Cheddar bay biscuits made from scratch are fluffy, buttery mounds of savory bread inspired by Red Lobster’s most popular appetizer. Serve this copycat recipe as a quick and easy appetizer or side to your favorite entrees.
Looking for more copycat recipes? Try my Chipotle Chicken, the Olive Garden-inspired Giant Cheese Stuffed Shells, and the Erewhon Kale and White Bean Salad next. For more biscuits recipes, check out my Drop Biscuits recipe!
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If you’re the type to binge on the bread before the appetizers even arrive, then this cheddar bay biscuits recipe is for you! Salty, cheesy, flaky, and downright irresistible, Red Lobster biscuits made at home are a mouthwatering treat. Good luck trying to have just one!
Why This Cheddar Bay Biscuit Recipe Works
- Easy to Make – With straightforward instructions and simple ingredients, you’re just 20 minutes away from delicious homemade cheddar biscuits.
- Better Than the Restaurant – Get that eating out taste but from the comfort of home. And you get to put your own personal touches on it. These taste amazing fresh out of the oven after they’re slathered with homemade garlic-infused butter topping.
- An Indulgent Treat – There’s a reason why these biscuits are popular. They are so decadent and rich, with a final brushing of garlic butter.
Tools You’ll Need
Ingredients You Will Need for Shirred Eggs
This section details what you will need to make this recipe, the use of each ingredient, and substitution options. For the exact measurements, see the recipe card below.
Cheddar Bay Biscuits Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Spooned and leveled.
- Baking Powder: Once moistened in dough, this causes the biscuits to rise.
- Sugar: It balances the flavor of the biscuits but also tenderizes the texture.
- Seasoning: I season with garlic powder, kosher salt (Diamond Crystal brand), and onion powder.
- Salted butter: Very cold, cubed.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Very cold, grated.
- Buttermilk: For a richer taste and softer texture, use this instead of water. It should be very cold.
Garlic Butter
- Salted butter: Melted to easily mix with the other ingredients and glaze the cheddar bay biscuits.
- Dried parsley: This dried herb has a stronger flavor than fresh herbs and complements the butter.
- Garlic powder: Because who doesn’t love garlicky flavor?
How To Make Cheddar Bay Biscuits
These drop biscuits only require flour, baking powder, and sugar. The rest of the ingredients just enhance the flavor of these cheesy biscuits. Let’s get into the how-to:
Combine Dry Ingredients
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt. Whisk until ingredients are well combined.
Add Wet Ingredients
Add the very cold and cubed butter and blend the butter into the flour using a pastry blender until you get pea-sized pieces of butter. Then add the cheese and mix until combined using a spatula.
Add the buttermilk and stir just until combined. Do not over-mix.
Scoop and Bake Biscuits
Using a ¼ cup measuring scoop, measure a heaping ¼ cup scoop of the biscuit mixture and drop onto a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Make Garlic Butter
Meanwhile melt butter then add dried parsley and garlic powder. Stir until combined. Set aside.
Brush biscuits with butter mixture and serve warm.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Cheddar Bay Biscuits
- Use very cold ingredients. The temperature of the ingredients impacts the rise and texture of the bread. When you work with cold butter particularly, you are creating pockets of air that form into flaky layers.
- Do not overmix the dough. Doing so makes the biscuits dense and tough. And don’t mind the lumps. These drop biscuits are not meant to be uniformly the same.
- You can bake the biscuits in a muffin tin. This is just a nifty trick if you don’t have a baking sheet available.
Variations
- Bisquick Mix. This recipe is easy enough but for a shortcut, you can use a biscuit mix. This replaces the flour and baking powder.
- Cheese. Switch it up from the sharp cheddar and try shredded swiss cheese, parmesan, gouda, or pepper jack cheese if you want something on the spicy side.
- Add-Ins. Want even more flavor? When you add the cheese, sprinkle in some bacon bits (salty), olives (savory), or jalapenos (spicy).
- Buttermilk Replacements. Don’t have buttermilk? In a measuring cup, Combine 4 tablespoons of regular milk with sour cream or 2 tablespoons of milk with plain yogurt until it reaches 1 cup.
What to Eat with Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Red lobster biscuits go with any meal but here are some of my top picks:
- Soup: Make it a comfort meal when you cozy up with a hot bowl of Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup.
- Chili: Imagine dunking these biscuits in a saucy, hearty bowl of chili.
- Seafood: Go for the full Red Lobster experience at home and serve them with this Shrimp Scampi.
Storage
Leftover cheddar bay biscuits can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are they called Cheddar Bay Biscuits?
In the 90s when Red Lobster first introduced the biscuit, they were referred to as “freshly baked, hot cheese garlic bread.” But during a 1996 rebrand, they were renamed to “reflect the seaside atmosphere of Red Lobster restaurants.”
Can cheddar bay biscuits be frozen?
Yes. Let them cool completely then wrap them tightly in aluminum foil before storing them in an airtight container or ziplock bag. They will last up to 3 months when properly stored. To defrost, let them thaw in the fridge overnight. Then pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds.
Can I make the biscuit dough ahead of time?
As soon as the leavening agents are mixed with the wet ingredients, they become active. But if they are not baked shortly after, they become less effective so you can’t make the dough in advance. No worries, though. This recipe is quick and easy.
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Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Equipment
- Pastry blender
- Mixing bowl
- Baking Sheet
- Pastry brush
- ¼ cup measurement
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt Diamond Crystal brand
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 8 tablespoons salted butter, very cold, cubed
- 1¼ cup sharp cheddar, very cold
- 1 cup buttermilk, very cold
Garlic Butter
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and kosher salt. Whisk until ingredients are well combined.
- Add the very cold and cubed butter and blend the butter into the flour until you get pea-sized pieces to butter. Add the cheese and mix until combined.
- Add the buttermilk and stir just until combined
- Using a ¼ cup measuring scoop. Measure a heaping ¼ cup scoop of biscuits and drop onto prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until lighlty golden brown.
- Meanwhile melt butter and add dried parsley, and garlic powder. Stir until combined. Set aside.
- Brush biscuits with butter mixture and serve warm.
