Cheesy Pull-Apart Biscuits with Vidalia Onions are next level. Look at that. Lordy mercy that’s some cheesy goodness.
Georgia-grown Vidalia onions are perhaps its most well-known sweet onion. It’s hard to believe something as simple as a pantry staple, can make such a difference – but it can.
Why are Vidalia Onions Sweet?
What makes Vidalia onions so special? There are only 50 registered growers that produce Vidalia onions.
To be considered a true Vidalia, the onion has to be grown from a specific Yellow Granex hybrid in a 20-county area surrounding the town of Vidalia, where there is a naturally low level of sulfur in the soil.
Grown elsewhere, that same onion simply won’t have the same taste. It’s terroir, y’all.
Georgia Grown
Much in the way that France regulates food and wine with appellation d’origine contrôlée, our state legislature got together in 1986 and decided that Vidalia onions had to be grown within a certain region of Vidalia, Georgia.
The Vidalia Onion Act created regulations governing the growth and marketing of Vidalia onions, which included permitting the agricultural commissioner the authority to set the first date the onions could be shipped. It’s all weather-dependent of course, but the season typically runs from April-August.
Drop Biscuit
This easy, pull-apart bread is a drop biscuit base. You simply spoon the dough onto the baking sheet. It uses melted butter and there’s no kneading, punching out, or yeast. Packed with sweet Vidalia onions and herbs and topped with cheese, it’s pure decadence.
How to Make Biscuits
Speaking of biscuits — I’ve got more info here. Want even more biscuit recipes and info on how to make biscuits in one place? Check out my new biscuit E-book available for Kindle Amazon and as a downloadable pdf on Lulu.com.
I’ve been making biscuits since I was a small child. It’s the bread of my people. I love to teach, to empower people how to make biscuits. And, yes, with my good and good for you I most certainly still eat biscuits!
The e-book Includes the definitive how-to photo series showing how to mix, stir, fold, roll, and knead. It also contains how to make biscuits in the food processor and vegan biscuits.
Included are recipes for Buttermilk Biscuits, Cathead Biscuits, Black Pepper Cream Cheese Biscuits, Herb and Cheese Drop Biscuits, Lightened Up Better for You Biscuits with Turkey Sausage Gravy, Cakey Biscuits with Chocolate Gravy, and Brown Sugar Strawberry Shortcakes. (And, I’ve included the nutritional information for them all.)
Hope you enjoy the Cheesy Pull-Apart Biscuits with Vidalia Onions!
Bon Appétit, Y’all!
Virginia Willis
Cheesy Pull-Apart Biscuits with Vidalia Onions
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 3 Vidalia onions, chopped
- 2 cups self-rising flour (see above on how to make self-rising flour)
- 2 cups grated cheese such as cheddar, mozzarella, or Colby (about 4 ounces), divided
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme, parsley, or sage
- Pinch cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 -1 1/2 cups buttermilk, as needed
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the butter: optional
- 1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon or so of freshly chopped thyme parsley, or sage
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. (Reserve 6 tablespoons to add to the dough and 1 tablespoon for brushing on the biscuits when they come out of the oven.) Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally and keeping the heat on low, until golden brown, about 30 minutes. (Here’s the deal, you don’t have to cook them until golden, but you do need to cook them at least 5 minutes, just to get the excess moisture out.)
- Once the onions are golden brown, transfer to a plate or bowl and pop them in the fridge or freezer to cool down slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick silicone baking sheet. Melt the reserved 6 tablespoons of butter.
- Place the flour in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup of the cheese, herbs, and cayenne pepper; stir to combine. Add ¾ of the now-chilled golden brown onions, reserving a little for the Golden Onion Butter. (If you are skipping the butter, go ahead and add all the onions.) Add the melted butter and buttermilk and stir to combine.
- Using a large scoop or a ¼-cup measure, spoon the batter onto the prepared baking sheet in a circle, leaving room for the bowl of butter in the center. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with remaining 1 cup of cheese. Return to the oven to finish cooking, about 5 more minutes.
- While the biscuits are baking, combine the reserved ½ cup or so of onion and stick of room temperature butter. Add a little of the same herb that’s in the biscuit. Season with salt and pepper.
- Slip the biscuit ring off onto a large platter or cutting board. Brush with last reserved tablespoon of butter. Pop the bowl of Golden Onion Butter in the center. Serve immediately. Swoon.
Nutrition
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I think 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk was maybe too much liquid. Mine were too wet. Ended up pretty flat and dense, but still delicious.