Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

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These caramelized onion gruyere drop biscuits are downright addicting! You can caramelize the onions thread of time and refrigerate or freeze them! Then combine the ingredients for the gruyere drop biscuits and bake them! They are sure to be a hit!

Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (1)

Warm, cheesy, and oniony.

I’m here to tell you you should not be making these gruyere drop biscuits for Thanksgiving. And you most definitely shouldn’t make them for Christmas either. And the reason is that these biscuits are sure to go flying right off the plate, and you will undoubtedly get asked for the recipe. Please don’t say I didn’t warn you!

I made a plateful of these drop biscuits a month back, and between the two of us, they disappeared, one by one, until there were none left. And that’s when I knew I had to make sure I left you a little warning too.

Each bite is loaded with salty and nutty, cheesy goodness with a hint of sweet, balsamic caramelized onions. They’re a rip off of my cheddar bay biscuits that I have loved and adored; first at Red Lobster and then at home for the last 10 years. And though I won’t say they’ll replace the garlic and cheddar version, I love having an option to change things up, and these would be perfect served alongside mashed potatoes, turkey, and green bean casserole.

Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2)

What do you need to make Gruyere drop biscuits?

  • All-purpose flour: both bleached or unbleached flour will work for this recipe. I usually use unbleached flour.
  • Granulated sugar: granulated sugar adds just a hint of sweetness to the drop biscuits
  • Baking powder: is the leavening agent so that the drop biscuits aren’t super dense.
  • Seasonings: I like to add a dash of garlic powder, dried parsley, and some salt to the biscuits to give them some more flavor
  • Melted butter: I prefer to use melted butter when making drop biscuits as they don’t have the layers that traditional biscuits do (for which you need cold butter cut through the flour mixture.)
  • Milk: milk adds moisture to the biscuits. It reacts with the baking powder, which then allows the biscuits to rise.
  • Shredded Gruyere cheese: shredded cheese adds a delicious nutty flavor. See below for substitutes.
Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (3)

How to make perfect caramelized onions:

  1. Saute. Grab a large cast-iron skillet and pop it over medium heat. You want to allow the skillet to heat up before you add the onions. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Then add the onions and sauté them for 5 minutes or until they start to sweat.
  2. Let them hang out. When the onions shrink back a little, lower the heat to low, and season them with sugar and dried thyme. Then, let them cook on the lowest setting for 20-30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so that nothing sticks until they caramelize and turn golden. You can also let them go slightly longer if you prefer them sweeter. And if you do, I suggest cutting back on the amount of sugar you use in the biscuits.
  3. Season them. Once golden, add balsamic vinegar and season with salt. Taste and adjust with additional balsamic vinegar or salt as desired. Allow the onions to cool to room temperature before adding them to the biscuit mixture.
Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (4)

How to make onions and gruyere drop biscuits:

  1. Preheat the oven. You’ll want to line a baking sheet with parchment paper so that the biscuits do not stick to the pan. Then, melt 1 stick of butter in the microwave and allow it to cool to room temperature.
  2. Make the biscuit batter. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, and kosher salt. Add the melted butter and the milk to the mixture and stir to combine. Then, add the caramelized onion and cheese and fold the biscuit batter until it’s combined.
  3. Bake the biscuits. Drop 2 tablespoons worth of biscuit dough on the baking sheet and bake until golden brown. Melt the remaining butter, add in another pinch of dried parsley and brush the warm biscuits with the butter. Serve them warm. They’re so delicious!
Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (5)

FAQs about gruyere drop biscuits:

  1. Do you have a suggestion for something other than gruyere, something more economical? Yes, you can replace the gruyere with freshly shredded white cheddar cheese. Still delicious!
  2. Can I use a combination of cheeses? Yes, you can use a mix of cheeses. I tried shredded asiago, fontina, white cheddar, and a gruyere mix which turned out equally well!
  3. Can you caramelize the onions in advance? Yes, you can caramelize the onions and once cooled, you can refrigerate them for up to 2 days or pop them in the freezer. If you freeze them, defrost the onions in the refrigerator overnight and if there is excess moisture, dry the onions on a paper towel before adding to the biscuit batter.

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

  • Cheddar Bay Biscuits
  • Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
  • One Hour Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls
  • Soft and Fluffy One Hour Dinner Rolls
  • Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

And if you’re looking for sides, for Thanksgiving, look here 🙂

Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (6)

Yield: 16-18 biscuits

Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time35 minutes

Total Time50 minutes

These caramelized onion gruyere drop biscuits are downright addicting! You can caramelized the onions thread of time and refrigerate or freeze them! Then just combine the ingredients for the gruyere drop biscuits and bake them! They are sure to be a hit!

Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (7)

Ingredients

Caramelized Onions:

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 large onion, quartered then thinly sliced (such as yellow or white)
  • 1 teaspoon EACH: sugar AND balsamic vinegar
  • ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme

Biscuits:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon EACH: granulated sugar AND baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, dried parsley, AND kosher salt
  • 1 ¼ stick (10 tablespoons) salted butter, divided
  • ¾ - 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 ½ cups shredded Gruyere (or white cheddar)

Instructions

    1. ONIONS: In a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, and the butter and let it melt. Add the onions and sauté them for 5 minutes or until they start to sweat and shrink a little. Lower the heat to low and season with sugar and dried thyme and continue to cook for 20-30 minutes or until the onions start to turn golden and caramelized. Make sure to stir the mixture every 5 minutes. If the onions are caramelizing too fast, turn down the heat a little more. Add the balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan, and season with ¼ teaspoon salt. Allow the onions to soak up the vinegar then remove from heat. Let onions cool to room temperature. At this point, you can refrigerate the onions (for later) or complete the biscuits.
    2. BISCUIT BATTER: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat; set aside. Place 1 stick of butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the butter until it is completely melted, about 45 seconds, set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, and kosher salt. Add the melted butter and ¾ cup of milk into the dry ingredients and using a rubber spatula, fold to combine the ingredients. Add the caramelized onions and cheese and fold into the biscuit dough until combined. If the dough is dry, add one tablespoon of milk (up to 4 times) until the dough just comes together. You don’t want it to wet-looking! I needed 2 tablespoons.
    3. BAKE: Drop 2 tablespoons worth of dough onto the baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown on the outside. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a small bowl until melted, about 20 seconds. Stir in another pinch of dried parsley (optional.) Brush the freshly baked buns with butter and serve warm!

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!

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originally published on Nov 19, 2020 (last updated Sep 6, 2022)

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  1. Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (14)

    Lindsey Reply

    Made these tonight for Christmas dinner tomorrow! They are outstandingly delish. Onions took foreverrrr to caramelize, so next time I would do that ahead of time. Thanks for the recipe!

    5

    • Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (15)

      Marzia Reply

      Love that you’re serving these tomorrow, Lindsey! Hope everyone you share them with enjoys them!

  2. Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (16)

    Sabena Sabena Reply

    I am reading this at midnight, droolling over this recipe and your scrumptious photos. Can’t wait for it to be morning so I can get on it! Thank you so much for sharing

    5

  3. Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (17)

    Hilary Reply

    Can I make these to take to a party an hour or two away. Will they still be good at room temp, or should I reheat them?

  4. Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (18)

    DMC Reply

    How many does this yield?

    • Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (19)

      Marzia Reply

      16-18 biscuits! You can always find this info above the recipe title 🙂

  5. Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (20)

    Irma Hankins Reply

    I can’t wait to make these! However, I have always learned that biscuits should be made with cold butter. What makes these different?

  6. Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (21)

    Sandy Bradshaw Reply

    These are beyond Fantastic! My bread-baking hard-to-please husband gobbles them up like candy! Making them two days in a row and he is happy as can be! Me too!

    Thank you for this keep forever recipe!

  7. Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (22)

    Jessica b Reply

    Sounds amazing. Can you make these ahead of time? Would love to make for Xmas. Wondering if I can make the night before and just pop in the oven the day of

  8. Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (23)

    Morgan Reply

    These look fabulous! Could I make them 2 days ahead? I would love to have them for Christmas, but would have to make them the day before Christmas Eve. Wondering if they can be reheated in the oven or what you would recommend? Thank you!

Caramelized Onion and Gruyere Drop Biscuits Recipe | Little Spice Jar (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between rolled and dropped biscuits? ›

Drop biscuits have more milk or other liquid added to the dough than rolled biscuits. The dough is moister and cannot be kneaded or rolled; simply drop tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheet. Drop biscuits don't rise as much as other biscuits and they are always coarser in appearance and texture.

Why do my drop biscuits fall apart? ›

Fat aside, a common solution to crumbly biscuits is to cut back on the measured amount of dry ingredients. According to Quaker, you should be scooping flour gently with a spoon instead of sticking your measuring cup directly into the bag, which can lead to compacted mis-measurements.

What is the secret to biscuits? ›

Use Cold Butter for Biscuits

When the biscuit bakes, the butter will melt, releasing steam and creating pockets of air. This makes the biscuits airy and flaky on the inside.

Are biscuits better with butter or shortening? ›

The butter version rises the highest — look at those flaky layers! The shortening biscuit is slightly shorter and a bit drier, too. Butter contains a bit of water, which helps create steam and gives baked goods a boost.

Why are they called drop biscuits? ›

Drop biscuits get their name from how they are formed: By spooning the dough and "dropping" it onto the cooking surface, whether it be a baking sheet or straight onto a chicken pot pie. When baked on their own, they take less than 20 minutes in the oven.

Do drop biscuits have more liquid than rolled biscuits? ›

A little bit more rustic than their rolled cousins, drop biscuits are made by 'dropping' a spoonful of moist dough onto a baking sheet, rather than rolling them out and shaping them carefully with a cutter. Drop biscuits contain more liquid than rolled ones and don't tend to rise as high as other biscuits.

What does cornstarch do to biscuits? ›

The cornstarch lowers the protein of the flour, which produces a more tender biscuit. The heavy cream provides the fat that helps create the flaky layers in great biscuits.

Should you let biscuit dough rest? ›

Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes. Gently pat out the dough some more, so that the rectangle is roughly 10 inches by 6 inches. Cut dough into biscuits using a floured biscuit cutter (or even a glass, though its duller edge may result in slightly less tall biscuits).

What kind of flour do Southerners use for biscuits? ›

White Lily brand flour, especially the self-rising flour, is the gold standard among Southern cooks who make biscuits on a regular basis. White lily, self rising. I use it for everything except those thing I make using either cake flour or yeast.

Why put an egg in biscuits? ›

Biscuit recipes tend to be egg-free, this makes them drier and the lack of protein to bind the mix helps achieve that crumbly texture. For super light, crumbly biscuits try grating or pushing the yolks of hard-boiled eggs through a sieve into the biscuit dough.

What is the best type of flour to use for biscuits? ›

As far as brands of flour, White Lily “all-purpose” flour has been my go-to for biscuit making. It's a soft red winter wheat, and the low protein and low gluten content keep biscuits from becoming too dense.

Is buttermilk or heavy cream better for biscuits? ›

Heavy Cream.

The heavy cream adds flavor to the biscuit by adding a little more fat and helps hydrate the dough. The extra fat in the heavy cream is helpful because buttermilk in stores is often “low-fat” buttermilk.

Which liquid makes the best biscuits? ›

*Substitute buttermilk, light cream, or heavy cream for the whole milk, if you prefer; use enough of whatever liquid you choose to bring the dough together readily, without you having to work it too much. The higher-fat liquid you use, the more tender and richer-tasting your biscuits will be.

Is buttermilk or milk better for biscuits? ›

Buttermilk can produce better results when baking biscuits than using regular milk or cream. Buttermilk is acidic and when it is combined with baking soda, it creates a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas, which causes the dough to rise and gives the biscuits a light and flaky texture.

What are the 2 types of biscuit dough? ›

Soft dough biscuits as the name suggests are softer and fluffier than their hard dough counterparts. They have higher levels of fat & sweetness and are generally manufactured with the help of a rotary moulding machine.

What is a drop biscuit in cooking? ›

Drop biscuits are biscuits that aren't rolled or shaped, but just dropped from a spoon onto a baking sheet. The simplest recipe is Nathalie Dupree's Two Ingredient Biscuits. It's easier than making pancakes from a “complete” (just add water) pancake mix.

What's the difference between a roll and a biscuit? ›

Rolls vs Biscuits

Rolls typically use yeast as their main rising agent, whereas biscuits use baking soda or baking powder to rise. Due to the need for the yeast to activate and rise, they often take much longer than biscuits to make.

What does rolled biscuit mean in cooking? ›

Rolled biscuits

Typically formed from butter, eggs, flour and sugar, the dough is kneaded and rolled out, then cut into rounds and baked. With a good basic biscuit recipe, the flavour possibilities are endless.

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