Norwegian Brown Cheese: What Exactly Is It Made Of?

Brunost: Norway’s Sweet Secret That’s Not Quite Cheese

Brunost is a Norwegian brown cheese with a sweet, caramel-like flavor and a texture somewhere between firm cheese and fudge. It’s traditionally served in thin slices on bread, crispbread, or warm Norwegian waffles.

Despite its name, brunost isn’t made like most cheeses. Instead of separating milk into curds and whey and using the curds, Norwegian cheesemakers slowly cook down the whey with milk and cream until it becomes thick, brown, and concentrated.

The result is one of Norway’s most distinctive foods. Some varieties taste mild and creamy, almost like dulce de leche. Others have a stronger, tangier flavor from goat’s milk. And although brunost is usually eaten as a sandwich topping, it also finds its way into sauces, baked goods, and desserts.

What Is Brunost?

The Norwegian word brunost literally means “brown cheese.” It’s also known as mysost, or whey cheese, because whey is its main ingredient.

Brunost is traditionally made from whey combined with cow’s milk, goat’s milk, cream, or a mixture of these ingredients. The liquid is heated and concentrated until most of its water evaporates, leaving a firm, sliceable dairy product.

Depending on the recipe, brunost can range from golden brown to deep chocolate brown. Its flavor is typically sweet, with caramel and cooked-milk notes, although some varieties are noticeably tangier or more intense.

Unlike cheddar, Gouda, or Parmesan, brunost isn’t made primarily from milk curds. It’s a concentrated whey product rather than a conventional rennet-set cheese. Nevertheless, Norwegians have called it cheese for generations, and that’s how it’s commonly known.

Brunost is closely associated with Norwegian food culture, particularly breakfast, packed lunches, and traditional baking. It is also produced in different forms and is related to other Scandinavian whey products.

What Does Brunost Taste Like?

Imagine the sweetness of caramel, the richness of cooked milk, and the dense texture of fudge. That’s a reasonable starting point for describing brunost, although the actual flavor depends heavily on which variety you try.

Common flavor comparisons include:

• Caramel: The characteristic sweet, browned flavor found in most brunost varieties.
• Dulce de leche: A rich, cooked-milk sweetness, particularly noticeable in milder types.
• Butterscotch: A buttery, slightly toasted sweetness.
• Fudge: A useful comparison for both the dense texture and creamy richness.
• Goat’s milk: A tangy, distinctive dairy flavor in varieties containing goat’s milk.

Brunost isn’t as sweet as candy, and it doesn’t taste exactly like conventional cheese, either. The balance of sweetness, richness, and tanginess is what makes it unusual.

Its texture is just as distinctive. A block of brunost is firm enough to slice, but the slices are smooth, flexible, and slightly sticky rather than crumbly. Thin slices can soften pleasantly on warm bread or waffles.

If you’re trying brunost for the first time, start with a mild cow’s milk variety such as Fløtemysost. It has a gentler caramel flavor without the pronounced goat’s milk notes found in stronger varieties.

How Is Brunost Made?

The secret to brunost is a process that begins with an ingredient many cheesemakers have left over: whey.

When milk is made into conventional cheese, it separates into solid curds and liquid whey. That whey still contains lactose (milk sugar), soluble proteins, and minerals.

Norwegian cheesemakers use this liquid as the foundation for brunost.

The Production Process

1. Collect the whey. Liquid whey remaining from cheesemaking provides the base.
2. Add milk and cream. The proportions vary according to the type of brunost being produced. Some recipes use cow’s milk, others goat’s milk, and some combine both.
3. Remove the water. The mixture is heated and concentrated over an extended period until most of its moisture has evaporated.
4. Develop the color and flavor. Continued heating produces the characteristic brown color and sweet, cooked, caramel-like taste.
5. Cool and shape. The thick mixture is cooled and formed into blocks. As it cools, it becomes firm enough to slice.

The amount of water removed is substantial. According to Norway’s dairy information service, Melk.no, the starting mixture contains approximately 10–11% dry matter. Finished brunost typically contains around 76–82%.

Modern production often uses vacuum evaporation to remove much of the water efficiently before further heating develops the final color and flavor.

This lengthy concentration process explains why brunost tastes so different from ordinary cheese.

Why Is Brunost Brown?

As the whey mixture is heated, reactions involving milk sugars and proteins produce browning and the characteristic cooked, caramel-like flavors.

The intensity of the heating influences the final result. Lighter brunost tends to have a milder flavor, while darker varieties often taste richer, more toasted, or slightly sharper.

The process also gives brunost its distinctive texture. Lactose crystallization during cooling needs to be carefully controlled to prevent a gritty mouthfeel.

A chapter on brown whey cheese in the 2025 edition of Cheese: Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology notes that lactose crystals larger than approximately 30 micrometers can produce an unpleasant sandy texture.

Using whey also makes use of a byproduct of conventional cheesemaking. However, that doesn’t automatically make brunost environmentally friendly: removing so much water requires substantial energy, even with modern equipment.

The History of Brunost: The Story of Anne Hov

Brunost has a long history in Norway, but one woman is particularly important to the version people recognize today.

Anne Hov, a young dairymaid from Gudbrandsdalen, is often credited with inventing Norwegian brown cheese. The story is more interesting than that simplified description suggests.

Norwegians were making products from boiled-down whey long before Hov was born. The Norwegian dairy information service records written references to whey cheese dating to 1646, while the country’s national encyclopedia discusses even older historical traditions.

What Anne Hov helped develop was a richer, creamier version.

How Anne Hov Changed Brunost in 1863

In 1863, when she was just 17 years old, Anne Hov began adding cream to the traditional whey mixture while working at a mountain dairy farm in Gudbrandsdalen.

The additional cream produced a richer, smoother product that became known as feitost, or fatty cheese. Goat’s milk was later incorporated into the recipe, contributing the distinctive flavor associated with Gudbrandsdalsost.

Her version gained popularity beyond the valley and eventually became an important product for the region’s dairy industry.

Several dates help explain how brunost developed:

• 1646: Early written records document the production of Norwegian whey cheese.
• 1863: Seventeen-year-old Anne Hov begins adding cream to traditional whey cheese, helping develop the predecessor of modern Gudbrandsdalsost.
• 1908: Tretten dairy begins producing cheese based on Hov’s recipe.
• 1933: Anne Hov receives the King’s Medal of Merit for her contribution to Norwegian food culture and the economy.

Today, Gudbrandsdalsost remains one of the best-known varieties of brunost. Norwegian dairy producer TINE traces its signature brown cheese to Hov’s work in the 1860s.

Types of Brunost: Which Norwegian Brown Cheese Should You Try?

Not all brunost tastes the same. The ingredients, amount of goat’s milk, fat content, and degree of browning can produce very different flavors.

Some varieties are mild enough for someone who doesn’t usually enjoy goat cheese. Others have an unmistakably strong, tangy character.

Fløtemysost: The Mildest Place to Start

Fløtemysost is a light-colored brunost made from cow’s milk ingredients without the strong goat’s milk character.

Its creamy, sweet flavor makes it an approachable choice if you’re curious about brunost but aren’t sure you’ll enjoy something more intense.

Gudbrandsdalsost: The Norwegian Classic

Gudbrandsdalsost combines cow’s milk and goat’s milk ingredients, giving it a fuller flavor than Fløtemysost.

It’s one of the most recognizable versions of Norwegian brown cheese and a good choice for experiencing the balance of caramel sweetness and mild tanginess that brunost is known for.

Geitost: For People Who Like Goat Cheese

Geitost is made from goat’s milk ingredients and has a more pronounced flavor.

It’s sweeter than many conventional goat cheeses but retains a distinctive tang. TINE previously marketed its standard goat brown cheese under the name Ekte Geitost, later simplifying the name to Geitost.

Darker and Sweeter Varieties

Heidal Brunost undergoes more extensive browning, giving it a dark appearance and an intense flavor with slightly toasted or sharp notes.

Innherred Brunost and Bestemorost lean further toward sweetness. Unlike many traditional varieties, both contain added sugar.

Prim, meanwhile, is not a firm block of cheese at all. It’s a related soft whey spread that can be spread on bread rather than sliced.

How Do Norwegians Eat Brunost?

The most traditional way to eat brunost is also the simplest: cut it into thin slices and put it on bread.

But brunost appears in several familiar Norwegian foods, from everyday breakfasts to warm waffles and savory meat sauces.

1. On Bread or Crispbread

A slice of whole-grain bread with butter and brunost is a classic Norwegian breakfast or packed lunch.

The cheese’s sweetness contrasts with the bread, while a little salted butter can bring out its rich flavor.

It’s also commonly eaten on knekkebrød, Norwegian crispbread. The crisp texture works particularly well with the soft, slightly sticky cheese.

If you want to experiment, try whole-grain bread with salted butter, thin slices of brunost, and a little strawberry jam. The combination adds fruitiness and acidity to the cheese’s caramel flavor.

2. On Norwegian Waffles

Warm Norwegian waffles topped with brunost are one of the country’s best-known ways to enjoy brown cheese.

Norwegian waffles are typically soft and thin, often made in a heart-shaped waffle iron. A slice of brunost placed on a warm waffle softens slightly, making the caramel flavor especially noticeable.

Some people eat the combination plain. Others add jam or sour cream.

If you’re trying brunost for the first time, a warm waffle is an excellent introduction.

3. With Lefse and Svele

Brunost also pairs well with traditional Norwegian baked goods.

• Lefse: A soft Norwegian flatbread, often served with butter and brunost.
• Svele: Thick, soft Norwegian griddle cakes that can be topped or filled with brunost.
• Knekkebrød: Crispbread topped with a few thin slices of brown cheese.

These combinations make use of brunost’s natural sweetness without turning it into a conventional dessert.

4. In Sauces for Meat and Game

Brunost isn’t limited to breakfast or sweet dishes.

Small amounts can be melted into sauces for meat, particularly game dishes. It adds sweetness, dairy richness, and deeper caramel notes that can balance stronger savory flavors.

It’s best used sparingly at first. A little can change the flavor of a sauce considerably.

5. In Desserts and Baking

Brunost also works in sweet recipes, where its cooked-milk flavor can complement chocolate, cream, and fruit.

It can be used in brownies, ice cream, panna cotta, cakes, and other desserts. Some recipes incorporate grated brunost directly into the mixture, while others use it as a topping.

Is Brunost Healthy? Nutrition and Sugar Content

Brunost provides several useful nutrients, but it’s also a concentrated dairy product containing substantial amounts of fat and milk sugar.

Its nutritional composition depends on the variety, so figures for one product shouldn’t be assumed to apply to every brown cheese.

For example, TINE lists the following nutritional values for its standard Gudbrandsdalsost.

TINE Gudbrandsdalsost Nutrition Facts

Source: TINE Gudbrandsdalsost product information.

Gudbrandsdalsost also provides calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, and other nutrients.

However, the combination of high energy density, saturated fat, and sugar means portion size is worth considering. Brunost is traditionally served in thin slices rather than large portions.

Does Brunost Contain Added Sugar?

Many varieties are naturally sweet because whey contains lactose, the sugar found in milk.

During production, much of the water evaporates, concentrating the lactose and other milk solids. Heating also develops the characteristic caramel-like flavor.

As a result, conventional brunost can contain plenty of sugar even when no table sugar has been added.

There are exceptions. TINE Bestemorost, for example, contains 18% added sugar according to its ingredient list. Innherred Brunost also contains added sugar.

If you’re comparing products, check the ingredients as well as the nutrition label.

Is Brunost Lactose-Free?

No. Traditional brunost contains considerable amounts of lactose because whey, its main ingredient, retains much of the milk sugar.

That makes it unsuitable for people who need to avoid lactose or significantly restrict their intake. Individual tolerance varies, but brunost shouldn’t be mistaken for a naturally low-lactose aged cheese.

Brunost also contains milk allergens and is not suitable for people with a milk allergy.

How to Slice and Store Brunost

Brunost is usually served in very thin slices. Cutting it this way makes the dense, sweet cheese easier to eat and prevents its flavor from overwhelming the bread or waffle underneath.

Use a Norwegian Cheese Slicer

The traditional tool is an ostehøvel, a flat cheese slicer that removes thin, even slices from a block.

It’s another Norwegian invention with a history of its own.

In 1925, Norwegian cabinetmaker Thor Bjørklund developed a cheese slicer inspired by a woodworking plane. He wanted a practical way to cut neat, even slices without wasting cheese.

His invention became a familiar household utensil in Norway and is still widely used today.

Although the ostehøvel works especially well with brunost, it wasn’t invented exclusively for brown cheese. It was designed as a general-purpose cheese slicer.

If you don’t own one, a sharp knife can work, although getting consistently thin slices may take more care.

How Should Brunost Be Stored?

Brunost is relatively shelf-stable compared with many high-moisture cheeses, but it should still be stored according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

For standard Gudbrandsdalsost, TINE recommends refrigeration at 32–39°F (0–4°C).

• Keep the cheese refrigerated as directed on the packaging.
• Wrap opened brunost securely to prevent its surface from drying out.
• Slice it while cold, when it’s easier to cut evenly.
• Follow the product’s use-by date and storage instructions after opening.
• Avoid freezing when possible, as freezing can damage its texture.

Norway’s national encyclopedia notes that brunost can remain in good condition for around four months at 1–5°C under suitable storage conditions. This is a general indication of its keeping quality, not a guaranteed shelf life for an opened package.

The Curious Story of Norway’s Burning Brunost

Brunost even has a place in one of Norway’s more unusual transport stories.

On January 17, 2013, a truck trailer carrying a large shipment of brown cheese caught fire inside the Brattli Tunnel in northern Norway.

The burning load proved difficult to extinguish. The fire continued for several days, and the tunnel suffered extensive damage.

Its high fat content contributed to the intensity of the fire, while combustible insulation materials inside the tunnel added to the danger.

Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.

The incident attracted international attention, partly because the idea of a large shipment of cheese burning for days sounded so improbable.

According to Norwegian engineering publication Teknisk Ukeblad, the tunnel was initially closed for 36 days before reopening to limited traffic. Repairs and safety improvements continued afterward.

The story is a reminder that brunost is an unusually concentrated food, although it’s certainly not a reason to worry about the cheese sitting in your refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions About Brunost

Is brunost actually cheese?

Brunost is traditionally called cheese in Norway, but it’s made differently from most conventional cheeses. Instead of using coagulated milk curds, cheesemakers concentrate whey with milk and cream. It’s more precisely described as a brown whey cheese or concentrated whey product.

Is brunost made from goat’s milk?

Some varieties are, but not all. Fløtemysost uses cow’s milk ingredients, Gudbrandsdalsost combines cow’s and goat’s milk ingredients, and Geitost is made from goat’s milk ingredients. The amount of goat’s milk strongly influences the flavor.

Why does brunost taste like caramel?

Brunost gets its sweetness primarily from lactose in the whey. As the mixture is heated and concentrated, browning reactions produce its characteristic cooked-milk and caramel-like flavors.

Which brunost is best for beginners?

Fløtemysost is a good starting point because it has a mild, creamy caramel flavor without a strong goat’s milk taste. Gudbrandsdalsost is another option if you want to try a more traditional, slightly tangier variety.

Can you eat brunost by itself?

Yes. Brunost can be eaten on its own, although Norwegians commonly serve it in thin slices on bread, crispbread, waffles, or lefse. Its concentrated sweetness makes small portions particularly enjoyable.

Can you melt brunost?

Yes. Brunost softens and can be incorporated into warm sauces, desserts, and other dishes. Grating or cutting it into small pieces helps it blend more evenly. It’s especially useful for adding a sweet, rich flavor to sauces for meat or game.

Is brunost the same as dulce de leche?

No. Brunost and dulce de leche can share a sweet, caramelized-milk flavor, but they’re different products. Brunost is made primarily from concentrated whey and is usually firm enough to slice. Dulce de leche is made by cooking sweetened milk and is generally soft and spreadable.

Does brunost need to be refrigerated?

Yes, follow the storage instructions for your particular product. TINE recommends keeping Gudbrandsdalsost at 0–4°C (32–39°F). Refrigeration also helps the cheese remain firm enough to slice cleanly.

Is brunost only made in Norway?

No, although Norway is its main producer and the country most closely associated with it. Related concentrated whey products are also made elsewhere in Scandinavia, including the spreadable Swedish product known as messmör.

Why Brunost Is Worth Trying

Brunost doesn’t fit neatly into the usual categories of cheese or dessert. It’s sweet but still tastes distinctly of dairy, firm enough to slice yet soft enough to melt into a sauce.

Its origins in traditional Norwegian cheesemaking, the work of Anne Hov, and its place on everyday breakfast tables all help explain why it remains so closely associated with Norway.

If you’ve never tasted it, begin with a mild Fløtemysost or the classic Gudbrandsdalsost. Slice it thinly, serve it on bread with a little butter, or try it on a warm Norwegian waffle.

It’s a simple introduction to a food that has been part of Norwegian life for centuries.

Sources and Further Reading

• Store norske leksikon — Brunost
• Melk.no — Brunost (Mysost)
• TINE — Brunost Collection
• TINE — Gudbrandsdalsost Product Information and Nutrition
• TINE — Bestemorost Ingredients and Nutrition
• Cheese: Chemistry, Physics and Microbiology (2025) — Brown Whey Cheese
• Norwegian Industrial Property Office — Cheese Slicer for 100 Years
• Teknisk Ukeblad — The 2013 Brunost Tunnel Fire

FAQs

What is Norwegian brown cheese?

Norwegian brown cheese, or brunost, is a traditional dairy product made by concentrating whey with milk and cream. It has a distinctive brown color, a smooth, slightly sticky texture, and a sweet, caramel-like flavor. Unlike conventional cheese, which is made primarily from milk curds, brunost is made mainly from whey.

What is Norwegian brown cheese made of?

Brunost is made from whey, milk, and cream, although the ingredients vary by variety. Fløtemysost uses cow’s milk ingredients, Gudbrandsdalsost combines cow’s and goat’s milk ingredients, and Geitost is made from goat’s milk ingredients. These differences affect the cheese’s sweetness, richness, and tanginess.

How is Norwegian brown cheese made?

Brunost is made by slowly heating and concentrating whey, often with added milk and cream, until most of the water evaporates. During this process, reactions involving milk sugars and proteins produce its characteristic brown color and caramel-like flavor. The thickened mixture is then cooled and shaped into blocks.

What are the different types of Norwegian brown cheese?

The best-known varieties include Fløtemysost, a mild, creamy brown cheese made from cow’s milk ingredients; Gudbrandsdalsost, a richer blend of cow’s and goat’s milk ingredients; and Geitost, which has a stronger, tangier goat’s milk flavor. Other varieties include the darker Heidal Brunost, sweeter Bestemorost, and Prim, a soft, spreadable whey product.

Is Norwegian brown cheese healthy?

Brunost provides calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B12, and some protein. However, it’s also relatively high in calories, saturated fat, and milk sugar. For example, TINE Gudbrandsdalsost contains approximately 440 calories, 28 grams of fat, and 31 grams of sugar per 100 grams. It can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet, preferably in moderate portions.

Is Norwegian brown cheese suitable for special diets?

Brunost isn’t suitable for everyone. It contains milk allergens and substantial amounts of lactose, making it unsuitable for people with milk allergies and potentially problematic for those with lactose intolerance. Its saturated fat and sugar content may also matter for people following restricted diets. Although many traditional varieties contain no added sugar, some sweeter types do. Always check the nutrition label and ingredient list.