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!
Can’t believe i managed to make something this good so easy. Recipe from heaven :).
I make these just because!!!! Everybody loves them, i went to red lobster recently and these biscuits were 1000% better. Thanks for the recipe
I wanted to make these yesterday, but I ran out of time, so I actually just stored the batter in the fridge overnight and baked them first thing this morning. They were delicious! I’m not sure if they are worse or better had I made them yesterday, but they were very easy and tasted so light and fluffy! Thanks for your amazing recipes!
I followed the recipe exactly as it’s shown. Perfect! Fluffy and tender, with just the right amount of seasoning!
I just made these tonight and they were so AMAZING! I doubled the amount of garlic because I’m slightly addicted to it, but I think these were the best biscuits I’ve ever made! Thanks for another great recipe!
Oh my goodness, I just made these and they are amazing! So delicious! Thank you so much for sharing! Now if you will excuse me, I’m off to eat the whole batch!
I made this recipe for dinner. It’s really good. I will be making it often. Thanks!
Hi! these look scrumptious! i used to lovveeee these when i was in the states, so when i saw that your recipe does not use bisquik, naturally I had to try making them! But I have some questions tho-
1) can u clarify step 3? “In a medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk and melted butter until the butter forms small clumps.” – when I did this step, no clumps formed whatsoever. Instead, the mixture became very oily and greasy, and everything just became liquidy. Can u tell me what I did wrong here?
2) my biscuits came out flat and not fluffy at all. And greasy (tasted oily as well). Is this due to perhaps my mistake in step 3? Or is it because of sth else?
3) do these freeze well? If so, is it better to freeze the unbaked dough or the baked biscuit? Do u know?
I’d be really grateful if you could help me out here. Craving for these so so much!!! Thank you muahhh!!!
Hi Liza, I hope these helps:
(1) The melted butter should coagulate into clumps when stirred into the buttermilk, this is what you’re looking for. Be sure that the buttermilk is cold and that the melted butter has been cooled, but only for 5 minutes.
(2) It could be due to the issues with the melted butter, as these are definitely not oily.
(3) They do freeze well. You could do either – freeze pre-baked and then bake straight from the freezer (increase baking time by a couple of minutes), or bake, cool, then freeze.
Ok thank you! Will try baking another batch. I will let you know how that turns out :)
P/s: can I substitute buttermilk with milk+lemon juice?
Hi Liza, I always recommend regular buttermilk if you can use it, but if not the lemon juice and milk substitution should be fine.
My second attempt was a success!!! I actually used the milk+lemon juice substitute, and they came out wonderful!!! The whole family was so happy with these, especially hubby, since it’s been ages since we had them! Soooo good!!!! Thank u thank u thank u!!!
Just made these tonight and they came out great. So light and fluffy.
This recipe is incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just made these with dinner and I could barely control myself from eating every single one…And the method of adding the butter to cold milk instead of having to grate up frozen butter is ingenious and sooooo much easier. I was just blown away by these so so so yummy :)
Just made these after having the recipe bookmarked for ages and they were ammmmazzzzing.
I just made these and they turned out wonderful! Tasted just like Red Lobster’s rolls and I just dropped them on a greased cookie sheet and they looked like them too! Thank-you for this great recipe:)
These are awesome! Had some pepper jack cheese, added that also, (didn’t have any cayenne pepper), it gave them a little kick, they were so delicious, thanks!
Made these for a luncheon today – totally delicious. Don’t change a thing!
I just made these biscuits and they’re really good. However, the bottoms burned. I baked them at 475 like the recipe suggests. Could it be that my oven is not calibrated correctly?
Hi Linda, That’s definitely possible, especially if you aren’t using an oven thermometer to gauge internal temperature. Also, I highly recommend either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, both of which ensure even browning on the bottom of baked goods.
Just got them out of the oven. Tried a little piece and OMG, they’re fabulous. Having them with a short rib stew I got from How Sweet It Is.
Both recipes are GREAT!
I don’t bake, but I love to cook, these were great. Think I would cut the cayenne next time (kids). Thanks. A baked item that works and I can make. Again don’t bake and they were great flaky yummy. I did not have buttermilk so swapped milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice let sit for few minutes.
I only use Whole Wheat flour. Have you tried them with WW? How much less/more do you use? Any ideas would be appreciated!
This is what I have found:
Whole-wheat flour will make your baked products denser and heavier than all- purpose flour does. Substituting whole wheat flour for white flour takes a little experimentation, but you will almost always be successful if you use ¾ cup of whole wheat flour to replace 1 cup of all-purpose flour.
When making cookies with whole wheat flour, reduce the butter or shortening by 20 percent. When making cakes with whole wheat flour, add another tablespoon or two of liquid. When altering a white bread recipe to become whole wheat bread, you may need another ¼ cup or so of liquid.
Hi Elizabeth, I have not tried converting these to whole wheat, so unfortunately I can’t give a definitive answer on how they will turn out or how much to substitute.
I made these last night and they are absolutely fantastic! Thank you!
Can i use half & half..
Hi Nilda, I’m not sure what you’re intending to substitute for the half & half (I’m assuming the buttermilk)? I would not recommend that substitution.
Trying them out tonight. 475? really?
Yes, that is the correct temperature.
These are to die for! My family LOVED them, and they taste better than the
restaurant!!
I made these tonight, was a little heavy handed on the cayenne and used thinly cut/chopped slices of smoked sharp cheddar and extra sharp white cheddar instead of shredded. AMAZING. So much better than Red Lobster biscuits! Will be making these later in the week for a pot luck. Thanks for the recipe!
Love at first bite! These biscuits were incredibly light and fluffy. I substituted fresh crushed garlic and a pickled chili pepper. Thank you so much for this recipe.
made these this morning and they were amazing! I’m wondering if it’s possible to substitute margarine for butter in the dough, or will that mess up the consistency?
Hi Dave, I would recommend sticking with the butter.
LOVE this recipe, especially for the fact that it:
a) it does not use a mix
b) there is no shortening! You just mix up the butter and buttermilk and it makes a light, fluffy biscuit!
This recipe is amazing. Followed the recipe exactly as described. Biscuits turned out like the ones I love at Red Lobster. Yummee!!! Thank you so much for posting the recipe!
Omg did I really just make these? They are super delicious and addictive! The cayenne pepper really comes across and adds a pleasant kick. Way better than Red Lobster and they’re homemade! I added a little more buttermilk, probably about a tablespoon or two because I was having trouble moistening the dough. I made 10 and they baked up really big. I love this!
These were *divine*!!!! I made a few changes and shared this recipe & your blog on my blog! Thanks so much for posting this! My husband LOVES them!
http://kellyabobbyc.blogspot.com/2013/10/cheddar-bay-biscuits-recipe.html
Omg!! Tried this recipe today with some variations. Used regular organic milk because I didn’t have buttermilk nor had anymore white vinegar to make any. Didn’t have enough butter so used some bacon grease to make up the whole 1/2 cup. Also, for the topping had to used bacon grease. Came out AMAZING!!! This is definetly my new go to biscuit recipe! Thanks so much! I want to say this is better than red lobster!
I made these tonight to go with chili – I have never been to Red Lobster, but my boyfriend has mentioned how he used to love their biscuits, so I tried this recipe out. SO GOOD. My only recommendation (what I will change for next time) is definitely using block cheese and freshly shredding it, rather than pre-shredded cheese, which was all I had on hand. This was so easy, as no rolling out of dough or using biscuit cutters was necessary. I got exactly 10 rolls by using a 1/4 cup measuring cup
Made these tonight for the finicky men in my house–when I say inhaled??!!! I’m allergic to milk, so even the tiny corner I tried made my mouth itch a little bit, but it was worth it! Thanks for the recipe.
One of the internet recipes for Red Lobster Cheese Biscuits includes an egg in the batter. What’s our opinion on whether that would improve, not improve, or make no difference, in your recipe?
Hi Nelson, I have never used an egg in biscuits. I find that they are lighter without them. You could give it a try though, and see which way you like it!
Just made these tonight! They were amazazing! Just like Red Lobster! Thank you for posting.
Just made these for dinner tonight and they were a huge hit! Thanks for the recipe. I’m throwing out my old biscuit recipe, these are easier and taste much better.
This recipe is the one that led me to your site and kept me coming back! I’ve made these biscuits several times and they’re always amazing. I double the garlic powder, and have experimented with different types of cheddar, and I’ve found the sharper, the better. Also, I’ve used a 1/2 cup measure and made sandwiches with the biscuits.Thanks so much for this!
Michelle,
Did you ever find out how much Bay seasoning to use? I’ve also heard about using a little Bay seasoning in the biscuit dough as well.
I found this recipe just in time for cooking day at the skilled nursing facility I work at. I try to use only fresh ingredients and not mixes and this was just perfect. I didn’t have any powered garlic because of the humidity here (garlic rocks!!) and I ran out of cayenne pepper. I substituted fresh garlic pressed in a garlic press (1 large clove) and Tabasco Chipotle sauce for the cayenne. They were a huge hit!! I made them again when I got home for my family and they raved also. I might just keep using the fresh garlic and the Tabasco sauce. :-)
Thank you SO much for this recipe! I just made them today, and they are wonderful. I am a (male) grad student, and have only baked one thing before (a cheesecake a few months ago), so I am very glad I found your helpful and simple recipe! My friends are already begging me to give them some :)
I have made these 3 times and they still don’t taste like the original. I keep increasing the chedder cheese. I also did Sharp Chedder Cheese the last two times. Sure like to know what they are doing different. They still taste good but nothing like the original!!!
i guess I will be the other voice of disagreement with you among an army of believers. I too followed the instuctions to the letter( always do first time out no matter what im making). For starters inwill say the texture was great, and i really appreciate the melted butter in the buttermilk trick, so kudos on that. Consistency and texture get an 8 out of 10 here compared to the originals. Mine came out a touch dense but that might be due to overmixing a tiny bit and how much flour in my cup compared to your cup. Flavor however i can only give a 5 out of 10 compared to the original. They werent bad as a matter of fact they are quite serviceable as a cheese infused biscuit, i just had an expectation they would more closely match the restaurants and i feel like they missed by a wide margin. I think there needs to be a bit more salt. Especially mixxed in the butter topping and the cayenne pepper could easily be reduced by half or more. I wanted lingering garlicky parsley butter taste, not lingering pepper taste, which was no beuno. Somehow i dont think an extra bit of butter would hurt here either somehow. They just seemed blanddish. And then peppered. Mine even seem to go from hot from the oven to lukewarm at best in like 15 seconds, like they couldnt retain their own heat for even a few moments. Anyway. These are decent biscuits, but these are not cheddar bay biscuits imo. Nice site though and thx for posting the recipe to try.
These are absolutely AWESOME! They can be made with regular milk instead of buttermilk if you don’t have any. They are fantastic still. Most of the time I don’t use cayanne pepper either. Also, I just spray the cookie sheet with non stick spray instead of using parchment paper…works fine, but I lower the baking temp to 450. Thanks for the phenomenal recipe! My family thanks you.
Forgot to say….if you don’t have buttermink handy..just mix a tablespoon of bog standard white vinegar into the cup of milk and set aside for a while…
You might not get the clumps like in the butter cheese mixture but it’ll still work.
I also had no Cayenne Pepper handy and didn’t want to run the the shop especially so I used a teaspoon of Paprika and it worked fine!
I live in Ireland and we visited Red Lobster in Apopka Vineland, Orlando, Florida last year and have been desperately craving these scones…we’re going back to Orlando in September but it’s too far away…I just made a batch of your recipe and they almost made me cry with sentiment! The house is still warm with the smell of salty cheddary goodness….cant wait for the BBQ later to surprise my hubby!
Thank you for this!!!!! xx
what if i dont hav buttermilk, should i try to make my own? and is that using regualr milk and vinegar?
Hi Noora, Yes, you can make your own. I have the substitution here: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/substitutions/
I love how simple your recipes are and how much effort you put in so that we get to have perfect baked goods every time. I had featured u in the post of Top 7 Sweet Cakes for Mother’s Day on AllFreshRecipes,i’ll pay close attention to ur more Eats!
As a thank you for this recipe, and now that you posted that you have an iPad, I’d love to send you an iPad handle, which is soooo handy in the kitchen for following recipes, well, gee, it’s handy for every room in the house. Please check out my website, ihandle.com, and let me know where to send it…. Cate
Just found your recipe accidentally, got right up and made a batch, which was easy-peasy, and have a whole basket full to serve for lunch… Many, many thanks…
Thank you so much for this recipe! I followed ALMOST to a T and this was the best recipe for Cheddar Bay Biscuits that I have tried. My only differences was that I made my own buttermilk and instead of dried garlic I used fresh minced on top. That was totally an accident and I wish I would have used powdered on top. I also forgot to let the butter cool for the 5 minutes which probably affected the texture. But still. They were the closest thing I have had to Red Lobster.
These. Are. FABULOUS. I tried an imitation Cheddar Bay Biscuits recipe several years back… when I was still keeping Bisquick in my kitchen. They were just disappointing. But these were light and buttery and looked exactly like what they bring to the table at Red Lobster. Although I think these are bigger, yay! ;) Served them yesterday with our Father’s Day meal, and they were a huge hit. I do love that the recipe yields exactly as you say it does when prepared as written. It’s nice to be able to plan — but I doubled the recipe, and now I think I will have one with lunch. (Wonder how they will reheat…) Thanks so much, Michelle! It’s wonderful to have a go-to blog where I know the recipe will always turn out to be amazing.
Hi Sarah, I’m so glad you liked the biscuits; thank you for taking the time to leave such a sweet comment!
Eating my second one now. :-)
Mmmmm Yummy.
Found your recipe through Google search for “Red Lobster Biscuit Recipe” and one that used all purpose flour (basic ingredients from scratch). Followed the recipe exactly. Can’t stress enough to stop stirring once the mix pulls away from the side of the bowl.
Two thumbs up!
Hi I will be trying this recipe thd morning, can’t wait, every time I visit U.S.
Always and must go to Red Lobster
Cheers, Bermuda
I just made these and they are a huge hit with the boyfriend! I love the garlic and the cayenne kick. Beautiful!
Awesome and easy recipe! I love the biscuits at Red Lobster… guilty pleasure for sure. No more Bisquick packages for me, thanks to this post!
Great recipe. I made this as part of my brother’s birthday dinner and it was loved by the fam. I made no substitutions. Thank you for this simple and delicious recipe!
Just made these for mother’s day (my mom is not a sweets person)– Yuuuuuuuuuuuuum! Accidentally used 1 tbsp of sugar instead of tsp but it didn’t seem to affect the flavor. I also used a pre-made garlic & herb seasoning. I forgot to put it into the batter, so I just shook copious amounts into the melted butter topping at the end. Turned out great :) The biscuit itself is so fluffy and has a bit of a crisp where the cheese was on the outside. It was also super easy to make- yay for no butter cutting! Overall, thanks for such a delicious recipe. I will definitely be making this again!
Ooh and also, I love the subtle kick that the cayenne gives!
Wow – these look and sound amazing. We doubt anyone will head over to Red Lobster after finding your recipe! It also sounds like you found a healthier route for these biscuits – which is great. Another way to make the cheddar bay biscuits healthy is by using Sargento Shredded Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar Cheese. With 33% less fat and 15% fewer calories, it’s an easy way to stay healthy!
I made this recipe tonight and it makes a perfect biscuit. I’ve tried a lot of copy cat versions of the Cheddar Bay biscuits, and while they’ve all been good, they were missing something. The way you incorporate the butter into the buttermilk creates the perfect fluffy texture without having to cut the butter in like other recipes (which I hate doing!). This is my new base recipe for anytime I need a biscuit, and I have no doubt I’ll be making it at least once a week! Thank you so much for sharing it.
They look amazing. I love cheddar biscuits, I have a recipe myself, but this one looks so tasty I have to try it tomorrow!
In the Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits recipe, do you have to use cayenne powder?
Hi Lorelee, You can omit the cayenne powder if you don’t wish to use it.
These were great!
Definitely plan to make them again. Soon :)
For anyone who weighs the ingredients, I used 255 grams of flour, which seemed to work just fine.
Thank you so much, Michelle!
Just made these for the dinner tonight. With a snap of the fingers, they were gone like *poof* with everyone begging me to make more! Looks like this will become a regular now. I think I’ll try these with a smoky cheddar next as I bet that’ll add a little extra flavor goodness. Thanks for sharing this!
I made these biscuits yesterday for brunch for my family. I didn’t have time to do the topping and they were still delicious! This recipe is very easy to make. I will definitely make them again!
I am so excited to see this recipe on here! I originally came across here just about 2 years ago when I was looking for a cheddar garlic biscuit recipe, and fell inlove with this blog and now stop by here almost everyday to see what’s new. I adore everything I have made from you, and so has everyone I have made them for. I had ended up finding a biscuit recipe that I messed with a little ( because it WAS near impossible to find that didn’t start with a box of mix) everyone loves and says they taste like red lobsters…but I am going to make these tonite, and I am so excited, because I know these will be amazing.
Thank you for sharing this!
Well define recipe even for those don’t know how to make a tea, I really try this to have a fun in this weekend, hope wouldn’t be the waste of time or money.
Is there a spice that can be substituted for the cayenne? I have all ingredients except that. Thanks! :-)
Hi Cassie, You can omit it, or use a little black pepper in the mixture (it just gives them a little kick).
I have wanted a cheddar bay biscuit recipe forever! I just figured it would be too difficult. I have mine in the oven right now. I can’t wait to see how they taste!
Thank you for your timely post, i was looking for a bread side and i love the cheddar bay biscuits, these are EXCELLENT. i think even better than Red Lobsters but like you its been years since i had them, and easy. so glad i bought that bag of sharp cheddar!
I don’t have enough all purpose flour – can I use self-serving? If so, how much?
Not “self-serving” but self-rising!! Ha!
I thought that’s what you meant :) I would not substitute self-rising flour because there is already baking powder and baking soda in the recipe.
Can’t wait to try making these!
I am making these! I can’t wait!
An easy way to always have buttermilk on hand is to use Saco buttermilk (it’s a powder, found in the baking aisle, in a round canister; then must refrigerate after opening); that way, you’ll have buttermilk on hand for any recipe.
Thanks for that tip, I never have it on hand!
Another quick buttermilk trick is to make your own — it only takes 5 minutes:
Pour 1 Tablespoon of either lemon juice or white vinegar into a one cup measuring cup. Then fill with milk to the 1 Cup line. Let sit for 5 minutes. Now you have buttermilk. :)
Thank u melissa for the tips of making buttermilk
I made these tonight and THEY ARE AMAZING! They’re so flaky, and they bake up so perfectly. The recipe makes exactly 10, using the 1/4 C measure. They’re SO MUCH BETTER than RL’s biscuits, though, because they taste exactly the same, with that little kick of cayenne, and then that amazing butter-parsley-garlic mixture on top, but they’re so much less greasy. Amazing.
I went to Red Lobster for the first time a year ago. Those biscuits were simply amazing and unforgettable. I am definitely going to try your recipe. :)
Thank you so much!! It’s been years since we’ve had access to these at the restaurant and I can’t wait to make these for myself. Awesome photos!
Going to try this one out but one thing.. I have all the ingredients but Butter Milk.. Can regular milk be used? And I did try the Biscut copy recipe out and the BF he did not care for it, have pork in the slow cooker for tonight so I may whip up your recipe and see if he prefers these instead.. I myself thought the biscuit base recipe was not that great.
Germaine
Hi Germaine, If you have regular milk and lemon juice you can make buttermilk: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/substitutions/. If not, you can use regular milk, but there might be a slight difference to the texture of the biscuits.
I’m not into fish and seafood, so I’ve never been to Red Lobster. I’ve heard of these biscuits, though. Cheesy bread is something I will always get behind. I can’t wait to try these.
Already made these tonight LOL they were delicious!!!!
I LOVE these biscuits, and swear that they are the only reason I go to Red Lobster! I have made them so many times, but I’m excited to try your version :)
Yum! I’ve used a recipe calling for bisquick, but having none in the house, made my own homemade bisquick for the base.
HATE Bisquick! This recipe is truly SO much better than the others I have tried from the internet, and I put it down to the buttermilk/butter mixture! These are really light and tasty!
These biscuits look fantastic! I haven’t been to Red Lobster in a long time either but really liked their biscuits! Thanks for sharing the recipe, now I can enjoy them at home :)
My daughter and I often run into Red Lobster to pick up a dozen of these biscuits just to snack on. The manager sees us so often he gives us a free bag of them every now and then. We are addicted! Our grocery store (Publix) actually carries a packaged mix for these (cheap) but they just aren’t as tender, and the from scratch versions we have tried never taste as good. Will definitely give yours a try, but since the restaurant is so close and they are pretty cheap by the dozen, will probably just keep wearing a path to their door :D
Penny, I kid you not; I made these for the first time tonight, and they were ready on the pan before my oven had finished pre-heating. WAY faster than a trip to the restaurant!
I love these biscuits at Red Lobster, and I have been making the version with baking mix for years. Thanks for sharing this homemade version! I will give it a try. Oh, and I have never added the cayenne!
I made these to go with our salmon tonight, and they were delicious! I accidentally used 1/2 the butter in the batter, and they were still delicious.
Just pulled some of these out of the oven and they are AMAZING! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Ruby Tuesdays has a biscuit that sounds just like this and they are incredible! Thanks for posting.
I haven’t been to Red Lobster in about 15 years, but I too have a vivid memory of those delicious biscuits. I might have to make these for my family brunch next weekend. Thanks for the recipe!
Yum, thanks for posting. I have good taste buds memory too and I LOVE those rolls, although haven’t had them since high school I think. I will try to make this weekend. Maybe with some soup. :)
Were you reading my mind or something? I was searching this recipe literally last night but I didn’t want to try any of the ones I found because they needed baking mixes. Thank you so much for this. I am truly a happy camper now :)
Hi,
Just read your post re the SCONES you made, yes that is what we call these over here in New Zealand. I find it amazing that everyone thinks its great that you made them from scratch, they are so quick and easy to make I dont understand why anyone wouldn’t do so, plus we dont have a packet option here.
Just wanted to pass on a tip, sift the flour and baking powder 2 to 3 times it makes them really light as sometimes they can become tough especially if you over mix. Another thing we do here is cut the butter into cubes and rub this into the flour before the other ingredients. Im not sure why this is done though sorry :)
Most American biscuit (scone) recipes also call for cutting/rubbing the butter into the flour. It has 2 reasons. The first is to “grease” or “water-proof” part of the flour so that it cannot form as much gluten. (Some gluten is necessary to give structure; too much and the biscuits are tough and heavy.). The second is to leave little pockets of butter in the dough that melt away during baking to create flakiness. There’s also more butter flavor from melting bits than there is if the butter is uniformly mixed into the dough.
The trick of allowing melted butter to partially re-harden in cold buttermilk before mixing with the dry ingredients allows both of these conditions to be met without the effort of “cutting in.”
I could eat these like peanuts, they are so good! Pure bliss is a basket of warm cheddar bay biscuits. I can’t wait to try these at home!
I know it’s hard to believe that I have never been to a Red Lobster, but these look delicious!
I love these biscuits! Bet they’re even better than Red Lobster’s!
woo hoo!! I have wanted to try the copycat recipe but was also hoping for something better than a prepackaged mix to start with. SO glad you recreated these. Can’t wait to try!
Love these biscuits!! I made them for the first time around Christmas, they need to make the menu again!
The biscuits were always my fave at Red Lobster….I haven’t been there in ages, though. I think i’m making these tonight!!
Don’t worry, you’re not missing much by not going to Red Lobster to eat. The biscuits are probably the best thing they have. Being a person who has grown up in Maryland where steam crabs, crab cakes, oysters, and many other things are basically our “state” food I can assure you that Red Lobster is not known for outstanding and amazing seafood. The odds are you can make better at home on your own. If you have fresh seafood, a big can of Old Bay and some experience as a seafood cook you’ll be way ahead of the game both in taste and cost.
I Agree !!!
Looks amazing! Can’t wait to try these!
These look deliciously golden, love!
Thank goodness for this post! I loved those biscuits, but haven’t been to a Red Lobster in ages because I don’t really like anything else there. I could just eat a plate of these and call it dinner. ;)
These look great. One thing, though, my friend worked at red lobster in high school and said way back then that their biscuits are made with bisquick, which comes in 25lb sacks.
MMMMM these look like the ones I get here at Red Lobster
I’m so happy you mastered them! I too had been searching around for them and was disappointed with my findings! We LOVE biscuits in our house–they are so quick, easy and satisfying! The best way to get the homemade bread comfort in a pinch. I will be baking these ASAP!
Talk about a biscuit with a big WOW factor! These look amazing, and I’m really dying for some right now!
Ohhhh, I havn’t been to Red Lobster in years, but if I went it would be for the biscuits. No need anymore with your recipe. I actually heard a roomer, yes a Red Lobertser roomer, that they changed the biscuit recipe. That’s crazy! I won’t be going to see if it is true.
No they haven’t. My husband and I go every year for our anniversary and we were just there 2 months ago–still the same amazing biscuits as always.
Omg, I can tell by the picture alone that the texture is perfect. My boyfriend and I still go to Red Lobster every so often just for the biscuits. He is gonna freak out when I make these!
I’ve only been to a Red Lobster once in my life, but I definitely remember these biscuits. They are awesome!
Its so funny that you posted this today – I actually made Cheddar Bay Biscuits last night to have with chicken soup. Mine did use Bisquick mix but they still came out amazing – my fiance has asked that they be made everytime we have soup! We don’t have a Red Lobster anywhere near us, but the biscuits have stood out in my mind!
I’ve been to Red Lobster a few times but not in ages…but the cheese biscuits were most definitely a highlight. If I recall correctly, yours looks exactly like it! I can practically taste them – that crusty golden crust is incredible.
These look sooo good!!
I haven’t had a Red Lobster bisquit in years, but I do also remember how awesome they are! I’m super excited about this recipe and I can’t wait to give it a try!
I made a copycat recipe once that started with Bisquick, and ever since my husband asks for it at least once a week. I never have Bisquick on hand so I rarely make them for him – I’m super excited to try your from-scratch version! They look amazing :)
I have never been to Red Lobster, but these biscuits? Yeah, they are pretty much rocking my morning! They look awesome!
I am SO excited to see this recipe. I was at Sam’s Club the other day and saw a Red Lobster brand mix for these. Glad I didn’t buy it (I do prefer not using a mix, too)!!! I will definitely be making these over the weekend.
The sam’s club red lobster biscuit mix taste like you went and ordered them straight from red lobster–I have used it many times and I have never had a package taste like the real thing til I used that- I don’t make homemade or frozen/canned biscuits anymore–only the sams club RLCBB mix!!!!
I have actually never been to Red Lobster!!! But I have heard PLENTY about their biscuits! Yours look to die for. I’m a sucker for cheddar biscuits, so I’m going to have to give these a try!
I make these biscuits all the time!! Such a favorite! I’m with you that I wanted to avoid baking mix in my own recipe. The one that I found and like best had Old Bay seasoning in the butter on top. I know the biscuits are Cheddar Bay Biscuits, so I thought the Old Bay seasoning might have something to do with the name and tried that. It really gave the biscuits that little kick that was missing from my previous recipes and made them just that much closer to the real thing!
How much Old Bay did you use?
I personally use about 1/4 teaspoon in the butter topping and a light sprinkling in the batter itself, but you can always start with less and just add to your own personal taste.
Can I use fresh garlic instead?
Hi Fiona, You can substitute two garlic cloves, minced for the garlic powder in the biscuits. I wouldn’t recommend substituting it in the topping, since the garlic will be raw and may be overpowering, but if that doesn’t bother you, then you can use 1 garlic clove there.
Fiona: I prefer a little more garlic in my biscuits and used fresh pressed garlic with a little oil and added to the biscuits. I have to say they came out fluffy and so tasty. Thank you fBrown eyed baker. The recipe was really close to the Red Lobster biscuit. They are so easy to make from scratch that I will be making them more often, especially for guests.
I am looking forward to trying your rum make!
I’ve made these biscuits but with a slight twist, I crumble up the cheese with a fork rather than shredding it (I like eating little chunks of cheese in mine). I know I can buy crumbles but it’s more economical using a small block of cheese. I assume freezing and then thawing the cheese would make the crumbling much easier, haven’t tried that yet.
Yes, freezing cheddar, then thawing in the fridge produces a wonderful crumbly cheese!
I’ve only been to Red Lobster once and was too young to rely remember so I can’t speak to these biscuits, but they sound TREACHEROUSLY easy to make…
this looks too goooood
a torture for me to look at when i am on diet….
I havent been to a Red Lobster since freshman year of college. It’s wear a guy I was dating at the time took me to impress me :) He’s long gone but the biscuits. So.good. You totally rocked these! WOW!!