Norwegian Waffles (Vafler): Heart-Shaped Joy from the North

Norwegian heart-shaped waffles served with jam and brunost on a rustic wooden table.

 

Soft, heart-shaped Norwegian waffles with a sweet, vanilla flavor — perfect with jam, sour cream, or brown cheese.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Norwegian
Servings 6
Calories 220 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 large eggs
  • 300 ml whole milk
  • 75 ml sour cream or plain yogurt
  • 250 g all-purpose flour
  • 50 g sugar
  • 75 g melted butter
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Optional: ground cardamom (1/2 tsp for a classic twist)

Instructions
 

  • Whisk together eggs, milk, sour cream, and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, mix flour, sugar, salt, baking powder (and cardamom, if using).
  • Combine wet and dry ingredients, stir in melted butter until smooth.
  • Preheat your heart-shaped waffle iron and grease it lightly.
  • Pour a ladleful of batter into the iron, cook 2–3 minutes until golden.
  • Serve warm with your favorite toppings!
    Heart-shaped Norwegian waffles served on a plate, topped with fresh berries, powdered sugar, and a dollop of whipped cream for a traditional Scandinavian treat

Notes

Topping Ideas:

  • 🍓 Strawberry jam + sour cream
  • 🧀 Sliced brunost (brown cheese)
  • 🍫 Nutella and banana
  • 🧈 Butter + sugar
If there’s one treat that truly melts the heart of every Norwegian — it’s vafler, the soft, sweet, heart-shaped waffles that smell like childhood, cabins, and cozy weekends. 🏡✨
These aren’t your average crispy brunch waffles. Norwegian waffles are thin, tender, slightly sweet, and always made with love — and often with a wink and a joke about how many you can eat in one sitting (spoiler: a lot). 😄

Close-up of soft golden waffles topped with strawberry jam and a slice of brown cheese.

💛 A Heartfelt Tradition

In Norway, vafler = comfort. Whether you're stopping at a gas station café, visiting Grandma, or taking a ski break at a mountain hut, there’s a high chance someone will hand you a warm waffle — no questions asked. 🇳🇴
The heart shape isn’t just cute — it’s iconic. Because nothing says “I care” quite like serving waffles shaped like love. ❤️
Tip: Enjoy Homemade Brunost brown cheese waffles

🤔 So, What Makes Norwegian Waffles Special?

  • 🧇 Softer & sweeter than Belgian waffles
  • 💛 Heart-shaped (made with a special waffle iron)
  • 🍓 Served with jam, sour cream, brunost (brown cheese), or just a sprinkle of sugar
  • ☕ Perfect with a cup of strong Norwegian coffee
Fun fact: Waffle Day (Vaffeldagen) is celebrated in Norway every March 25th. It’s the only holiday where you’re required by law (well, almost 😄) to eat as many waffles as possible.

😂 A Silly Truth About Vafler

You can always tell if someone is Norwegian by how they handle a stack of vafler:
“You’re only having three? Are you on a diet?”
— Every Norwegian grandma ever
And if you forget the brunost? Well... let's just say you might get gently exiled from the family gathering. 🧀❌
Norwegian recipes
Keyword heart waffles, Norwegian waffles, traditional Scandinavian recipe, vafler
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