Our cheddar bay biscuit recipe delivers warm, fluffy, cheese-stuffed biscuits topped with garlic butter that taste just like the ones from Red Lobster. My husband isn’t much of a seafood fan (unless it’s breaded and fried), but he will happily make a trip to Red Lobster just for their famous biscuits. He could easily go through two baskets before his meal even arrives. Once I realized we were basically paying for dinner just to eat bread, I knew I had to learn how to make copycat Red Lobster biscuits at home.
After testing several recipes, I finally nailed it. These homemade red lobster cheddar biscuits are tender on the inside, slightly crisp on the edges, and loaded with sharp cheddar and garlic flavor. And the best part? They’re made completely from scratch with simple pantry ingredients and no box mix required. From bowl to table in about 25 minutes, these biscuits are now a regular request at our house.
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Why This Red Lobster Biscuit Recipe Works
- Made completely from scratch (no box mix needed)
- Drop biscuit method means no rolling or cutting
- Buttermilk makes them tender and fluffy
- Garlic butter topping is the “secret” to that Red Lobster flavor
Ingredients Notes
- All-purpose flour: For accurate measuring, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag packs in too much flour and can make your biscuits dense.
- Baking powder and baking soda: This recipe uses both for maximum rise and a tender crumb. Make sure your baking powder is fresh. If it’s older than 6 months, test it by dropping a pinch into hot water. If it bubbles, you’re good to go.
- Buttermilk: adds tang and helps activate the baking soda for extra lift. See our substitutions below.
- Butter: Cold butter is essential for fluffy biscuits. As the butter melts in the oven, it creates steam pockets that give you those light, flaky layers. Don’t let it soften before mixing. There is no suitable substitution for butter.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: I recommend shredding your own cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that can affect melting and flavor. Sharp cheddar gives the best flavor, but medium cheddar works too.
- Garlic powder: used in both the biscuit dough and the butter topping for double the garlic flavor.
- Fresh parsley: this is optional, but recommended for the butter topping
Recipe Variations + Substitutions
No buttermilk? Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a 1-cup measuring cup, then fill with milk to the 1-cup line. Stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes. It will look slightly curdled, and that’s perfect.
Salted butter? You can use salted butter for the biscuits and the topping. Just reduce or omit the added salt in each.
Gluten-free? You can try a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, though the texture may be slightly different.
Cheese swaps: Try Colby jack for a milder flavor, pepperjack for heat, Gruyere for a nutty twist, or a Mexican blend for extra gooey cheese pulls.
Bacon cheddar biscuits: Fold in ½ cup of cooked, crumbled bacon with the cheese.
Chive and cheddar biscuits: Add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh chives to the dough.
Spicy: Stir in a pinch of cayenne pepper or ½ teaspoon of Old Bay seasoning for a kick.
Jalapeño cheddar: Add 2 tablespoons of finely diced jalapeño (seeds removed for less heat). Or try our jalapeño cheese biscuits recipe.
Kitchen Tools Used for Homemade Cheddar Bay Biscuits
- Mixing bowl
- Pastry cutter or two forks (or box grater for frozen butter hack)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush
- Cookie scoop, 3 tablespoon or large (optional)
How to Make Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits
- Preheat oven and prep baking sheet
- Whisk dry ingredients together
- Cut in cold butter until pea-sized crumbs
- Stir in cheese and buttermilk until just combined
- Scoop onto baking sheet
- Bake until golden
- Make garlic butter while biscuits bake
- Brush immediately and serve warm
🎯 TFN Pro Tips
- Keep your butter cold. If your kitchen is warm, pop the cubed butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting. Some bakers even freeze the butter and grate it on a box grater for the easiest mixing.
- Don’t overmix. Stir the dough just until the dry ingredients are moistened. A few floury spots are fine. Overmixing develops the gluten and makes biscuits tough instead of tender.
- Use a cookie scoop for even biscuits. A 3-tablespoon scoop makes this step quick and ensures your biscuits bake evenly.
- Brush with butter immediately. The hot biscuits absorb the garlic butter best right out of the oven. Don’t wait!
What to Serve with Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Our biscuits pair well with any hearty soup, try our Great Northern Bean Soup, Beefy Velveeta Cheese Soup, or Cream of Jalapeno Soup. If you really want to pretend you are at Red Lobster we recommend pairing with our Clam Chowder, Salmon with Alfredo or Garlic Butter Noodles with Shrimp.
Of course these biscuits pair well as a side dish for any meal and we’ve made them as a side for our Oven Baked Chicken Tenders quite often!
Storage and Reheating
Room temperature: Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Freeze baked biscuits in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat directly from frozen.
To reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes, or microwave for 15-20 seconds. For frozen biscuits, bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
Make ahead option: Scoop the dough onto the baking sheet, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. You can also freeze the unbaked dough portions on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 4-6 minutes to the bake time.
It’s a fictional name Red Lobster created in the 1990s to give the biscuits coastal charm. There’s no Old Bay seasoning in the original recipe (though you can add some if you like!).
Yes! Portion the dough onto the baking sheet, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Or freeze the unbaked portions and add 4-6 minutes to the bake time.
This usually means the butter was too soft or the baking powder is expired. Use cold butter and test your baking powder by dropping a bit into hot water (it should bubble).
Buttermilk gives the best flavor and texture, but you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before using.
We have a separate Bisquick cheddar biscuits recipe that’s perfect if you want a quicker shortcut version!
Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Equipment
- baking sheet with parchment paper
- large bowl
- whisk
- pastry cutter or two forks
- ¼ cup measuring cup or a large cookie scoop
Ingredients
For the biscuits:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour see notes below for all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold, cut into small cubes
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup buttermilk cold, or whole milk with vinegar
For the garlic butter topping:
- 4 tablespoons melted butter 1/2 stick
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, baking soda, and salt.Add the cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. These little pockets of butter are what create flaky layers.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese into the flour mixture. Pour in the buttermilk and stir until just combined. The dough will be sticky and shaggy. Do not overmix.
- Using a ¼ cup measuring cup or a large cookie scoop, drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. You should get 10-12 biscuits.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.While the biscuits bake, stir together the melted butter, garlic powder, dried parsley, and salt in a small bowl. As soon as the biscuits come out of the oven, brush the tops generously with the garlic butter. Serve warm.
Notes
- Keep your butter cold. If your kitchen is warm, pop the cubed butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before starting. Some bakers even freeze the butter and grate it on a box grater for the easiest mixing.
- Don’t over mix. Stir the dough just until the dry ingredients are moistened. A few floury spots are fine. Over mixing develops the gluten and makes biscuits tough instead of tender.
- Use a cookie scoop for even biscuits. A 3-tablespoon scoop makes this step quick and ensures your biscuits bake evenly.
- Brush with butter immediately. The hot biscuits absorb the garlic butter best right out of the oven. Don’t wait!
- Serve warm. These biscuits are at their absolute best fresh from the oven. If you’re making them for a gathering, time the baking so they come out just before serving.
- No self-rising flour? Use 2 1/3 all purpose flour, 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in place of the self-rising flour.
- No buttermilk? Add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a 1-cup measuring cup, then fill with milk to the 1-cup line. Stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes. It will look slightly curdled, and that’s perfect.
- Salted butter? You can use salted butter for the biscuits and the topping. Just reduce or omit the added salt in each.
- Gluten-free? Use 2 1/3 cups of a gluten-free flour blend, along with 3 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- Room temperature: Store leftover biscuits in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze baked biscuits in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat directly from frozen.
- To reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes, or microwave for 15-20 seconds. For frozen biscuits, bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes.
- Refrigerate unbaked: Scoop the dough onto the baking sheet, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Freeze unbaked: Freeze the unbaked dough portions on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 4-6 minutes to the bake time.
Nutrition
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