Cheddar Bay Biscuits (Red Lobster Copycat Recipe) + Video
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Delight in our Cheddar Bay Biscuits where these beautiful light and flaky, garlicky cheddar drop biscuits are glistening with butter and speckled with parsley. They are slightly crisp on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside. This Red Lobster Copycat Recipe is crazy good.
The best part is these cheesy biscuits are so easy to make, it only takes one bowl, one whisk, and 20 minutes! Yes, only 20 minutes from start till serve with simple ingredients and hardly any dishes to wash!!
Cheddar Bay Biscuits
I’m not sure if I’ve ever had a biscuit as flaky, moist, and tender as those Red Lobster biscuits. You can tell just by looking at them!!
I’m obsessed with the golden brown coloring and the flavor of these buttery biscuits.
The robust, savory seasonings both inside and out are out of this world — and I bet you already have them in your pantry right now!!
This is one of those biscuit recipes that you keep on hand to serve and prepare any time of year.
Since we’re talking Red Lobster bread, why not serve it with a Red Lobster main course?
Since these cheesy biscuits literally taste just like they came from the restaurant, pair them with a copycat main dish, too.
Shrimp scampi comes with a phenomenal white wine lemon sauce that you can soak right up with the biscuits – my mouth is watering just thinking about it!!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Flour, Baking Powder, and a pinch of Sugar – No boxed mix in sight! Perfect proportions for perfectly puffy biscuits.
Garlic Powder – A tablespoon is all you need for wonderful, garlicky goodness. If it isn’t a strong enough flavor for you, I recommend adding some garlic powder to some melted butter at the end to brush over top – that way, you won’t overdo it in the batter. You could even add onion powder.
Butter – you can use room temperature but for ease of preparation I used melted butter to prepare this recipe. It comes together so much easier.
Whole Milk – For a dairy-free substitute, replace with an equal measurement of any non-dairy milk. You can also use buttermilk! Heavy cream, however, is not a good substitute.
Cheddar Cheese – Go ahead and throw in your favorite shredded cheese! I personally enjoy spicing things up with Pepper Jack.
Dried Parsley – I actually wouldn’t use fresh herbs for this one. Dried herbs are far stronger, keep better, and penetrate the flavor of the butter more effectively.
Variations
Use garlic butter – Because why not?
Topping these cheese biscuits with a garlic buttery topping sounds like the perfect way to enjoy bite after bite of this fluffy texture.
Turn them into easy drop biscuits – If you don’t want to keep the same shape as the Red Lobster Biscuit recipes does, you don’t have to.
You can easily just add a spoonful of the dough of these homemade cheddar bay biscuits to your prepared baking sheet and bake.
How To Make Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Step 1: Preheat and Prepare – Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, and salt. Whisk until combined.
Step 4: Add the wet ingredients – Add the melted butter and milk.
Step 5: Fold in the cheese – Stir in the shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ensuring it’s evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
Helpful Tips & Tricks for Making This Copycat Cheddar Bay Biscuit Recipe
- For Extra Rich Biscuits – Add more butter to the tops of each biscuit after baking if you want ridiculously flavorful, decadent Red Lobster biscuits.
Like I mentioned above, you can add more garlic to the butter if you want to enhance those flavors. - A Bit of Heat – A small amount of cayenne adds a kick to these biscuits and goes well with the other seasonings we already have thrown into the mix.
- Try A Muffin Tin – A neat trick recommended by one of our readers is to make this cheddar bay biscuit recipe in a muffin tin!
The butter melts all the way down and makes the biscuit even more moist and rich than the original. - Useful Equipment to Have – A baking sheet lined with parchment paper is a given, while a basting brush will really help to spread that delicious butter all over!
And actually, I find it best to drop the biscuits from 2 tablespoons (grease them first!) rather than using a scoop — you get a terrific texture that way!
Storing and Reheating Red Lobster Biscuits
Not many people think that Cheddar Bay Biscuits need to be refrigerated – and they don’t! Technically.
However, biscuits stay moist and tender longer if kept in the fridge, up to 4 days. They keep for 3 days on the counter.
They can also be frozen for up to 3 months! (just add them to a freezer bag!)
The key to keeping these cheddar biscuits fresh and delicious is to store them in an airtight container.
Reheating is best done in the oven. Pop them back in at a lower temperature – closer to 325°F – until warmed.
You can top with a bit more butter and broil for just a moment to get that glorious texture back!
The microwave works well, too, and keeps those biscuits nice and moist. However, some of the texture is lost.
I recommend eating these warm biscuits with a delicious butter mixture or dipping the flaky biscuits in a bowl of piping hot soup. (there is honestly no wrong way to eat these flavorful biscuits!)
Cheddar Bay Biscuits FAQ
It’s actually so simple for such a scrumptious side dish! You’re going to be shocked that making copycat cheddar bay biscuits was so simple to do. And I can guarantee that the first time that you make this easy recipe isn’t going to be the last time.
You just need flour, baking powder, some common seasonings, and cheese. It’s really the method that makes the Red Lobster biscuits so fantastic!
Using your own kitchen to create these legendary cheddar bay biscuits is one of the best feelings in the world. And the whole time that they’re baking in the oven, you’ll be counting down the bake time until you get your very first bite.
The name dates alllll the way back – to the 90s!
They were described as “hot cheese garlic bread” and listed alongside all their other sides. They became rapidly popular, so the side dish was given its own name, and the Cheddar Bay Biscuit was born!
A better question would be – what don’t you serve with this cheddar bay biscuit recipe??
Even if you’re not enjoying a Red Lobster main course, this bread goes with virtually anything you’d eat with biscuits.
So, if you want something alongside omelets or any other breakfast dish, go with these buttery bad boys! (In fact, try using this recipe in my sausage gravy and drop biscuits skillet!)
And, of course, beef and poultry are always happy to have some garlic bread on their plates. A meal like this needs some roasted veggies on the side, like these brussels sprouts.
And, finally, my personal confession… I like to eat these with a chicken salad. In fact, the salad is more of a side when I order it at the restaurant because the main course is those biscuits!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Cheddar Bay Biscuits Copycat + Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 1/2 sticks, divided
- 1 cup whole milk
- 8 ounces shredded mild cheddar cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add 1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter in a small microwave-safe mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds or until butter is melted. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Add melted butter and milk and whisk just until flour is all wet, do not over mix.
- Add cheese and fold in with a spoon.
- Drop heaping spoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until biscuits are golden brown.
- Meanwhile, melt remaining 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) of butter in small mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds or until butter is melted.
- Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and parsley. Stir with a pastry brush.
- Remove biscuits from oven, brush with melted butter mixture. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published October 2013, updated and republished October 2023
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Am eating one right now and they are delicious! Thank you for posting!
Very, very good. Even the non-biscuit lovers in the house really enjoyed them.
Has anyone tried to freeze them for cooking later.
For your question about freezing them, I would say “no” if you’re talking about making the batter & freezing it? I’m not a bakery chef and stand to be corrected if I’m wrong? But, I think the baking powder would not make the biscuits not rise? On the other hand if you baked off the biscuits then cooled them down & left out the last stage of the finishing them. (The butter & parsley part) Date, label & packaged them in zip lock bags ready for your freezer. Then when you’re ready to taste those tasty biscuits again. I would bake them in a slow oven say 275 F for 15 to 20 mins. Then brush with your butter & parsley mixture and saver the taste! Hope this helps?
That is a great tip, thanks!!
I made these tonight and followed the recipe exactly. The one thing different is I left them in the turned off oven with the door open for a few extra minutes just to make sure the inside was cooked. So yummy!! A big hit with my husband and our boys.
I'm thinking the reason some people had their biscuits go flat is because their baking powder was 'dead'? perhaps try again with fresh BP. How many should this make?
I have a cast iron baking pan specifically for biscuits and currently have used the packaged mix which seems to be the right amount divided in the pan. Those are good and very easy, but I'd much rather make from scratch. What is the internal temp when done?
I had them once while we where on vacation in the U.S. I don´t remember the seafood, but i remember these bisquits! I´m lokking forward to bake them here in bavaria. thank you for sharing it
I do not have granulated garlic, would freshly minced garlic still work?
Cannot eat cheese. Can they be made without cheese. Do other measured items need to be adjusted to compensate?
I followed the recipe for these and the flavor was great. However, the tops of the biscuits never browned nicely. I left in them in longer in the hopes that a little extra time would do it, but no such luck. Not a very pretty presentation. Any suggestions?
All you need to do is brush a bit of butter on top of the biscuits before baking. They'll brown right up.
Same as biscuits at Ruby Tuesdays!
Just made these. Made half the recipe and used 2% milk were the only changes done. Came out DELICIOUS and PERFECT! Will be making again as surprise for next family meal!! Thank you for posting!
Made these for Thanksgiving… can't front.. they're delicious. I also used 2% milk & I'm curious to know how they'd taste with the whole milk. Either way this recipe is magnificent.
I love these biscuits. Every time I make them they turn out delicious and all my friends love them too. They disappear really fast lol
I so miss Red Lobster since I moved to the UK (married a Brit!). I am a seafood lover, so Red Lobster was always at the top of my list when going out to eat. But it was really the Cheddar Bay Biscuits that kept me coming back. In fact, one time, I ate so many of them, I had to ask to have my seafood dinner boxed so I could take it home! After the salad and all those biscuits, I absolutely couldn't eat my main dish! This recipe is going right to the top of my "make these next" list — thank you so much for posting this recipe! -Michelle G
Do you use the pre-shredded cheese? I've read that it doesn't work well in baking.
Hi Wanda!
I have made this with pre-shredded cheese and also with fresh shredded cheese and the recipe is great both ways. Actually I haven't used the shredded cheese version in about 2 years. Enjoy and let me know how it goes.
The family loves them. Had to double the recipe each time. Thank you Donna
I will make your recipe but 1 tablespoon seems like a GINORMOUS amount of garlic powder. Most copycat recipes out there use 1/4/ to 1/2 teaspoon.
Also, FWIW, the boxed mix has onion powder listed as an ingredient, as well, but it is not in any of the copycats that I've seen.
Ive never been to red lobster because we dont have that in my country but i heard alot about their cheddar biscuists so i gave these a try. I made these two times already. They are absolutely delicious and will be a staple in my house from now on. Thanks for the great recipe
I have made this recipe, as written, three times. They are fantastic!
That's awesome!!! We are so happy you enjoy them!!
I love these but can't do whole milk. Can I sub with Almond milk?
You're using cheese in this so if you want this to be lactose-free then forget about it. If you're not a fan of whole milk (3.25% fat) then you must dread anything with cream in it since that's heavier. Almond milk does not taste like normal milk and it's loaded with sugar and other ingredients to make it taste good let alone differences in fat content, so using it in this recipe will not result in cheddar bay biscuits at all. If you say you love these then why do you want to change something you love?
Not true. Unsweetened almond milk has less than 1 gram of sugar compared to 5 grams in whole milk. Using unsweetened almond milk will work fine in these.
Absolutely fantastic! Made these last night and they turned out perfect. Fluffy and cheesy on the inside, crispy on the outside! I accidentally used garlic salt instead of garlic powder and I was afraid they would be too salty since I was using salted butter (it's all I had). To compensate, I omitted the 3/4 tsp of kosher salt, and they turned out just right! I also used freshly shredded sharp cheddar, as that's what I had on hand. The whole family said they were so much better than the boxed mix biscuits I usually make. Even my husband gave them a good review, and he's hard to please! Thank you for a wonderful recipe- I will definitely make these again!
We are so happy everyone enjoyed them!!!
Hi Donna
When you made this recipe was the milk and cheese at room temp or did you use them straight from the fridge. Also, 3.25& is that whole milk. I've never heard of it.
i love these biscuits, and i make them all the time now. It's my 'what do you want me to bring' item for get togethers. Everyone loves these and this is what everyone wants me to bring! Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I have to admit though, I changed it. I don't melt the butter first, i cut it into the flour mix. The biscuits seem to turn out fluffier by cutting in the butter instead of melting it. I also sour the milk first, this makes them fluffier as well. I was told it is because it makes the baking powder react stronger which is why they are fluffier. But wow, are they every yummy!!!
That's great! We are happy to hear everyone enjoys them!!!
I thought I saw a comment about making them gluten free, but not I can't find it.
I made these tonight. They were great, at least the first half. The only change I made was with the dried parsley. I did not have any so I used dried oregano instead. I don't think it made any difference. I made half of them immediately after mixing up the dough. They were great, just like the restaurant. I put the remaining dough in a tuperware and set it aside for a couple hours. The second batch were weird and heavy and dense. At fist I though maybe they just need more cook time so I put them back in the oven for another 5 minutes and then another. Still dense and heavy. Next time I will make them all immediately. Overall, great recipe.