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!
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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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I made these last night for my folks and everyone was delighted and surprised at how good these tasted. I used half and half (was in a hurry and didn’t have or ‘make’ buttermilk) and left out the salt in the melted butter topping. The biscuits rose nicely and I used an ice cream scooper which made 9 perfect biscuits. Thanks for the recipe!
These biscuits look great. I must try them. Do you sift the flour before measuring or just measure 2 cups right out of the package?
There’s no need to sift here. 🙂
These are delicious! So easy to make. Basically these are the real thing, but not as salty. The recipe made 15 biscuits and they took 17 minutes to bake perfectly (they were still pretty raw after 12 mins).
Tried these copy cat , were easy n tasted exactly like Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay!!! Thanks for these lovely pics n directions, my family’s so happy with the outcome! Keeper!!
I just made these for dinner with a broccoli cheddar soup and they were delicious! Doubled both the cayenne and the salt (chunky sea salt) and left off the topping because of time. My garlic powder must be super strong because I love garlic and use it liberally, but will cut back a little bit next time.
I also think I’m going to try these with different seasonings for a breakfast-for-dinner egg and sausage sandwich. They rose up much more nicely than other biscuits I’ve tried and I like that the cheese is incorporated into them.
Thanks for the recipe!
these turned out delicious but have to add that I DID NOT use a whole tablespoon of baking powder as I know it’s not that good for you…so with using half that these still came out flaky. I might point out that the amounts called for differ (one place says 11/16th cup butter, the other says 1/2 cup, melted. I did the 1/2 which was fine.
Is there a typo for these mentioned items?
Sara, butter is required for both the biscuits (1/2 cup) and for the topping (3 tablespoons).
Just made this amazing bisquits! I used a measuring cup(1/4cup) to scoop the mixture. After 10 mins the bottoms were getting burnt so I had to take it out, and the inside was not flaky or fully cooked. Maybe the measuring cup is too thick, so it didn’t cook all the way through? How can I get it flaky without burning the bottom of the biscuits? Or maybe I used a little more than a cup of buttermilk. Any help would be awesome for me to perfect these biscuits. Thanks!!!
Mimi, I recommend investing in an in-oven thermometer – your oven may be too hot than it really is! It may also be best to use the middle rack of the oven.
I just whipped these up and they’re soooo good, mine aren’t as flavourful as the ones I remember from red lobster but I had to replace the salt and garlic powder for garlic salt and that mighta been why. Definitely a quick yummy recipe to keep in your notes!! Thanks for the recipe !
Just got the Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuit recipe off your page. Looks delicious
Have a question….I just started a Pinterest account and was happy to see you also have a bunch of boards I’d want to follow. After linking 2 of the boards successfully I tried to follow the ” Crepes” board(I have fond memories of going to the Magic Pan in Washington D.C.) because I to would love to master making them on my own. Anyway it gave a message the board is no longer available . Did you take it down? If so….any recommendations for what pages and websites to look at for recipes and tips?
Thanks and keep cooking!
Yes, the crepes board has been removed. You can always google crepe recipes or use the Pinterest search button. Hope that helps!
HI CHUNGAH,
my biscuit didn’t raise at all and they were very heavy! do u have any idea what I did wrong? They were very very tasty! Help! I would like to try to make them again.
Amanda, did you follow the recipe exactly as written without any substitutions?
Hi Chungah,
Thanks for replying! yes I did
Amanda, it is very difficult for me to pinpoint what could have possibly gone wrong as I was not in the kitchen with you, but the only thing I can really think of is your baking powder. Has it expired?
We made these to go with your Shrimp, Asparagus, Zucchini, and Orzo Salad. They were by far better than the Red Lobster original. I greatly appreciate that this is completely from scratch and doesn’t use Bisquick or a similar product. Thanks for another winner!
I made these and totally fell in love with the recipe! So easy and yummy. thank you for sharing. Great site, delicious recipes, can’t wait to continue trying them.
I usually don’t comment and just lurk on most recipes but I have to say this is the BEST biscuit recipe I’ve tried. I’ve lost track of the amount of subpar recipes and poor ending results. This is the real deal buttery, flaky, chewy, moist…..I could go on. Anyone with any doubt out there try this recipe *****in my opinion***** I think its better than the RL which were usually greasy to me personally.
Also for those asking about freezing the batter. I’ve done it and results are the same as if I made a fresh batch on that day. For any left over batter I just scooped and separated the biscuits before putting in the freezer. Enjoy!
When you take them out of the freezer, do do you thaw completely and then cookie cook from frozen?
Unfortunately, to really recreate Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits you have to use the same ingredients. Whey based gluten free flour, soy cheese (that’s right there is no cheese in cheddar bay biscuits) and a ton of liquid margarine (both inside the biscuits and slathered on top). It is however very easy to improve on the concept with high quality ingredients to come out with an end product that tastes a lot better. Good job!
Found it. *gently fold in cheese* 🙂
I’m assuming the cheese is mixed with dry ingredients?
Yes, that’s exactly right:
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.
These are great. I made them gluten free for my 5yr old using Bob’s Red Mill all purpose GF flour. I added a tsp of xanthan gum and upped the milk to 1 1/3 C. So good! I also made them as written for the rest of us and they were delicious. 🙂
Absolutely perfect! I have tried many recipes for cheddar biscuits, and none of them have come close to this one. They ARE better than the restaurant version. I decided to make a double batch to experiment with. I broke it into 4 groups. I made one exactly like the recipe, added ham to another, added extra cayenne to a third and added ham and extra cayenne to the fourth. All of them were amazing! I like how you fine-tuned the original recipe/s; superb!
When I was at Red lobster the only thing I liked was the biscuits & they were to die for.
These biscuits are delish!