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. They go great with eggs, sausage, bacon and hashbrowns, and are a spectacular base for eggs Benedict.
For brunches with more lunch items, serve them alongside bisques, chowders, creamy vegetable soups, and hearty salads.
What You Need to Make Cheddar Onion Biscuits
To make this biscuit recipe, you’ll need basic biscuit ingredients (flour, baking powder, butter, cream) grated cheddar cheese, and a yellow onion. If you don’t have a yellow onion on hand, white onions are a great alternative.
Most cheddars work here, but avoid heavily aged cheddar as it doesn’t integrate as well as its younger counterparts.
Ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Heavy Cream
- Butter (Frozen of Very Cold)
- Yellow Onion
- Cheddar Cheese
- Chives
- Black Pepper
- Flaky Salt-Optional
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 Notes:
The secret to these biscuits is caramelizing the onions before adding them to the biscuit dough. Caramelizing draws out the rich, complex sweetness of the onion and makes for a more interesting flavor profile.
As with all biscuit recipes, it’s crucial that the non-dry ingredients are cold before they’re mixed with the flour. As such, make sure you give yourself enough time to let the onions cool completely after caramelizing them, or make them in advance and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to use them.
The layering technique for this recipe deviates from the traditional folding method and employs a method wherein the dough is cut into quadrants and stacked, then rolled. The dough may look like a crumbly, shapeless mound, but it will help create layers without puncturing the dough with the add-ins.
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.
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
Here are a few other recipes you might enjoy!
- Honey Biscuits
- Stuffed Biscuits
- Vegetarian Biscuits and Gravy
- Biscuits in the Air Fryer
- Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits
- Mini Biscuits
- Gluten-Free Biscuits and Gravy
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.