Cheddar Bay Biscuits

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With their light buttery flavor, these Cheddar Bay Biscuits are delicious and taste just like the famous biscuits from Red Lobster! Serve them with a steaming bowl of soup or a seafood dish straight off the grill. Not to mention, they also make for irresistible breakfast sandwich buns!

I absolutely love when I discover a copycat recipe that really tastes just like the real thing!

There’s almost nothing better than mastering one of your favorite restaurant dishes and enjoying it in the comfort of your home for FAR LESS than what you’d spend at the establishment.

That said, I must share with you more of my delicious copycat hits, like this BRAVO Grilled Salmon Salad, my creamy Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup, or these irresistible Chick-fil-A Nuggets! 

Key ingredients & substitutions for Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

• Bisquick baking mix | The base of this delicious cheddar bay biscuits recipe is the tried-and-true Bisquick baking mix. If you prefer to throw together your own biscuit mix, see the FAQ section below.
• Sugar | Enhance this recipe’s cheesy and savory notes by sprinkling in some granulated sugar. 
• Garlic powder | Add flavorful garlic powder to the biscuit dough and the final buttery topping.

• Butter | You will use creamy unsalted butter for two steps in this cheddar biscuit recipe. First, add cold grated butter to the dough for extra buttery bites. Then, combine melted butter with garlic powder and herbs to brush on the hot biscuits.
• Cheddar cheese | They wouldn’t be Red Lobster cheddar biscuits without shredded sharp cheddar cheese. For the tastiest results, grate a block of quality sharp cheddar. However, you may use a bag of shredded cheddar cheese if desired. 
• Milk | Milk moistens the biscuit dough to produce a fluffy and flaky texture when baked.
• Parsley | You need a tiny bit of chopped Italian parsley to add to the melted butter topping.

How to make Red Lobster Copycat Cheddar Bay Biscuits

This simple recipe only takes about 20 minutes to throw together and is an excellent alternative to standard dinner rolls — see for yourself!

STEP 1 | Preheat and prepare the baking sheet

We will begin this biscuit recipe by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. If preferred, use a silicone baking mat instead.

STEP 2 | Combine the dry ingredients.

Next, set out a large mixing bowl. Add the Bisquick, sweet sugar, and garlic powder. Mix to thoroughly combine the dry ingredients.

STEP 3 | Stir in the butter

Then, take out a stick of butter and slice a total of 6 tablespoons from it. First, set aside two tablespoons, then grate the remaining butter directly into the bowl with the biscuit mixture.

Use a rubber spatula to gently mix in the butter. You can also easily combine the butter and biscuit mix with your fingers if preferred. 

The key is to leave several bits of butter visible. That way, the pieces melt as the biscuits bake, making a moist texture and more prominent buttery flavor—DELISH!

STEP 4 | Mix the ingredients with cheese and milk

Now, sprinkle in the cheese and pour the chilled milk into the bowl. Then, stir the mixture again, just until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Be careful not to overmix the biscuit dough!

tips

• Overmixing the dough may produce dense and less fluffy biscuits. So, be sure only to mix until the ingredients are well combined. Then move on to the following step.
• Use caution when melting the butter — don’t let it burn! You’ll need every last drop to make the perfect buttery and cheesy biscuits.

STEP 5 | Bake the biscuits

Now, grab a spoon or cookie scoop. Spoonful by spoonful, drop the dough onto the lined baking sheet. Slip the biscuits into the hot oven and bake them for around 15 to 17 minutes.

You know they are finished and ready to be removed when the tops are a beautiful golden brown!

STEP 6 | Apply the buttery topping and serve!

As the cheddar biscuits bake, grab the butter you set aside. Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter by popping it into the microwave or heating it on the stovetop. Either method will work — it just depends on your preference.

Then, sprinkle the melted butter with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and freshly chopped parsley.

When they’re ready, remove the biscuits from the oven and quickly brush the golden tops with the butter mixture while they are still hot. This will be the final touch of irresistible flavor!

Now, you’re ready to serve your warm buttery Red Lobster Copycat Cheddar Bay Biscuits! Dig on in!

Don’t forget to try more of my bread and biscuit recipes to serve with dinner. If you need something fast and easy, check out my Quick 3-Ingredient Dinner Rolls or this delicious Peppery Cheese Quick Bread recipe. And if you’re in the mood for more buttery and flaky biscuits, check out my Southern Biscuits and Sweet Potato Biscuits recipes.

Frequently asked questions

Serving suggestions

Serve these delicious and cheesy cheddar biscuits with a steaming bowl of homemade soup! Use the freshly baked biscuits to sop up the creamy base or broth of a soup made from scratch. 

For example, try doubling the cheddar with my Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Soup or pair the biscuits with this flavor-packed Loaded Potato Soup! For something a little more hearty, check out this savory Sausage Tortellini Soup. Or go classic with my comforting Creamy Tomato Soup.

Behind the recipe: Cheddar Bay Biscuits

It’s easy to see where the popular restaurant chain came up with the “cheddar” and “biscuit” elements of the name for their crowd-pleasing and addictive biscuits — the two key ingredients are biscuit dough and shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

But why are they called cheddar BAY biscuits? Well, the answer is easily assumed. When their signature biscuits first made it on the menu, they were labeled as “freshly baked, hot cheese garlic bread.”

It was a little wordy for such a commonly ordered dish. So, it didn’t take too long for the Red Lobster masterminds to switch the name to something a little more catchy and fitting for their seafood restaurant.

The “bay” in cheddar bay biscuits ties the menu item into the restaurant’s theme. It’s that simple!

Freaky Friday

Today is FREAKY FRIDAY, y’all! That may not mean a thing to you, but it’s pretty exciting for me. Freaking Friday is a fun blog collaboration project sponsored by Michaela from An Affair from the Heart.

Once a quarter, a group of food bloggers secretly cook or bake a recipe from another blog they were assigned, then reveal the recipes at the same time on one Freaky Friday morning!

And now for the big Freaky Friday reveal — meet Michaela, creator of An Affair from the Heart and today’s delicious cheddar biscuit recipe!

Michaela’s blog is filled with tons of fabulous recipes and party tips and since we’re creeping up on St. Patrick’s Day be sure to check out her Crockpot Reuben Dip, Lucky Leprechaun Bait (snack mix), and her Creamy Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup — and so many more delicious recipes!

See all of our 2023 Freaky Friday Winter Recipes

Hosted by – An Affair from the Heart

1. An Affair from the Heart – Bailey’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
2. The Carefree Kitchen – Chicken Tikka Masala
3. The Culinary Compass – Scotcharoos Recipe
4. Feast + West – Fried Pickles
5. The Fresh Cooky – Easy Elderflower French 75 Cocktail with St Germain
6. Home Cooked Harvest – Roasted Cabbage Steaks
7. House of Nash Eats – Bread Pudding
8. Soulfully Made – No Rise Pizza Dough Recipe
9. The Speckled Palate – Easy Cheese Ball Recipe
10. Take Two Tapas – Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
11. The Wimpy Vegetarian – Creamy Spaghetti Squash Casserole