Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Recipe
These copycat Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits are made from scratch (no baking mix here!), are buttery, cheesy, light and flaky, and loaded with garlic-herb flavor – even better than the original! They’re ready in less than 30 minutes, which means that these are an easy addition to any weeknight meal.
I haven’t been to a Red Lobster restaurant since I was in high school, but my taste buds have a stellar memory. They won’t allow me to forget cheddar bay biscuits. If you’ve never been to a Red Lobster, cheddar bay biscuits are placed on the table prior to your meal arriving. They’re the equivalent of the basket of bread at other restaurants. Except that these aren’t any ordinary biscuits; they are warm, flaky, loaded with cheddar cheese and garlic, and have a little kick. Utterly and hopelessly addicting.
The great news is, because they are drop biscuits, making the Red Lobster biscuit recipe requires very little effort. In less than 30 minutes, you’ll be enjoying warm, buttery, fluffy, cheesy biscuits fresh from the oven.
If you’re like me, you may have wondered why Red Lobster biscuits are called “cheddar bay biscuits”; as it turns out, when they were originally introduced they were simply referred to as “freshly baked, hot cheese garlic bread”. That’s a mouthful!
Five years later they were renamed “Cheddar Bay Biscuits” as a nod to the seaside atmosphere of the restaurants.
The essentials for delicious Red Lobster biscuits
You’re likely to have everything you need for these amazing biscuits in your pantry and refrigerator already, so let’s run down the list!
- All-purpose flour – This recipe has not been tested using other types of flour.
- Baking powder – To help the biscuits rise, you need to use a leavener.
- Baking soda – Another rising agent, but this one also assists in making the biscuits tender.
- Sugar – A small amount to provide flavor balance.
- Salt – Standard table salt is used.
- Garlic powder – If you don’t have any garlic powder on hand, garlic salt will work. However, omit the extra salt in the recipe.
- Cayenne pepper – This offers a tiny kick of heat; the biscuits are not spicy, but you can leave it out if you want.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – For the best results, shred a block of cheese rather than buying pre-shredded cheese. You can also use mild cheddar if you prefer it.
- Buttermilk – Be sure to chill the milk; you want it as cold as possible.
- Unsalted butter – Melt the butter and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before using it.
- Minced fresh parsley – You can substitute ¼ teaspoon dried.
How to make Red Lobster biscuits from scratch
- Prep: Preheat your oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne. Then, stir in the cheddar cheese and set the bowl aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and melted butter until the butter forms small clumps.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. It’s important to mix gently with a rubber spatula, just until a dough forms and no dry ingredients remain.
- Scoop and portion the dough: Be sure to leave an inch or so between each scoop.
- Bake until the biscuits are golden brown, about 12 minutes.
- Prepare the garlic butter: While the biscuits are in the oven, make the garlic butter to brush over the warm biscuits.
- Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush with the topping mixture.
The secret to light and flaky biscuits
The number one tip to creating biscuits that are light and flaky and never tough or dry:
Do not overmix the dough!
You should mix it gently and only until the dry ingredients have been incorporated. Continuing to mix or stir will overwork the gluten and result in subpar biscuits.
No need to head out to a restaurant to get biscuits in a basket; you can whip them up in your own kitchen just as easily!
Recipe tips
Below are some extra tips for making sure your copycat cheddar bay biscuits turn out perfectly every single time:
- Cheese: You can use your favorite type of cheddar cheese. I think sharp is best in these particular biscuits and I always advocate for shredding yourself versus using pre-shredded cheese. I find it tastes better and melts into the biscuits much better.
- Buttermilk: If you are out of buttermilk, you can use this substitution hack – put 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup + enough milk to make 1 cup. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Storage: The biscuits will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They do not need to be stored in the refrigerator, though you can if you prefer it.
- Reheating Instructions: To use an oven, wrap biscuits in foil and reheat in a 350-degree oven for about 8 minutes, or until warmed through. To use a microwave, wrap the biscuits in a damp paper towel, place on a clean plate, and microwave on 50% power for 45 seconds.
- Freezing Unbaked Biscuits: To made the biscuits ahead of time, prepare the biscuit dough and place them on a baking sheet as directed in the recipe. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 2 hours, or until the biscuits are frozen solid. Transfer the frozen biscuits to an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake as directed, though you may need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Freezing Baked Biscuits: Ensure that the biscuits are completely cool, then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and reheat as desired, using the instructions above.
More Biscuits!
If you are as enamored with biscuits as I am, then you’ll love these other varieties:
- Easy Buttermilk Biscuits
- Buttermilk Biscuits with Sausage Gravy
- Sausage-Cheddar Biscuits
- Cinnamon Roll Biscuits
- Cheddar, Jalapeno & Chive Biscuits
Watch the Recipe Video:
If you make this recipe and love it, I would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you so much! ❤️️
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) salt
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) cayenne pepper
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup shredded)
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, cold
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
For the Topping:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley, or ¼ teaspoon dried
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, garlic powder and cayenne. Stir in the cheddar cheese; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk and melted butter until the butter forms small clumps.
- Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and mix gently with a rubber spatula just until a dough forms and no dry ingredients remain. Use a greased ¼-cup measuring cup to scoop out portions of dough. Place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little more than an inch between biscuits.
- Bake until the biscuits are golden brown, about 12 minutes. While the biscuits are in the oven, stir together the 2 tablespoons melted butter, garlic powder and parsley. Remove the biscuits from the oven and immediately brush with the topping mixture. Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top back at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Cheese: You can use your favorite type of cheddar cheese. I think sharp is best in these particular biscuits and I always advocate for shredding yourself versus using pre-shredded cheese. I find it tastes better and melts into the biscuits much better.
- Buttermilk: If you are out of buttermilk, you can use this substitution hack – put 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar in a measuring cup + enough milk to make 1 cup. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Storage: The biscuits will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They do not need to be stored in the refrigerator, though you can if you prefer it.
- Reheating Instructions: To use an oven, wrap biscuits in foil and reheat in a 350-degree oven for about 8 minutes, or until warmed through. To use a microwave, wrap the biscuits in a damp paper towel, place on a clean plate, and microwave on 50% power for 45 seconds.
- Freezing Unbaked Biscuits: To made the biscuits ahead of time, prepare the biscuit dough and place them on a baking sheet as directed in the recipe. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 2 hours, or until the biscuits are frozen solid. Transfer the frozen biscuits to an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake as directed, though you may need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Freezing Baked Biscuits: Ensure that the biscuits are completely cool, then place in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and reheat as desired, using the instructions above.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[Photography by Ari of Well Seasoned]
Good recipe! My memory is so bad, but I remember at Red Lobster the biscuits were much more tender? Therefore, I prefer 1/2 AP flour and 1/2 cake flour, which is the Northern substitute for White Lily flour. Also, I’ve tried twice but have had no luck freezing them. They haven’t baked all the way thru or the has bottom burned. I’ll keep trying though, because the last thing I want is to be making these at the last minute if I have company.
Even better than Red Lobster biscuits, thanks for the recipe!
Wow!! Made these for my family tonight and we all loved them! Very quick and easy! Thanks for the great recipe.
I made these with wheat flour and they were just as good. They didn’t last long here. Seriously addictive. I am going to make a double batch tonight. ^_^ Thank you so much for this recipie.
I made it with gluten free flour mix. I just added more cheese to make it stick together easier.
I made these last night and they were delish! Absolutely exactly like Red Lobster’s.
Oh my god!!! I have tried this recipe. Everybody in my family loved it. Thanks for sharing!
Yum…a biscuit w cheese in it. Bet it’s delish. Sometimes it’s these simple wonderful items that can make a meal special.
These look so good!! My family will definitely love these. I have not been to a Red Lobster in probably 20 years but I remember them too!
These look amazing! Any recommendations for a non dairy swap for the buttermilk? Maybe almond milk and lemon juice? I was wondering if anyone has tried something like that. I’m going to make these for my 92 year old dad who is on lockdown in his retirement community! He will love them!!
I found this recipe about five years ago and is now my expected contribution at any of our birthday group pot lucks. Best biscuits ever.
Now, over half the recipes I bookmark come from the BEB site. Thank you!
These are so good. I’ve made them multiple times. They are now part of my #QuarantineBakes.
Worked out well and I love that you don’t have to cut/rub the butter into the flour or roll it out. So much easier and less messy.
These biscuits were delicious. I substituted the buttermilk with 1/4 cup whole milk and 3/4 cup whole milk stonyfield yogurt (not Greek yogurt). I’ve never had good luck making biscuits with melted butter so I grated it like I usually do. Increased the garlic powder to 3/4t and skipped the extra butter on top. Excellent biscuits!!! Thank you for the recipe.
I just made these an hour ago and they are OUSTANDING!! My dad absolutely loves these and, I quote, he said “I could eat a whole lot” The recipe is super simple and the biscuits are great or any meal.
HANDS DOWN THE BEST!!!!!
Wow!! This recipe nailed it!! SOOOO good. I didn’t change a thing….shocking I know to have someone actually review the recipe AS IS. ;) I am so happy to have finally found a recipe for these that actually beats the ones at the restaurant (as they have become chewy and rubber-like over the last decade!). Thank you for the time you put into coming up with this. Outstanding.
Thanks for the recipe. Easy Andy inexpensive. I had all the ingredients on hand.
Next time I am thinking of adding bacon.
I just made biscuits! Thank you so much for recipe! They are very delicious!!! Thanks again!
Yummy! Made exactly as written and they were good.
I have to tell you, I have been making these biscuits since you posted the recipe, and I still make them all the time. They are my absolute favorite, and my family asks for them at least once a week. I make double batches whenever people come over, and everyone absolutely loves them. I basically look for excuses to make them, ha!
Can you make the batter ahead- say in the morning, and then bake it that night? or a few days later?
Hi Dan, I wouldn’t recommend it, as the leavening starts working as soon as the buttermilk is mixed with the baking powder and soda. If you let it sit before baking, they won’t rise as much and will be more dense.
I’ve been using this recipe for about a little over a year, and the same people keep asking me to keep making them. They are soooooo good. I’m up at 4am about to make some for my church bar b que.
I made these today with some additions. I used fresh garlic, ginger, serrano pepper & cilantro in addition to your list of ingredients. This is the first time I’ve made biscuits and they were absolutely superb. Minimum effort, maximum impact! Thank you so much for sharing this one. I’ve got to try more of your recipes. Thinking of trying the apple sage biscuit/scone next.
I used this recipe and the biscuits were amazing! It was so difficult to resist eating them all at once! The only thing I left out was the cayenne pepper because I personally am not a fan. I even got compliments that these biscuits were better than those at Red Lobster!
This is the homemade cheddar bay biscuit I have been looking for. Just like the biscuit you would get in the restaurant. Thank you so very much.
I know this recipe is rather old but I’ve been making it for a while, and one of the things we do (my moms idea) is double the cheddar cheese. it sounds like it would be too much and mess with the recipe, but it doesn’t and it tastes amazing. typically, we grate the first half of an 8 oz cheese block as coarsely as possible to get bigger pieces of cheese, and then grate the second half very fine so that it melts into the biscuit dough. if you’re skeptical, we slowly added an ounce or two of cheese each time we made the recipe, eventually just adding the entire block.
I’ve made them several time for several different people, they love,keep asking me to make more. I also added jalapeños, came out great
I love this recipe I’ve used it several times. I’m going to two thanksgiving thatI i’m bringing food for. Would I be able to refrigerate or freeze the dough and bake them when i get to my dinners? or should I prebake them and just freeze them?
Hi Karen, Yes, you could refrigerate or freeze the biscuits and then bake when you get there.
Oh wow, these were absolutely amazing! Really easy recipe to follow, and incredibly light and fluffy! They were a lot better than the other biscuit recipes I’ve made. I did end up having to bake them for 20-25 minutes, maybe because my oven isn’t great. I also substituted the parsley with dried basil, and it came out really tasty. Made them for a potluck and I’m planning to make them for my boyfriend next week!