Cheddar Bay Biscuits

What are Cheddar Bay Biscuits?

Cheddar Bay Biscuits are the warm, buttery, garlicky biscuits that come with every entrée at Red Lobster. They have become increasingly popular, so much so that you can even get the pre-made dry mix at Costco and most grocery stores. I have gotten the pre-made mix at the store but you are basically just over-paying for flour and a few other pantry ingredients. It’s worth it to make it from scratch or if you want to cut corners and still save a few bucks, you can use a Bisquick or Jiffy Mix (see “Cheater Bay Biscuits” below).

Cheddar Bay Biscuit Ingredients

• Dry ingredients – A simple mixture of flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and garlic powder
• Cheddar cheese – I love a good sharp cheddar, the sharper the better. It really brings out the flavor in the biscuits. I also like to shred the cheese into thicker shreds so the cheddar flavor is more noticeable.
• Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can also use 1 cup whole milk plus 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
• Frozen butter – Using frozen butter creates little buttery pockets throughout the biscuit dough and helps to give the biscuits flaky layers. It is definitely worth it to freeze and shred or at the very least, make sure the butter is used very cold, straight from the fridge.
• Egg – One large egg is all you need.
• Garlic Butter Topping – This easy topping is just a quick mixture of melter butter, garlic powder, and fresh parsley.

How to Make Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Home

1. Stir flour, shredded cheddar cheese, baking powder, salt, sugar and garlic powder together in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Shred frozen butter and place in a large bowl along with buttermilk and egg. Stir to combine.
3. Add flour mixture and stir until just combined and lumpy. Do not over mix!
4. Spoon batter onto the prepared baking sheet into 12 separate circular drops.
5. Bake biscuits at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until tops become golden brown.
6. While biscuits are baking, combine melted butter, garlic powder and parsley together in a small bowl. When biscuits are done baking, remove from the oven and brush the garlic butter over the top of the hot biscuits. Serve warm.

“Cheater” Bay Biscuits (Made with Bisquick)

If you want to save a little time and energy, you can easily make these “Cheater” Cheddar Bay Biscuits with a quick biscuit mix like Bisquick or Jiffy. It really is so easy! Here’s how:

2 cups Bisquick (or Jiffy)
2/3 cup milk
1 cup cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Combine all ingredients until you get the soft biscuit dough consistency. Drop by spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with garlic butter topping as directed in the recipe below.

Storing and Reheating

These biscuits are best when enjoyed within a day or two of preparing. I like to store them in a Ziplock bag in the fridge but they can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days as well. You can also prepare them and freeze them. I like making a big batch and freezing the rest because then I can just take one out at a time to enjoy. When ready to eat, wrap the frozen biscuit in a paper towel and microwave for 45 seconds.

What to Serve with Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Cheddar Bay Biscuits can be served with just about anything. From soups, to salads, pastas, to seafood dishes, to casseroles, to BBQ dishes, and everything in between. I am not joking when I say these can be served with everything! Now if you are wanting to go all-in with the Red Lobster theme, here are some of my favorite pairings:

Clam Chowder
Seafood Chowder
Cajun Butter Shrimp
Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
Shrimp Alfredo Pasta
Grilled Shrimp Marinade
Crab Boil
Baked Cod in Cream Sauce
Fish and Chips