Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
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These copycat biscuits are so easy to make in just 30 min! So buttery, so flaky, and so irresistibly good!
Featured Comment
I have the fondest memories of Red Lobster. It was always our go-to place for big familial celebrations, particularly for our birthdays. And since we never went out for dinner, it was always a huge deal to eat out. It was as if we had won the lottery. But other than the lobster, there was something else on the menu that was just as lottery-worthy. It was, of course, the cheddar bay biscuits.
why i love this recipe
- Copycat recipe. This is a complete copycat recipe of Red Lobster’s most popular (and famous) biscuits. You’ll have the flakiest, most fluffy biscuit you could possibly dream of. Dare I say it’s even better than the restaurant version?
- No more store-bought mix. You can skip the store-bought biscuit mix with easy-to-find ingredients, most of which are pantry staples.
- So fast and easy. These buttery, flaky biscuits come together in just 30 minutes, start to finish.
- Crowd-favorite. These copycat biscuits are a huge crowd-favorite for both kids and grown ups, great as an appetizer or snack, or served alongside any meal – from soups, stews, pastas and everything in between.
- Freezer-friendly. Freeze before or after baking, ideal for stocking your freezer or saving leftovers.
tips and tricks for success
- Use buttermilk. While adding a slightly tangy flavor, buttermilk is a key ingredient here contributing to the flavor, texture and rise. Using milk will lead to more neutral flavors along with flat and dense biscuits. You can also make a buttermilk substitute using milk, adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.
- Use your favorite cheese. The recipe lists sharp cheddar cheese but feel free to mix it up with white cheddar, gouda or pepper jack cheese.
- Avoid overworking the dough. Knead the dough just until it comes together. Overworking the dough can lead to dense, dry biscuits.
- Use a floured biscuit cutter. Flouring the biscuit cutter beforehand will prevent sticking. Avoid twisting the cutter as the biscuits may slope and rise unevenly.
- Freeze before baking. Although biscuits can be frozen before or after baking, freezing before baking is preferred to preserve texture and for optimal freshness.
FREEZING AND STORAGE
Storage
Leftover biscuits can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Reheating
Reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
Freeze before baking
Place the biscuits on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper, freezing for 1 hour until solid. Transfer the biscuits to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date and freeze up to 3 weeks. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
Freeze after baking
Let the biscuits cool completely. Transfer the biscuits to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date and freeze up to 3 weeks. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven at 350°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
what to serve with red lobster cheddar bay biscuits
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits: Frequently Asked Questions
A quick and easy buttermilk substitute is creating your own buttermilk with whole milk and something acidic such as lemon juice or distilled white vinegar.
You can add 1 tablespoon acid (lemon juice or vinegar) to 1 cup milk, letting it stand for 5-10 minutes.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
A sharp knife should do the trick using a downward motion. Using a dull rim, such as a glass or mason jar, can prevent the biscuits from rising.
Yes! Biscuits are very freezer-friendly, flash freezing once assembled (before baking) and storing in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For the topping
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper, if using.
- In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and butter. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist. Gently fold in cheese.
- Working on a lightly floured surface, knead the dough 3-4 times until it comes together. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Cut out 10-12 rounds using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit or cookie cutter.
- Place into oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
for the topping
- Whisk together butter, parsley and garlic powder in a small bowl. Working one at a time, brush the tops of the biscuits with the butter mixture.
- Serve immediately.
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Love the biscuits, turned out great but in the instructions it’s missing adding the cheddar cheese.
Ronda, the cheese is included in step 3.
3. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and butter. Pour mixture over dry ingredients and stir using a rubber spatula just until moist. Gently fold in cheese.
I’ve made these for many years, Only thing missing from the recipe is the “OldBay” seasoning!
Rhonda it says in step #3 “gently fold in cheese!”
(I also have put pepper jack cheese in these!)
Mine after mixing the ingredients came out when put on to the cooking sheet looked like pancakes I think where I went wrong was I used the same measurement in regular milk because I was out of buttermilk…oops I added more flour to off set that
can i use this recipe with almond flour ana what’s the conversion ?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without further recipe testing, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
This is the best buscuit recipe ever. My biscuits were just delicious and perfect.
So great to hear!
Delicious! Even my picky 2 year old ate almost 2 biscuits, and said “yum” every time he took a bite.
Only substitution I made was I used Creole seasoning instead of cayenne because I didn’t have any cayenne, turned out wonderfully
Don’t skip the butter on top ☺️
I made these with gf flour and they were phenomenal!! Love your recipes!
Thank you for sharing!
These were good! Though the outside was a little hard inside was soft. What did i do wrong?
Cris, it sounds like they’ve been overcooked.
Dear Sweet Lord these are DELICIOUS!!!!
Crispy outside and chewy insides, drop a piece in your mouth and it melts in it right away!!! Oh the dancing swirls of butter with a cheesy delight with a waltz made from garlic and a kiss of cayenne. Beautifil, perfecto, magnifico!!!!! Thank you!!!
We are so happy you liked them!
Don’t you need a little baking soda to react with the buttermilk? I always add a little soda to any baked goods that use buttermilk. What do you think?
I personally do not think baking soda is needed here but as always, please modify as needed to suit your personal preferences. That’s the beauty of home cooking, right?
Thanks for your reply. I did add a little soda which lightened up the biscuit….made more air holes, so to speak. Good recipe. Enjoyed with a buffalo chicken salad so as not to be too healthy!*!
Sounds amazing!
Do these freeze well? Thinking of making ahead for a grad party. Thanks!
Hi Ann, unfortunately, we cannot answer this with certainty as we have never tried freezing this ourselves. Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
I have made these for MANY holidays and get-togethers and they’re always a HUGE hit! This is the best recipe I’ve found by far!
Oh We Love Red Lobster Biscuits ( any biscuit for that matter) but I can’t do biscuits any longer because my husband is a diabetic! 🙁 but they look Delish!
You are killing me. I love Red Lobster biscuits. Yours look amazing, and I can’t wait to make some. Yes, they are stored with fat and cals, but what isn’t, this time of year? Happy Holidays, and thank you so much for sharing these fabulous biscuits.
Just made it tonight. I did half whole wheat flour otherwise the same. After 12 minutes, the insides were still undercooked. I even got 12 buscuits so I was watching them carefully and was surprised they weren’t cook.
Any suggestions? I used whole wheat flour because of my diabetes.
Oh no! I’m not entirely sure – perhaps your oven wasn’t hot enough? I recommend investing in an in-oven thermometer for reliable, consistent results. You can read more about it here. Hope that helps!
They are fantastic , thank you.
This is my go-to recipe with almost every soup I make. As my father always says, “mmmmm, biscuits.” They are the best melt-in-your-mouth biscuits that you can’t help but love!
Just FYI, Red Lobster sells their CBB mix in stores now, (Yours would be cheaper to make though) I’ve tried a bag and it really is the same, it even says RED LOBSTER CHEDDAR BAY BISCUIT MIX right on the bag. Again, this is JUST FYI.
By far the best copycat recipe I have made. I’d like to share a few mods that I think many would enjoy..
– Instead of the cayenne, I substituted for Old Bay Seasoning (I added 1 whole teaspoon).
– One major difference was the type of cheddar cheese I used.
– I used “Trader Joe’s Farm House English Cheddar with Italian Truffles Cheese” https://aintfoundagoodtitleblog.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/tj_farmhouseenglishcheddaritaliantruffles_img1805.jpg
This is by far a much welcomed change up in the recipe. The only thing you lose is the diverse colors of the biscuits themselves but the taste makes up for this minor loss.
– I coated the unbaked biscuits with the buttery glaze before and after baking. (I added a generous pinch of Old Bay in the buttery glaze mix as well)
** To note, I did use Silpats on my baking sheets. (love these things)
10/10 will be making my biscuits with this cheese and this method from now on. 😀
If you make your biscuits this way, I’d be interested in your results and ratings.
I would like to make more than 10, do I just make the biscuits smaller or adjust the ingredient amounts?
You can make them smaller.
Kinda disappointed. I followed the recipe exactly. These things took way longer than 10-11 minutes to cook. The bottoms browned way before the biscuits had even been in the oven for 3 minutes. Once they were finally done, they had zero taste other than the spicy kick from the cayenne. Definitely NOTHING like Red Lobster.
FRIENDS, IF YOU HAVE NO MADE THESE BISCUITS YOU NEED TO MAKE THEM now!!!!! THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! Hubby almost ate the whole bunch…=X Thanks for a wonderful recipe!