side.
  5. Remove with another lefse stick to cool between 2 towels or folded towel.
  6. When cold, cut and wrap or fold and wrap. [Above photo used 1/4 piece of lefsa folded in thirds and stacked. Can also keep whole piece & fold it in half and then thirds.]
  7. Repeat steps with another part of remaining dough. Repeat until all dough used up.
  8. Can be kept frozen for a couple of months if well wrapped in freezer zip lock bags.
  9. Serving ideas: Butter Lefse and sprinkle on brown sugar; fill with meatballs; wrap up a sausage or hot dog; spread with jam or jelly.
  1. Equipment for making lefse available in most Scandinavian stores or online--see links at left for a few possibilities.
  2. Remember to use pastry scraper to keep your rolling area free of sticky potatoes as needed —scrape it off and flour rolling surface as needed.
  3. Flour used for entire project is one 5# bag, of which you will have left-overs. It's good to have this amount on hand when making lefse.