Nothing compares to Cheddar Bay Biscuits—the perfect side dish for any meal. Make them from scratch with everyday ingredients in about 20 minutes. Fluffy and delicious, it's like going to Red Lobster at home.
Introduction
Loaded with flavor, these tender biscuits are everybody's favorite. My version of a copycat Red Lobster's Biscuits recipe is simplified for easy weeknight use.
Cheddar bay biscuits are a Red Lobster original, and the name evokes the seafood feel off the restaurant.
Some recipes you have to make. One of my daughters emailed a link to a recipe that looked great, but it used Bisquick, as do most copycat recipes like Allrecipes Cheddar Bay Biscuits. I don't usually use mixes and prefer from scratch anyways.
I commonly add cheddar cheese and garlic to make cheddar biscuits anyway, so this is an adaptation of my everyday biscuit recipe. I cut the recipe down a little to make just six good-sized biscuits. This is "cooking for two," if you haven't noticed. Double if you need to.
My Rating
An easy five, basically what I have done for years but with more butter. It is so close to Red Lobster's biscuit taste and texture I can't tell the difference.
Ingredients
- Flour - Use all-purpose flour.
- Butter - Use regular salted butter. If you only have unsalted butter, add an extra pinch of salt.
- Cheese - Mild cheddar cheese will give that Red Lobster taste. Some will prefer sharp cheddar cheese instead. But use the cheese you want.
- Milk - You can use regular milk but buttermilk or buttermilk substitute will fluffier results.
👨🍳How to Make Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Whisk together all the dry ingredients, cut in the butter, mix in cheese. Then add the wet component to finish making the biscuit dough.
Bake in a 400° convection oven or 425° conventional oven with the rack in the middle or slightly above is best, but the temperature may be lower if needed when cooking other dishes, but time will increase.
The baking time of 12 to 14 minutes is generally about right. Time will vary due to the size of the biscuits, the baking tray, and the oven. They are done when they are golden brown.
Lastly, brush the top with garlic butter if you want them to be more like the Red Lobster version. The melted butter and garlic replace the need to add butter at serving. But I generally skip the parsley.
❓FAQs
Yes. But I prefer the from-scratch version with the cut in butter, which will be fluffier. If you want to use Bisquick Mix®️, it will substitute for flour, salt, baking powder, and butter in the dough.
You can make a buttermilk substitute by adding one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes before using. Also, powdered buttermilk is an excellent thing to keep around if you do a lot of baking.
Many people will get a metallic after-taste from baking powder that has aluminum. All baking powder had aluminum for many years, but aluminum-free baking powder has been commonly available for many years. I encourage you only to buy the aluminum-free version.
Yes, many recipes use a teaspoon of sugar, onion powder, or a pinch of cayenne pepper. So even use some Old Bay Seasoning.
🥣Making Ahead
You can mix the dry ingredients, cut in the butter, mix in the cheese, and then store in the refrigerator. But you can not add the liquid since it will trigger the baking powder leavening, which will occur rapidly but disappear in a short time.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven, then add the buttermilk.
❄️Storage
Cheddar Bay biscuits can be stored airtight at room temperature for 3 days, but longer than two days will suffer some in texture. You can also keep in the freezer airtight for 3-4 days.
📖Biscuit Recipes
Healthier Sausage Gravy and Biscuits
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional oven.
In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add 3 tablespoons of cold butter and cut in with a large fork or pastry cutter.
Stir in ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese. I like mild cheddar here, but sharp cheddar is fine. Mix well.
Add ¾ cup buttermilk or substitute. Mix well, but you don't need to over mix.
Spray a baking sheet with PAM or cover with parchment paper and make six even mounds (a heaping ¼ cup). Bake for 12-14 minutes.
Just before the biscuits are done, in a small bowl, combine 1 ½ tablespoons butter, ¼ teaspoon parsley flakes, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Microwave briefly to melt the butter.
Brush the top of the hot biscuits with the melted butter combination.
📖Recipe
Cheddar Bay Biscuits (Red Lobster Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup AP flour
- 3 tablespoons butter - cold
- 1 tablespoon baking powder - aluminum-free
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ cup shredded cheese - Mild cheddar preferred
- ¾ cup buttermilk - Subsitutes in notes
Topping
- 1 ½ tablespoon melted butter
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon parsley flakes - optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° convection or 425° conventional oven.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add 3 tablespoons of cold butter and cut in with a large fork or pastry cutter.
- Stir in ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese. I like mild cheddar here, but sharp cheddar is fine. Mix well.
- Add ¾ cup buttermilk or substitute. Mix well, but you don't need to over mix.
- Spray a baking sheet with PAM or cover with parchment paper and make six even mounds (a heaping ¼ cup). Bake for 12-14 minutes.
- Just before the biscuits are done, combine 1 ½ tablespoons butter, ¼ teaspoon parsley flakes, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder in a small bowl. Microwave briefly to melt the butter.
- Brush the top of the hot biscuits with the melted butter combination.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- A very easy recipe to adjust up or down. Use the number of serving adjustment—it will change the volumes in the ingredient list but not in the instruction text.
- I suggest mild cheddar if you are looking for a Red Lobster like taste. But sharp cheddar is fine.
- Use only aluminum-free baking powder.
- If you want to use Bisquick Mix®️, it will substitute for flour, salt, baking powder, and butter in the dough.
- You can use plain milk but buttermilk is preferred.
- You can make a buttermilk substitute by adding one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes before using. Also, powdered buttermilk is an excellent thing to keep around if you do a lot of baking.
- I have kept the number of ingredients to a minimum to make this weeknight-friendly.
- Good in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or refrigerated.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Originally Published September 24, 2011. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Melody
Hi Dr. Dan,
Thanks for the powered buttermilk substitution because, sadly, most or all of the milk I buy spoils. How can I judge if powderd buttermilk will work in other recipes?
The milk delema is problematic. (I like to have milk to hand to whip up a quick quiche!) A woman in the market said she freezes small quantities for cooking. Have you ever tried this? Any other suggestions? (I don't like the flavor of canned or fat-free poewdered.)
This is the perfect summer biscuit with grilled chicken and a salad!
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Melady,
I do love this biscuits, I can just whip them out if needed. It is a little more special than just a bread sidedish.
About the milk things. Can you freeze milk? Sure but it will change the taste and texture a bit. I think of it as already rehydrated dried milk. But it takes up freezer space and is not as convenient. Just use powdered which is cheaper and more convenient to have around. I wouldn't just drink a glass of either (it is safe but taste and texture is wrong.)
The powdered buttermilk (and powdered non-fat milk) work fine for baking. I don't find they are good for things where the milk stays as a liquid, like in a sauce or gravy.
I rarely can finish a container of fresh milk. I find buying one of the ultrapasteurized milk with a long outdate is best. It can set in the refrigerator for a few months until I need it. Once opened, it has 2 weeks and I date it with a felt tip pen when I open it. Sometime I will buy of three pack of soy milk (not the drink) and will have that around.
Hope that helps some.
Dan
Katie
Hi. Your ingredient list doesn't have the cheddar cheese on it but your instructions do.
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Katie,
Welcome to the blog and thanks for the proofread and saying something. It has been like that since originally published almost 8 yrs ago. It has been seen over 100,000 times. So you definitely get the star. Good thing people read the instructions.
Thanks again.
Dan
Aubree
These are very easy and taste great.
Alicia Bland
Delicious and very easy! My family loved them. We will be making these again!
DrDan
Hi Alicia,
Welcome to the blog.
I think it is all the butter. I think I will do these again soon.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
DrDan
Hi Ken,
I have been trying to do biscuits less but a premade mix would work great if you use it enough or self rising flour. The grater works great for the butter and I do that if I'm doing a large batch. I find it silly when people fire up their food processor for something like this. Mine is a pain to clean.
Thanks for the note and if you could, post to mix formula for the readers.
Dan
Kenneth
I just wanted to make a quick comment. First off I love these. I have started using my own baking mix from the Utah extension service with half whole wheat and half all purpose and half the recommended salt. Makes my Doc happier. I also started using a cheese grater and grating the cold butter to make it easier to incorporate in to the mix. Since reducing the salt content adding other flavors and herbs really helps. Adding the other ingredients, especially the mix for the top really improved my biscuits. Thanks for the recipe.
Angela
This recipe is amazing. For the biscuits, I used light cheddar and replaced the 3T butter with 3T 0% Greek yogurt. I made the topping as is. They were absolutely delicious! My husband loved how light and fluffy they turned out and the garlic flavor was a perfect touch. I especially appreciate the small batch size since I do all my cooking for just the two of us. Thank you for this! Definitely being added to the recipe box.
Linda
These were abolutely, incredibly delicious & SUPER easy! I made (2) batches - 1 without garlic for my toddler grandtwins. In the garlicky batch, I threw some freeze dried chives & a little black pepper into the batter. Also substituted 1/4 c. shredded parmesan for 1/4 c. of the cheddar. Shared this awesome recipe everythwhere - everyone loved them, many thanks!
DrDan
Thanks so much for the note and rating. I love these but due to the fat content haven't done them for a while.
Again thanks for the comment and rating.
DrDan
Linda
Beyond incredible & super easy! I made 2 batches - 1 w/o garlic for my toddler Brandywine & added some chives & a little black pepper in the garlic batch. Also used 1/4 c shredded parmesan in plce of 1/4 c of the cheddar. Everyone loved them - sharing everywhere - many thanks!
Shae
Completely heavenly! There is a mismatch between the recipes though. In the step by step, instructions are for 1/8t salt in the butter topping, but goes up to 1/4 in the full recipe summary on the bottom. Beware... 1/8 must be the right one! My first batch was too salty but second tasted just right with less salt!
DrDan
You are so right. 1/8 and only if unsalted butter. Thanks for the catch.
DrDan
mickey conway
I just made a batch of these for dinner and they were great! First time I've ever tried "baking from scratch" and honestly I was a little worried but this recipe was so simple! You have a new fan.
Dan Mikesell
They are evil little devils. Now that you have done scratch, you will never go back.
Chris
Those things are addictive! They are even great the next morning, cold.
Inspired by eRecipeCards
DELICIOUS! Yeah, not a fan, but the rolls are by far the best! great recipe.
And thanks for being such an active part of eRecipeCards