Norway's brunost (brown cheese) is one of Norway’s most famous and divisive foods. Some fall in love with its sweet, caramel tang at first bite, while others wonder how on earth it became a national icon. I've finally found a way to like it.
I have a confession to make. Despite living in Norway for more than a decade, I don’t like brown cheese. There, I said it!
In fact, I often joke about it during my cruise ship talks, much to the amusement of the passengers who’ve already tried it without realising what it was.
But last night something unexpected happened. My husband, armed with his new ice cream maker, decided to experiment with new flavours. The result? Brown cheese ice cream. Against all odds, it was… well, it was really good!
Rich, yes—I couldn’t eat more than a couple of spoonfuls—but it transformed the flavour into something surprisingly palatable. For the first time, I found myself enjoying brown cheese.
A Quick Explainer on Brown Cheese
Norwegian brown cheese (or brunost in Norwegian) isn’t really a cheese at all. It’s made by boiling whey (the liquid leftover from cheesemaking) until the milk sugars caramelise, giving it that distinctive, fudge-like taste and its trademark brown colour.
That flavour, however, is unique. Sweet yet tangy, creamy yet sticky, it doesn’t behave like the cheeses most foreigners are used to. That’s why brunost is often a “love it or hate it” food for visitors or newcomers.
But it has been part of Norwegian kitchens for centuries, especially in rural communities where nothing could go to waste.
For many Norwegians, brunost tastes of home, childhood, and waffles eaten at the cabin. It's as much a part of Norwegian culture as hiking in the mountains or celebrating 17th of May with ice cream and flags.
The Brown Cheese Ice Cream Experiment
In recent years, chefs have started experimenting with brunost beyond waffles and bread. You’ll see it shaved over ice cream in high-end restaurants, stirred into stews for depth, or paired with chocolate in boutique confectionery.
Now, I have to admit, brown cheese ice cream wasn’t entirely new to me. I’d seen it available in Hurtigruten’s onboard café Multe, and noticed it once or twice on restaurant menus, but I’d always given it a miss.
After all, why would I deliberately order something made with an ingredient I usually avoid?
Still, curiosity lingered in the back of my mind. There was a block of brunost in the fridge leftover from a recent cruise, and so Gerry made a suggestion.
With the new ice cream maker humming on the counter, Gerry measured, stirred, and churned until a glossy, caramel-coloured batch was ready.
I hesitated with the spoon, expecting the same cloying flavour that usually turns me off brunost. Instead, what I found was something entirely different: rich, creamy, and just sweet enough, with the distinctive taste mellowed into something surprisingly balanced.
It was the same cheese I’d been avoiding for years, yet in this new form it somehow worked. Against all odds, brown cheese ice cream was not just edible but genuinely enjoyable too.
How to Make Brown Cheese Ice Cream
You don’t need to be a professional chef to give brunost ice cream a try. In fact, the recipe isn’t all that different from any other homemade ice cream. The key is melting the brown cheese into the mixture so its distinctive flavour infuses the base.
We don't use eggs in our homemade ice cream because of an allergy, so you'll need to experiment a little if you usually use eggs in your recipes.
Instead, we stick to a basic mix of heavy cream (35% fat), milk and brown sugar. Gently heat them together in a saucepan until the sugar has fully dissolved, then add small pieces of brunost and stir patiently as they melt. The caramelised milk sugars in the cheese give the base its golden-brown colour and signature flavour.
Don't live in Norway? Then don't miss our guide on where to buy brown cheese outside of Norway!
Once the mixture is smooth, let it cool completely before pouring it into your ice cream maker. From there it’s simply a case of churning until the texture turns thick and glossy.
The end result is rich, indulgent and unmistakably Norwegian. A small scoop is often enough, but paired with apple cake, fresh berries or even on top of a waffle, it becomes a dessert that feels both familiar and adventurous at the same time.
I'm a long way from being a convert, but thanks to my husband, I’ve finally found a way to appreciate Norway’s most famous cheese.
Have you ever tried brunost ice cream? Or are you planning to try making it for yourself? Let me known down in the comments. And don't forget to hit those social sharing buttons for the ideal pin for Pinterest.
