Versatile, delicious and deceptively easy to make, cheddar onion biscuits are the gold standard for savory baked goods. A mouthwatering combination of caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, chives and black pepper, these biscuits are all at once rich, tangy, peppery, bright and totally addictive.
Cheddar onion biscuits are perfect for special breakfast and brunch occasions with a wide variety of savory options.
Looking for more biscuit recipes? Here are other recipes you might enjoy: Honey Biscuits, Stuffed Biscuits, Vegetarian Biscuits and Gravy, and Biscuits in the Air Fryer.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Incredible flavor: The combination of caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, and chives gives these biscuits an irresistible tangy, sweet, and savory flavor. With the additional burst of freshness from the green onions, each bite is a party in your mouth.
Versatile serving options: Whether you want a delicious side dish for your hearty soup, or a warm, satisfying breakfast item, these cheddar onion biscuits are perfect. They also work well in a bread basket for a family dinner or as an impressive addition to a brunch spread.
Easy to make: Even for first-timers, this recipe is deceptively simple. All it requires is a little patience and careful following of the step-by-step instructions. The total time to make them is quite reasonable, given the amazing result you get.
Recipe Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make these cheddar biscuits with onion:
Ingredient Notes
Cold Butter: Cold butter is essential for making flaky layers in your biscuits. Cut the cold butter into your flour mixture using a pastry cutter or a grater to create the best texture.
Sharp Cheddar Cheese: A sharp cheddar cheese gives your biscuits a more pronounced and tangy flavor. If you want a milder taste, you can use a medium cheddar. The recipe calls for 1 cup cheese, but you can adjust according to your preference.
Self-Rising Flour: If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own by combining flour, baking powder, and salt. For each cup of self-rising flour, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Green Onions: Green onions add a subtle sharpness and brightness to the biscuits. They also give a beautiful color contrast against the golden-brown biscuits.
Whole Milk or Buttermilk: Both whole milk and buttermilk work well in this recipe. Buttermilk lends a tangy flavor to the biscuits which complements the sharpness of the cheddar and sweetness of the caramelized onions. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a cup of whole milk.
Garlic Powder and Parmesan Cheese: For an extra flavor kick, you can sprinkle some garlic powder and Parmesan cheese on the tops of the biscuits before baking.
How To Make Cheddar Onion Biscuits
In a small saute pan set over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, then add in the onions and stir to coat. Once the onions start to turn translucent and begin to brown, reduce the heat to medium-low and season with salt.
Let the onions cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until they’re soft and golden brown. Don’t stir too often, as that will prevent them from caramelizing. Once they’re caramelized, transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and let them cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, add flour, salt, baking powder, and several cracks of black pepper and whisk to combine.
Grate the butter into the flour mixture using the large holes of a box grater. Using your hands or a fork, gently work the butter into the flour until just combined, taking care to not overmix.
Add in the cooled caramelized onions, chives and grated cheddar cheese and gently work into the flour and butter mixture until just combined and evenly distributed.
Stream in the heavy cream and use a fork to distribute the liquid evenly. Once a shaggy dough forms, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
Use your hands to gently bring the dough together, then form it into a 1 inch thick square. Cut the dough into equal quadrants, then stack the pieces on top of each other. The dough will be crumbly and dry, but resist the urge to add more liquid.
Gently compress the dough stack with a rolling pin, then roll the dough into a ¾ to 1 inch thick rectangle. Flour the sharp end of a 3-4 inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, and punch out as many biscuits as possible and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.
Gather and reroll any dough scraps and punch out more biscuits until the dough can’t be rerolled.
Transfer the biscuits to the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up the butter and cheddar. Brush the biscuit tops with heavy cream and optionally, sprinkle with flaky salt and more cheese.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for 10-15 minutes, then enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- After mixing your ingredients, transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll it out. Then, use a round cutter to cut out your biscuits. This ensures evenly sized biscuits that bake evenly.
- Place biscuits in the freezer for a short while before baking. This helps the fat in the dough solidify, which will create flakier layers in your biscuits as they bake.
- Overworking the dough can lead to tougher biscuits. Mix just until the ingredients are combined to maintain a tender, flaky texture.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover cheddar onion biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you want to keep them longer, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. To reheat, place biscuits in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) until warmed through.
Additions & Substitutions
This recipe is versatile and allows for a number of additions or substitutions. If you don’t have green onions, you can use other herbs like parsley or dill. You can also add bacon bits or ham for a non-vegetarian twist. If cheddar cheese isn’t your preference, try using mozzarella or a blend of your favorite cheeses.
Recipe FAQs
What should I serve with this cheddar biscuits with onion recipe?
These biscuits pair perfectly with a hearty soup or stew, as their robust flavors hold up well against rich broths. You can also serve them as a side with your favorite egg dishes for breakfast or brunch. If you’re feeling adventurous, try using these warm biscuits as a base for a sandwich, filled with your choice of meats and/or vegetables. The possibilities are endless, and with these cheddar onion biscuits, your meals will never be boring again!
Can I use frozen caramelized onions?
Yes! Frozen caramelized onions are perfectly fine to use in this recipe. If you’re using frozen caramelized onions, thaw them first and blot dry any excess moisture before adding them to the biscuit dough.
Should I refrigerate cheddar and onion biscuits?
Cheddar and onion biscuits do not need to be refrigerated so long as you eat them within 2 to 3 days of making them. Store them at room temperature in an air-tight container or ziplock bag and keep them away from direct sunlight. If you want to store them for longer, they’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Can I make these biscuits ahead of time?
Definitely! One of the great things about this recipe is that the biscuits become more flavorful after they’ve rested overnight, though the texture may change slightly.
They also freeze very well, so they’re easy to make in batches and save for a later date. To do this, freeze the unbaked biscuits all the way through, then store in a freezer-safe bag. Bake them directly from the freezer and add an additional 5 minutes of bake time.
Here are a few other biscuit recipes you might enjoy!
Cheddar Onion Biscuits
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy cream very cold
- 1 cup butter frozen
- 2 tbsp butter (for caramelizing)
- ½ large or 1 medium yellow onion diced
- ½ cup cheddar cheese grated
- 2 tbsp chives finely chopped
- black pepper to taste
- flaky salt (optional)
Instructions
- Caramelize the onions.
- In a small pan, melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat and saute the onions until they turn translucent and start to brown.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and season the onions with salt, and let them cook for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally until the onions are soft, golden brown and caramelized.
- Transfer the onions to a paper-towel lined plate and let them cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder and several cracks of black pepper and whisk to combine.
- Grate the butter into the flour and use your hands or a fork to gently work the flour into the dough until just combined; do not overmix.
- Add the caramelized onions, chives and cheddar cheese to the flour mixture and gently work into the butter and flour mixture until just combined and evenly distributed.
- Stream in the heavy cream and use a fork to evenly distribute the liquid until a shaggy dough forms, and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Gently bring the dough together, and shape into a 1 inch thick square.
- Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, cut the dough into four equal pieces.
- Stack the pieces on top of each other and tuck in any pieces that may fall.
- Gently compress the dough stack with a rolling pin and roll out the dough into a ¾ inch to 1 inch thick rectangle.
- Flour the sharp end of a 3 or 4 inch round cookie cutter and punch out as many biscuits as possible, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
- Gather and reroll the scraps and punch out more biscuits until there is no more dough.
- Place the biscuit tray in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up the butter and cheddar.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with heavy cream and optionally sprinkle with flaky salt and more cheddar.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutrition
Rebekkah is a food writer, recipe developer and sommelier who is obsessed with all things food and drink. When she isn’t lingering too long in her kitchen, she can be found making music in her apartment or traveling the globe in search of the perfect noodle.