While out walking with a friend yesterday, the topic of food came up. Specifically, gluten-free food. There was a time when I wouldn’t have given GF eating a second thought, having no known sensitivities myself. But then I started hearing more and more about it: Celiac disease and gluten intolerance seemed to be popping up more and more in people I know and on blogs I read.
I’ve come a long way in my understanding of how gluten affects people. I no longer take for granted the ability to order a pizza or sandwich or any number of items at a restaurant without having to scan the menu for special selections. Still, I have a lot to learn.
Though there are no dietary restrictions in my household right now, we eat much less bread and pasta than we used to. Dessert is a rare treat, despite how often I write about sweets here on the blog. We keep processed foods to a minimum.
I’ve been reading more about gluten-free cooking lately, especially after signing up for a food styling and photography class with Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle and Vanille and subsequently buying a copy of her “Small Plates and Sweet Treats.” Through her stories, recipes, and stunning photos, Aran showcases a lifestyle that—though avoiding gluten—looks as rich and abundant as any other. Her way of incorporating gluten-free flours into recipes sounds delicious rather than restrictive, and she and her family appear to be a picture of health.
I have been thinking about ways to make Outside Oslo accessible for those with gluten or dairy intolerance, as well as vegetarians, vegans, and people with nut allergies. But I need to hear from you. Are you interested in gluten-free Scandinavian baking? Dairy-free? Nut-free? What are the things that interest you most? Would you like to read about special adaptations of your favorite classic Scandinavian dishes? What about being able to search or browse the recipes by diet? Please leave a comment and let me know.
This blog is as much for you as it is for me; it’s a place where we can share our love of great food and connection to or appreciation of Scandinavian culture and heritage. I would love to hear what you think about these ideas.
Cheers!
Daytona
37 thoughts on “Gluten-Free Scandinavian Baking & Cooking (Your Feedback Needed)”
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Gluten free Scandinavian dishes of any kind would be great!
Good to know, Marlys. Thanks for the feedback.
I have a wheat allergy and would love recipes for Scandinavian baking such as Swedish rye bread, Cardamom bread, Almond cake, etc
Dairy-free (or, rather lactose-free) would be amazing! I’m always trying to find ways around cream and cheese. Often I find a goat or sheep cheese sub for anything cheesy, but the cream that is so prevalent in the most awesome recipes is a tough one!
Jill, thanks for letting me know. I will keep that in mind!
I don’t have intolerance to gluten and dairy either, but, like you, I know more and more people that do and who are always looking for good recipes to try without.
I do think we Americans (in general) consume way too many processed grains and flours and for that reason I like to experiment with gluten and grain free recipes. I’d love to see some Scandinavian recipes adapted in that way!
Sarah, thanks for your feedback! I appreciate it.
Hi Daytona,
Our family became gluten free after reading about the potential effects of gluten to our health, specifically the types of wheat that are used in flours and breads and even in foods where no one would suspect gluten (soy sauce and many condiments for example). My husband whose knees had become so bad that he was unable to sleep comfortably became gluten free to see if it would help reduce inflammation. And it did, 100% in about a week. We’ve been gf for about six months. Big difference in both of us.
But that’s not really what you asked. As a baker myself, I have been able to find ways to make healthier versions of everything I enjoyed…except a big boule. But I’m working on it. It’s easy to convert most recipes to a gf version and those of us who are starting to understand it are not really concerned if the recipe is or is not gluten free because many of us already know how to work around it.
Still, I love seeing more and more people switching over and coming up with great new foods and recipes. It’s fun and tastes terrific.
Thanks for all you do!!!
Janet in LA
Hi Janet – Thank you for sharing your family’s story, and for your feedback about whether this would be helpful on the blog. I really appreciate you taking the time to write in and share. Please keep in touch!
I would most certainly appreciate gluten free Scandinavian recipes. I have an adult daughter recently diagnosed gluten intolerant and that means that many of the Scandinavian recipes, especially the cookies and cakes, I grew up with and continued with my daughters are on the ‘no longer allowed’ list. thanks for considering this project.
Since going gluten free, I do miss making some of the Scandinavian treats that always make the “holiday season” feel like the holiday season! So far, I have only found recipes for krumkake (which wasn’t too bad) and ebelskivers (also not terrible). Would love to have some more to try!
I used to make sandbakkels a couple times a year, and I really miss those. Glad I found your blog!
Brianne
Iowa
Hi Brianne, thank you for your feedback. I will take that into account. Thank you for following Outside Oslo! Keep in touch.
I have been mulling over how to take our families traditional Danish Christmas cookies–su h as pebbernuts. Coconut butter cookies, vanilla butter cookies, and the hard dark brown crispy spice ones—and making them with gluten freew flour … It is a bit intimidating to figure out, lol!
I just stumbled upon your blog. Thank you for great Scandinavian recipes! I’m not Scandinavian, but my husband is, so finding good recipes in such format is appreciated. Our son was diagnosed with Celiac, so I’ve run a gluten free kitchen since October 2012. At the time, the GI doc asked if he was of Scandinavian descent due to the high incidence rate of celiac in those countries, even though my side had a history. Good GF recipes, especially those that are culturally specific are fantastic!
I have been recently diagnosed as Celiac, and with a strong Scandinavian heritage, was about to mourn the loss of my favorite treats at Christmas and all throughout the year. Many traditional Scandinavian food are already gluten free, but the sweets, and heaven forbid, lefse? My world was reeling. I have found gluten free lefse recipes, but I want my meatballs, rosettes, and krumkake too!I admit, the thought of Swedish timescales made with almond and rice flour (ooh, give me more almondy timeliness) makes my mouth water! Please post and share, and I would be happy to share my redeveloped traditional recipes with you as I stumble across successful experiments. Another goodie I will miss is fattigman, which are heavy with flour, eggs and cream!
Autocorrected…. Swedish heirloom cookies…lol
Yes Please to Gluten Free! Although I am trying to make our Icelandic favourites gluten-free, it is always helpful to see how other people are altering their recipes. Often I find a different flour mix than what I am using.
Yes, I am also interested in gluten-free. I noticed your article in Viking, and so happy to find the possibility of my Norweigan recipes being possible. I am only gluten intolerant, but try to adhere to my gluten free diet because I feel so much better. I have been experimenting with organic Einkorn flour. It is a wheat that was never hybridized..I made my lefsa this year using it and what a treat for me. I didn’t get sick and they tasted great, and didn’t fall apart. Thank you for your blog; I am so happy to have found it.
I am very interested, especially about the creation of a gluten free dense, grainy dark flat bread. Also, a GF almond weinerbrod would be amazing. Thank you for the effort.
Please, please please! The entire family is doing without gluten and we can’t not have our Norwegian cookies.
I’m thrilled you are going to be baking gluten free. In April I will be five years free of gluten due to several auto-immune diseases. I was so sad to give up krumkake and fyrsyekake and fattigmen. If you can teach me how to make those and other Norwegian goodies, I’d be so grateful!
I’m very thankful for any recipes you can provide that are gluten free since I am gluten intolerant and so are my two daughters. We’ve tried to adapt Fyrstekake but the dough is so very sticky/gooey, and it doesn’t really rise like it does with regular flour. Looking forward to your input and expertise!
Yes, please!! I would really love more gluten-free baking recipes.
I would LOVE a gluten free recipe for santa Lucia buns and cardamom bread!!!
And lefse!!!
I found your site by looking for gluten free Scandinavian recipes. I would love to have some traditional recipes even though allergies have made things more challenging.
I adore my Norwegian heritage and its recipes! I am also trying to eat healthfully. I am thinking that it would be useful to many of us if you would continue to post the traditional recipes and tips as you have been doing (thanks! Love ’em!) but to add options at the bottom, for gluten free or dairy free. Some recipes would be better using almond flour as a gf option, whereas others would be better using coconut flour. Same with milk substitutions. That would keep the recipes and options all in one place. Separating them into different areas of your blog would scatter the options and those of us who are not forced to be free of certain ingredients would not be inspired to try the optional choices. When you try an option you could just revise the original page and link it, rather than having to recreate the whole recipe and photos again. Just a thought. I like saving time and finding things easily.
I would love to see some vegan Norwegian dessert recipes – particularly sandbakkels and other cookies and cakes. Thank you for this great resource!
Being from Swedish decent I’ve grown up making family recipes that are close to my heart. I’ve been diagnosed with an auto immune disorder which has caused me to go gluten free and dairy free and even mostly egg free I miss my Scandinavian dishes so much. I would love to see some allergy free recipes.
That would be wonderful! I can adjust some recipes myself but I am not always familiar with traditional recipes.
I love getting new ideas for traditional Scandinavian cooking! I do have an allergy to onions and any help you can give for that is always helpful…
Some things, like julekage, would not translate well to gluten free; however krumkake should be able to be made gf and most cakes I would guess. A gluten free Norwegian baking book would be wonderful if all the recipes were well tested.
Hi Daytona! Would love gluten free for krumkake and sandbakkels please. I am Norwegian and have non celiac gluten sensitivities. I have Hashimotos.
My husband make gluten free lefse and its pretty good. 🙂
I’m looking for a GF Sandbakkle recipe, any ideas? GF recipes would be great. Norwegian baking involves a lot of flour and I have Celiac disease.
Has there been a gluten free recipe developed yet? I’m willing to try this with Bob’s Red Mil 1:1 flour as my family has a non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
I have recently been diagnosed with celiac and would love to find gluten-free versions of Yule Kaker, krumkake, and fattigman. Waffles are an easy substitute of Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 gluten free flour, but yeast breads are much trickier.
I have been gluten free for years, and last September I was able to travel to Stockholm for the first time. ( my great grandpa came from karlskona) I grew up eating a lot of Scandinavian foods ( especially baked goods) I was so impressed at the gluten free options available in Stockholm.. I would love to find recipes that are gluten free and that actually taste good from Scandinavia!