Using dough prepared from instant potatoes and flour, this lefse recipe creates a distinctive Scandinavian delight that is comparable to a tortilla or a pancake. Making only a third of the portion the first time may be wise for novice lefse producers! There are numerous ways to serve. With butter or margarine and sugar is a favorite. Some individuals enjoy cinnamon with this. Jellies and finely sliced fried sandwich meat both make terrific toppings.
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Cook Time: | 25 mins |
| Additional Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 15 mins |
| Servings: | 24 |
| Yield: | 24 lefse |
Ingredients
- 3 cups boiling water
- 3 cups dry potato flakes
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- ½ cup butter flavored shortening
- 2 teaspoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, divided, or as needed
Instructions
- Mix together boiling water, potato flakes, evaporated milk, shortening, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Place in the refrigerator until thoroughly chilled.
- After dough is thoroughly chilled, add 3 cups flour, using a pastry blender to cut in.
- Divide dough into 3 equal size portions. Form into 3 logs. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
- Heat an electric griddle to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Divide logs into 8 pieces of dough. Roll each piece to about the size of a 10-inch tortilla. Work additional remaining flour into rounds as needed. Use care to press lightly with the rolling pin when forming into rounds as they are much more tender than pie dough. The weight of a large rolling pin is nearly enough.
- Bake on the griddle until golden brown and each round feels dry but not crisp, about 1 minute. Flip and turn lefse frequently.
- Cool on a cloth. Cover with an additional cloth. Stack pieces on top of each other as they are baked. The steam will create a more tender product.
Reviews
I made this twice for Passover as an unleavened bread. It worked amazingly. I used Betty crocker homestyle instant Mashed potatoes, Becel margarine, and canned coconut milk. The results were perfection. The first time the dough sat wrapped in logs in the fridge for 2 days (5 yr old got a bee sting) and still was perfect. The second batch, I did the potatoes mixture, left it over night in the fridge, added the flour by hand the next evening, pieced them out, rolled and cooked. Those were even softer. Amazing recipe. Thank you
This turned out great!!! We did it as a test to an old recipe we had been using. We did reduce the flour to 2 c. and the taste was the best we have ever made. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I cheat and make lefse using instant potatoes. Most recipes start with riced cooked potatoes, but this is much quicker. Very good at Thanksgiving, where you can stuff with leftover turkey, dressing & sometimes cranberries.
My Grandma always made lefse when i was growing up. My brother and I wanted to make it for Thanksgiving this year for our families. We are new at this, but this recipe made it very simple. Looked and tasted just like i remember Grandma’s. I used butter instead of shortening, which seemed to work fine. I also want to note that i was surprised how easy it was to mix the flour in with the pastry cutter.
Good simple lefse recipe. My daughter and I had a great time making lefse for the holidays. I will be making lefse more often with this recipe.
I have used this recipe for the past 5 years and have never benn disappointed. It is simple, easy and best of all tasty. No one believes that it is made with instant potatoes. I am extending the tradition by teaching all of my children, nieces and nefews how to bake thes delicious tradiditonal breads. Thanks for the recipe. Mike
I just wanted to add that it’s great with cream cheese spread on it before you add sliced ham/turkey/etc.
this recipie is good dipped in butter and cinnamon sugar