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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We stirred in some dried off chopped up pickled jalapeños and sundried tomatoes this last time we made these, unbelievable. Highly recommend.
OMG!! I have my go to biscuit recipe, which uses the traditional “keep the butter extra cold” method. I’ve conservatively made it 50 times, but probably more like 100. After trying your Cheddar Biscuit recipe, and technique with the melted butter, I was amazed how good the biscuits were. I tested the melted butter mixed with buttermilk for my version, and I will never go back. WOW!! Flakier, buttery and softer than my recipe. You taught this old dog a new trick, lol. I thank you, my kids (very picky eaters) noticed the difference, and also thank you!!! I literally made a youtube video about these (Frewysbakesandbakes is the channel if anyone is interested). Shameful plug aside, I am genuinely grateful for this recipe and technique, and I don’t give out food compliments easily!!
So confused…most reviews said the taste was great. Mine were not! I followed the recipe, but with minor adjustments – used a tad less cayenne pepper, and no parsley. I used expensive butter and cheese. And they were practically tasteless! Entire family said so. One thing my son in law noticed was the cheese was heavy on the bottoms. I used thick, farm style sharp cheddar shreds. Did all the cheese just sink to the bottom?
I hope you don’t mind me replying, but I recently did a butter experiment with my cookies, using store brand unsalted butter vs. Kerrygold. Every person who tried both agreed the Store Brand was better. I’m guessing here, but when I made brown butter, the milk solids in the Kerrygold were different than store brand, and simply put it just didn’t taste as good.
Coincidentally I also had issues with the cheese in one of my versions, and noticed the mixture wasn’t as well incorporated than my successful ones, so that could be it. I also used store brand sharp cheddar and skipped the parsley and we loved these. Hope this helps.
I made these for the first time tonight. I had a craving for Red Lobster biscuits, I’ve only ever had the packet mix, due to living in the southern hemisphere!
These were so close to the packet mix. They were light, fluffy and so good!!
I’ll be making these regularly when the craving hits, so I don’t have to try and find the box mix, which is expensive, too.
Can you advise are the measurements for cup an American size. If so what is the English measurements
This recipe is my go to everytime I am craving biscuits. First time I followed the recipe to a T, but I have them put my own spin on it:
I switch buttermilk for half n half
I sift my 2 cups of flour ( you will see you actually have way more) sifting helps keep then fluffy
I use 1 tsp of garlic and 1 tsp of onion
I also add Parmesan, Asiago and cheddar.
I use salted butter and only add a pinch of sea salt and chives .
I do not add garlic to the topping. Just parsley and salted butter.
450 for only 10 mins, I let them cool for about 2-3 mins before I take them off the baking sheet. Crispy and soft always!
Hope this helps!
Halved the recipe and the biscuits turned out flat… not sure what went wrong. Taste was great though! Will tweak the butter to flour ratio a bit next time.
Delicious! Check your oven temp. 450 was too high.
I made these. They turned out great! Definitely a keeper. My son-in-law said they were a contender for Thanksgiving dinner.
We love hearing that, Norma! Thank you so much for sharing.
The secret to these is doing what Red Lobster did originally and use Bisquick. Back in the day General Mills owned Red Lobster so it made sense to use Bisquick and made replication in each unit as easy as possible.
These taste delicious and were super easy to make. The only issue is mine came out doughy. I cooked them a few minutes extra, but the tops were starting to turn a burnt brown instead of a golden brown. I’m certain this was operator error. Anyone have any tips for me to avoid this in the future?
Do you weigh the amount of cheese on a scale?
thank you for this recipe!!! i ended up using it to replace the crust in a pot pie recipe and it came out delicious. the consistency and flavor are perfect!
Needs more salt and garlic in dough. Topping should be doubled. Definitely needs more garlic but really pretty good and relatively easy. I used ice cream scoop instead of rolling out and cutting
No old bay seasoning?
They came out perfect you couldn’t have told me no better
Wonderful biscuits! I am making same recipe again this morning minus the garlic and cayenne, got my jam ready! In oven right now. So easy
These were delicious! Super easy to make and tasted great!
This is a damn delicious recipe, I didn’t have butter milk so I had to improvise with milk and fresh lemon juice(1teaspoon per cup of milk…let it sit 10 mins). And to replace the baking powder: To replace 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of baking powder, use 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) lemon juice. it worked perfectly. Luckily I had garlic butter pre-made, just added some parsley and that is a must at the end. I buttered the dough balls before baking and then again with parsley at the end and topped it off with fleur de sel and they taste exactly like the real thing. This is an amazing recipe!
Just made these at 3am because I had a craving lol.
I am lactose intolerant and gluten sensitive, so I just subbed in vegan “butter”, lactose-free cheese, lactose-free yogurt for the Buttermilk, snd gluten-free flour.
And for personal preference, I used Paprika instead of Cayenne, plus added a bit of dill to the dough.
Absolutely awesome recipe and totally hit the spot.
It’s going in my “make again” folder.
Thank you!!!
They turned out perfect. The biscuits have perfect flavor.