Last updated on August 24th, 2025 at 08:51 am
Icelandic Breakfast – Iceland is known for its beautiful landscapes and impeccable nature and greenery and of course. What’s an even way better way to enjoy the country than submerging yourself in its culture of delicious traditional breakfast in Iceland and healthy Iceland breakfast options.
When most people think of Iceland, they picture volcanoes, waterfalls, and northern lights—not breakfast. But if you’re skipping Icelandic mornings, you’re missing out on one of the most quietly fascinating food cultures in Europe. Traditional Icelandic breakfasts are rooted in simplicity, purity, and a deep respect for ingredients from both land and sea. They’re designed to energize you for long days spent exploring nature’s extremes—and they do it deliciously.
From creamy skyr and warm rye bread to salted cod and blood pudding, Iceland’s breakfast table is anything but boring. These meals are not just about taste—they’re about survival, heritage, and minimalism done right. Each dish tells a story of how Icelanders endured long winters and made the most of what their rugged landscape offered.
And while some recipes may sound unfamiliar—like hangikjöt (smoked lamb) with buttered bread or sviðasulta (head cheese)—others, like pancakes with rhubarb jam or warm oatmeal with brown sugar, are comforting and familiar. Whether you’re visiting Iceland or bringing a taste of the Arctic to your home, these 18 breakfast recipes are a window into a culture built on resilience and nourishment.
In this post, we look at the best breakfast in Iceland, the breakfast coffee culture in Iceland and its delicious Icelandic pancakes and holiday cakes, and pies! Click here to book online Keflavik Airport Transfer and Golden Circle Day Tour
READ MORE: Top 40 Food in Iceland to Try, 9 Day Iceland Itinerary, Best Icelandic Drinks, Top Vegetarian Food in Iceland, Top 40 Instagrammable Places in Iceland
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How to Eat
Icelandic breakfasts are often layered affairs, built on contrast. Start your meal with something cool and creamy like skyr, a high-protein yogurt-like dairy product, topped with berries, nuts, or honey. Follow with a slice of rúgbrauð—Icelandic rye bread that’s naturally sweet and dark—slathered with butter, cheese, or hangikjöt.
Pair warm dishes like hafragrautur (oatmeal) with toppings like cinnamon sugar or raisins, or dig into heartier fare like liver sausage, cold cuts, or smoked fish with pickles. Most locals wash it down with strong coffee, and if you’re in a hotel or home kitchen, you might even be offered hardfiskur (dried fish) to chew on like jerky.
The unspoken rule: eat slow, savor each bite, and appreciate the balance of nutrient-rich, simple foods that fuel both the body and spirit—especially before a long day of hiking or sightseeing.
How to Partner
Protein & Dairy: Combine skyr or cheese with rye bread and smoked lamb for a complete, filling plate. Add a boiled egg or sliced tomato for freshness.
Sweet & Savory Balance: Serve pönnukökur (Icelandic pancakes) with rhubarb jam alongside a small side of pickled herring or cold cuts for contrast.
Hot & Cold Mix: Pair hot oatmeal or blood pudding with a cold glass of milk or a spoonful of fresh skyr for a temperature and texture contrast.
Beverage Pairing: Icelanders keep it simple—black coffee or herbal tea is the standard. Add a touch of honey or drink it strong and unsweetened, just like the locals.
While Icelandic breakfasts are hailed for their health and simplicity, they can clash with modern expectations. Visitors often express shock at the use of organ meats, dried fish, and blood-based dishes so early in the day. But in Iceland, food isn’t about luxury or abundance—it’s about function, sustainability, and using every part of what nature offers.
Even skyr, now trendy worldwide, is often consumed plain in Iceland—without added sugar, syrup, or fruit-on-the-bottom. That minimalist approach throws off tourists used to sugar-laden breakfast routines.
Moreover, the traditional Icelandic approach to food—favoring preservation methods like drying, smoking, and fermenting—can feel intense to palates used to fresh fruits and fluffy croissants. But that very difference is what makes these dishes unforgettable, rooted in climate, necessity, and cultural pride.
Icelandic Breakfast – Best Traditional Breakfast in Iceland to Try
Traditional breakfast in Iceland includes ponnukokur, Icelandic pancakes, Skyr Icelandic yogurt, coffee, and cod liver oil. Let’s look at all these and more below in more detail.
1. Ponnukokur – Icelandic Pancakes with Skyr – Icelandic Breakfast
Pönnukökur / Ponnukokur – Icelandic pancakes are one of the traditional breakfast in Iceland to try. Icelandic breakfast pancakes resemble crepes. They are especially eaten with Skyr, the Icelandic-style yogurt, and served with either jam or whipped cream. The makings of a traditional Icelandic breakfast if you’re looking for a sweet day to start your mornings in Iceland. You can have Pönnukökur / Ponnukokur as desserts as well!
2. Skyr Icelandic Yogurt – Icelandic Breakfast
Skyr is the Icelandic-style yogurt that is thicker and high in protein, but manages to be silky smooth – now that’s a yogurt we can get into!
3. Klenat / Klejner / Kleinur Icelandic Doughnuts – Icelandic Breakfast
Kleinur or Klenats are Icelandic donuts or pastries that easily can be enjoyed as an Icelandic breakfast or snack. It’s a fried pastry that is not only enjoyed in Iceland but also in other Nordic countries. Everyone in Iceland loves them!
4. Icelandic Almond Rolls – Traditional Breakfast In Iceland
Icelandic Almond Rolls – If you’re fan of sweet breakfasts like us, this is definitely a must-try for a sweet and delicious breakfast in Iceland. Iceland Almond Rolls uses almond paste (gives the almond rolls a marzipan taste), butter, and with drizzled lemon glaze.
5. Icelandic Brown Bread / Rúgbrauð / Icelandic / Thunder Bread
Rúgbrauð or the Icelandic Dark Rye Bread or Thunder Bread is Iceland’s traditional brown rye bread. Molasses is what keeps this bread deep brown with a hint of sweetness. You can easily have it any time of the day, but sandwiches are easily an Icelandic way to start your mornings, so Thunder bread can be pretty popular for a breakfast in Iceland.
6. Marens Kornflexkokur – Icelandic Chocolate Cornflakes
Marens Kornflexkokur is the Icelandic way of making chocolate cornflakes even sweeter and more fun to eat for your breakfast in Iceland.
7. Lummur – Icelandic Oatmeal Pancakes
If you’re more into pancakes instead of crepes, Lummur can be your Iceland breakfast of choice. It’s made of oatmeal so it’s a good way to add that much needed fiber early in your day when in Iceland. We love these so much!
More Icelandic Breakfast And Traditional Breakfast In Iceland
8. Jolakaka – Icelandic Christmas Cake
Enjoy a taste of Iceland: Jolakaka is also known as (Christmas Cake). Don’t be fooled by its seasonal name, this delicious treat is enjoyed all year long. I added a teaspoon of lemon zest to this recipe to add a subtle zip. Recommended to wait until the next day to enjoy with a fresh cup of coffee.
9. Icelandic Chocolate Porridge / Kakosupa
Kakosupa is a traditional comfort food and an Icelandic treat you won’t find in any restaurant. It’s melted cocoa until you can make a soup perfect for those cold months when you’re craving for something really sweet and easy!
12. Mondlukaka – Almond Cake – Icelandic Breakfast
Mondlukaka is a traditional Icelandic almond cake. Mondlukaka cake is made from all-purpose flour, butter, eggs, finely chopped almond nuts, baking powder, strawberry jam and whipped cream.
13. Hjonabandssaela / Icelandic Happy Marriage Cake – Icelandic Breakfast
Icelandic Hjónabandssæla or the happy marriage cake is an oatmeal cake with rhubarb filling, and definitely a seasonal and delicious treat. You can have it as a breakfaset if you really want to fill yourself with sweet treats early in the day, as a dessert for later, or a snack.
14. Vöfflur / Waffles
Locals love a little sweetness to lighten up the dark mornings in Iceland, so the perfect sweet breakfast in Iceland is delicious vöfflur, or waffles. Icelanders prepare their waffles in the traditional Nordic heart shape.
The sweet gridded cakes have an airy texture that makes them irresistible. Top these sweet breakfast treats with whipped cream and local berries for the perfect sweet spin on Icelandic breakfast.
15. Pylsur / Icelandic Hotdogs
Ahhh, something you’ll find everywhere in Iceland, the Pylsur or Icelandic hotdogs. For a quick meal any time of the day, and sold easily in the streets.
16. Lýsi
Cod Liver Oil or Lysi is another very traditional and quite popular breakfast in Iceland. It’s now possible to be consumed as pills, as Lysi is considered in Iceland a very healthy nutrient. However, a lot of people still consume it as a drink. The taste can be a tad strong, but it’s the health benefits that make it to Icelanders’ breakfast routines, even just a spoonful of it.
17. Icelandic Coffee
Icelanders love drinking coffee. The general weather in Iceland might not be coffee’s favorite weather and location, but the Icelandic culture surely calls for large amounts of coffee, consumed the whole day. They have their own popular chains in Iceland for coffee, two of the top which are Kaffitár and Te og Kaffi.
18. Hafragrautur
Hafragrautur is a typical Icelandic breakfast food that includes oatmeal mixed with milk and water. Brown sugar, melon seeds and raisins are added to garnish.
Serving Suggestions
Build a Skyr Bar: Offer plain skyr with toppings like fresh berries, chopped almonds, honey, or oats.
Bread & Butter Tray: Slice rúgbrauð and serve with butter, cheeses, cold cuts, and smoked fish.
Sweet Option: Roll pönnukökur with sugar or jam for a dessert-like bite.
Hearty Tray: Include liver sausage, hangikjöt, or blood pudding for guests open to bolder flavors.
Drink Pairing: Strong black coffee, hot chocolate, or herbal tea are ideal. For authenticity, include mjólk (milk) in small ceramic pitchers.
Final Thoughts
Icelandic breakfasts may not be flashy, but they’re built on centuries of wisdom, simplicity, and survival. Each dish reflects the Icelandic spirit—resilient, practical, and quietly indulgent. By embracing these traditional recipes, you’re not just eating—you’re stepping into a way of life.
Whether you’re crafting a weekend Nordic brunch or seeking a healthier start to your day, these 18 Icelandic breakfast recipes are a reminder that the best meals are often the most honest. Try them with curiosity, serve them with pride, and eat them the Icelandic way: slowly, gratefully, and with intention.
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues sharing his travel experiences with his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.