Sour Cream and Onion Drop Biscuits 

Published April 1, 2025

Sour Cream and Onion Drop Biscuits 
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Sue Li.
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(77)
Comments
Read comments

These wondrous, quick and easy biscuits taste very much like sour cream and onion potato chips. But even though the name of this recipe mentions sour cream and onion, the ingredient list does not include either: The tangy element is the buttermilk, and the actual sour cream flavor comes from grated Parmesan. Along with chives, the combination sort of tricks our brains into perceiving the beloved duo that is sour cream and onion. The effort required for these buttery biscuits is minimal, and the results are spectacular.

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Ingredients

Yield:10 biscuits
  • cups/345 grams all-purpose flour
  • 1tablespoon baking powder 
  • 1tablespoon sugar
  • 2teaspoons kosher salt 
  • ¾cup/173 grams cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 2ounces finely grated Parmesan (about 1½ lightly packed cups)
  • ½cup thinly sliced chives 
  • 1cup/240 milliliters cold, vigorously shaken buttermilk 
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

353 calories; 20 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 13 grams protein; 412 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two large (13-by-18-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter, then, using a pastry cutter or large fork, cut the butter into the flour to form pea-size pieces. Alternatively, use your hands to quickly pinch the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

  3. Step 3

    Add the Parmesan and chives and toss to combine.

  4. Step 4

    Drizzle in the buttermilk and stir with a flexible spatula until the dough is combined. The dough should look moist but still very lumpy.

  5. Step 5

    Scoop the dough into 10 equal portions (about ⅓ cup each) and place onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them apart evenly.

  6. Step 6

    Bake until golden brown, 23 to 24 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheets before serving. The biscuits are best enjoyed while they are still warm.

Ratings

5 out of 5
77 user ratings
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Comments

"even though the name of this recipe mentions sour cream and onion, the ingredient list does not include either"

The introductory note (which I'm pasting below) explains that, despite the sour cream and onion in the title, neither ingredient is actually in this recipe. "The tangy element is the buttermilk, and the actual sour cream flavor comes from grated Parm...Along with chives, the combination sort of tricks our brains into perceiving the beloved duo that is sour cream and onion."

Where’s the sour cream ?

I’ve made a lot biscuits in my life. I had a B&B and biscuits were on many morning menus. This my friends is the best biscuit yet. I snuck one right out of the oven while the others were placed on a plate to cool slightly. I want them all. I really do.

This is a great recipe! We've had them on repeat for the last several weeks as we've had guests. All have indicated that they've then started making them as well. For me, it has consistently needed more buttermilk than the 1 cup called for in the recipe. As a result, I end up adding more salt to compensate for the additional fat (maybe an additional 1/2 teaspoon or so). I've also started topping with a bit of flaky salt.

Delicious! Even my husband - who has no interest in biscuits - couldn't stop eating them.

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