Nordic Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Rømmegrøt
Rich, velvety Norwegian sour cream porridge — butter pools on top, and a shower of cinnamon sugar finishes this indulgent dish that tastes like a warm hug from grandma.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
7 steps- 1
Bring the sour cream to a gentle simmer in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat.
- 2
Whisk in half the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the butterfat begins to separate and rise to the surface, a few minutes.
- 3
Skim off the golden melted butter as it separates and reserve it in a small cup, this pooled butter is essential for serving.
- 4
Whisk in the remaining flour to form a smooth, thick roux-like paste.
- 5
Gradually whisk in the warm milk, a little at a time, until the mixture becomes a smooth, thick, pourable porridge, adjusting the amount of milk for consistency.
- 6
Season with salt and simmer gently for another 5 minutes, stirring, until any raw flour taste is cooked out.
- 7
Ladle into a bowl, pour the reserved melted butter into a well in the center so it pools, and finish with a generous shower of cinnamon sugar.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
68/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving320
Calories
6 g
Protein
20 g
Carbs
24 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Rømmegrøt is a Norwegian sour cream porridge tied to dairy farms, summer mountain pastures, and celebration tables where rich cream was the point, not an extra. The dramatic part of the dish is also practical: as the sour cream cooks with flour, butterfat separates and becomes the golden pool served on top.
Listahan note
This version keeps the method focused on texture: slow heat, steady whisking, warm milk, and enough patience for the porridge to turn glossy instead of gluey. It is written as a small-batch bowl, so every stir matters.
Technique cues
- Keep the sour cream at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil. Too much heat can make the base look broken before the flour has time to stabilize it.
- Warm milk blends into the flour-thickened sour cream more smoothly than cold milk. Add it in a thin stream so the porridge loosens gradually instead of lumping.
- The reserved butter is part of the dish, not just a garnish. Spoon it into a well in the porridge so each bite can catch a little cinnamon sugar and butter together.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Warm the milk and mix the cinnamon sugar while the sour cream comes to a simmer, so the whisking stage has your full attention.
- Make-ahead
- Cook the porridge shortly before serving for the smoothest texture; the cinnamon sugar can be mixed and the milk measured ahead.
- Leftover move
- Chill extra porridge, then warm it into a thick breakfast bowl with a splash of milk and a fresh dusting of cinnamon sugar.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Rinse the saucepan and whisk as soon as the porridge is served; flour-thickened dairy sets firmly as it cools.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Full-fat sour cream
Dairy base
Purpose: It gives rømmegrøt its tang, richness, and the butterfat that rises to the surface during cooking.
Handling: Bring it up to a gentle simmer while stirring so it heats evenly before the flour goes in.
Adaptation: A lower-fat sour cream will make a thinner porridge and may not release as much butterfat.
All-purpose flour
Thickener
Purpose: It turns the simmered sour cream and milk into a smooth, spoonable porridge.
Handling: Sift it in stages and whisk hard as it hits the hot sour cream.
Adaptation: A fine wheat flour keeps the texture closest; coarser flours make the porridge feel heavier.
Whole milk, warmed
Texture adjuster
Purpose: It stretches the rich sour cream base into a velvety porridge without making it taste flat.
Handling: Pour it in slowly while whisking, then simmer until the mixture looks glossy.
Adaptation: Reduced-fat milk gives a lighter body but less roundness.
Butter
Serving fat
Purpose: It reinforces the traditional butter pool and makes the cinnamon sugar cling to the surface.
Handling: Use the reserved rendered butter first, then top it up with extra butter as needed.
Adaptation: For a less rich bowl, use only the butter rendered from the sour cream.
Sugar and ground cinnamon
Sweet finish
Purpose: The sweet spice balances the tangy dairy and gives the plain porridge its classic finish.
Handling: Mix them together before serving for an even shower over the hot porridge.
Adaptation: Use a lighter hand with sugar if serving alongside jam or sweet fruit.
Technique notes
- Use a heavy saucepan if you have one. Thin pans make it easier for the dairy to catch on the bottom before the porridge thickens.
- When spooning off the butterfat, leave behind any pale solids that come with it. The clearer golden butter looks better and tastes cleaner on top.
- Stop cooking when the porridge falls slowly from the spoon and holds soft ripples. It will tighten a little more in the bowl.
Ingredient swaps
- Richer celebration bowl
- Use all of the reserved butter plus the serving butter for a deep golden pool on top.
- Lighter finish
- Use only the butterfat that separates from the sour cream and skip the extra butter.
- Texture adjustment
- For a looser porridge, whisk in a small splash of warm milk near the end; for a thicker bowl, simmer a few minutes longer while stirring.
Serve alongside
- Norwegian flatbrød
- Thin-sliced spekemat
- Lingonberry preserves
- Warm lefse
- Black coffee
- Cold milk
- Lingonberry spritz
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate leftover porridge in a sealed container after it cools.
- Reheat gently in a saucepan with a splash of milk, whisking until smooth again.
- Freezing can make the dairy texture grainy, so this dish is best kept for the next day rather than frozen.
Equipment
- Heavy saucepan
- Balloon whisk
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Small ladle
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