National Dish Iceland: Lummur með Sultu (Recipe)
In this article
Lummur are Iceland’s thick little pancakes, smaller and denser than the paper-thin pönnukökur, raised with baking powder and bicarbonate, and cooked in butter until they puff. They come to the coffee table with jam, usually rhubarb, and a spoonful of whipped cream. Traditionally they were made from leftover porridge, which tells you what kind of dish this is.
About Lummur með Sultu
Lummur með Sultu belongs to Iceland’s culinary tradition. Lummur are small, thick Icelandic pancakes, cooked golden in the pan and served with sweet jam (sulta) and a dollop of cream. They are part of the country’s cosy coffee-table culture — the kaffitími at which guests are fed whether or not they are hungry — and they take fifteen minutes from bowl to plate.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 150 g plain flour
- 1 egg
- 200 ml buttermilk or milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- A pinch of salt
- Butter, for frying
- Jam (sulta) and whipped cream, to serve
Shopping for the ingredients
Buttermilk reacts with the bicarbonate and gives the characteristic lift, plain milk works but the pancakes are flatter. Rhubarb jam is the traditional Icelandic partner, since rhubarb is one of the few things that grows readily on the island; blueberry or crowberry jam are equally authentic.
Preparing the dish
Mix the batter and let it rest for ten minutes so the raising agents get to work. Heat a heavy pan over medium heat. Not high, since these are thick and need time for the middle to cook. Butter, not oil, for the flavour.
Step-by-step instructions
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate and salt together.
- Beat the egg with the buttermilk.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients into a thick, spoonable batter.
- Rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat a knob of butter in a heavy pan over medium heat.
- Drop tablespoons of batter into the pan, spacing them apart.
- Cook for 2 minutes until bubbles form and the edges set, then flip and cook 1–2 minutes more.
- Serve warm with jam and whipped cream.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
A gluten-free flour blend works directly in this batter, thick pancakes are forgiving. For lactose-free, use a plant milk soured with a teaspoon of lemon juice in place of buttermilk, oil instead of butter, and a coconut cream to serve.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
Lummur are vegetarian as written. For a vegan version, replace the egg with 3 tablespoons of aquafaba or a flax egg, use plant buttermilk and fry in oil. They rise just as well, since the lift comes from the bicarbonate.
More tips and tricks
Keep the heat moderate; these are thick and burn on the outside before cooking through if the pan is too hot. Let the batter rest, which noticeably improves the rise. And eat them warm, lummur are not good cold.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
A handful of raisins in the batter is the classic Icelandic version. Cardamom or cinnamon suits them. Cooked porridge or leftover rice folded in is the original way they were made and gives a pleasantly chewy texture.
Ingredient substitutions
Skyr thinned with milk replaces buttermilk and is thoroughly local. Any berry jam works. Sour cream substitutes for whipped cream.
Drink pairing ideas
Coffee is the point of the whole exercise, lummur exist to accompany it. Hot chocolate suits them for children. Cold milk works well too.
Serving and presentation ideas
Serve lummur stacked on a plate with a bowl of jam and one of whipped cream, so everyone builds their own. They belong on a coffee table alongside other cakes rather than as a plated dessert, which is exactly how Icelandic hospitality works.
A bit of history
Lummur were originally a way of using leftover porridge, which was mixed with flour and fried, a thrifty habit from a country where nothing was wasted. They became a fixture of the kaffitími, the mid-afternoon coffee break that remains a genuine social institution in Iceland. It offers a genuine window onto Icelandic cuisine.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Lummur með Sultu
Lummur are thick little buttermilk pancakes fried in butter and served with jam and cream. Rest the batter, keep the heat moderate, and put them on the coffee table warm.
