Rich, buttery biscuits loaded with cheddar cheese — make those famous Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits at home with this easy copycat recipe.
Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Do you remember when you finally got a Red Lobster in your town?? I do!! And to be honest, I can’t even remember what seafood I had… but I will never forget my first taste of those cheesy biscuits.
You know the ones…they were so good, I could have made a meal from them!!
On the Red Lobster menu, these buttery, cheesy masterpieces are called Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
Cheddar Bay biscuits are soft, fluffy drop biscuits packed with sharp cheddar cheese and brushed with a buttery garlic topping. They have a lightly crisp golden exterior and a tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth interior with little pockets of melty cheese throughout.
I was already married when I finally got to go to a Red Lobster for dinner. It was a special date night with my husband-to-be. I was impressed! We didn’t have any fancy restaurants in our little town, so going to the city was a special treat.
My favorite part? The warm biscuits, of course!
The last time I went to Red Lobster was quite a few years ago. However, I recently came across this recipe in a church recipe book from 30 years ago. When I saw it, I knew that I had to give it a try!
These copycat Red Lobster cheese biscuits don’t just go with seafood; they are great with pretty much everything. They’d be delicious with any meat, your favorite soup, or even a salad. However, I made shrimp, a lobster tail, and coleslaw to go with them. They were perfect for my impromptu seafood dinner and taste so much like Red Lobster’s version!
Even with making the biscuits from scratch, I was able to put dinner on the table in about 30 minutes. You can prepare your seafood on a pan while the biscuits are cooking and then pop them into the hot oven when you take the biscuits out.
The biscuits themselves only take 20 minutes to make and require just 3 ingredients! (Plus garlic butter if you’d like to add that on top!) Just mix and bake!
Now you can enjoy these famous cheese biscuits any time you want! No special occasion or restaurant trip needed! — Sara
Ingredients
- Biscuit Ingredients: Bisquick mix, milk, grated cheddar cheese
- Topping: Melted butter, garlic powder
Full ingredient amounts and instructions available in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
For your convenience in re-creating this recipe at home, we’ve included shop-able ad links to some of the products and supplies used. Read our disclosure policy here.
Kitchen Tools Used
- Large mixing bowl
- Baking Sheets
- Wire Cooling Rack
- Measuring cup, spatula
Instructions
To Prep: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, aluminum foil or silicone baking mat.
- Mix your Bisquick substitute in food processor until butter is no longer visible. If you’re using Bisquick, skip this step!
- Take 2 cups of this flour mixture OR Bisquick and whisk or stir together in a large bowl with milk and shredded cheese until a batter forms.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop large spoonfuls of the biscuit dough onto your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake biscuits for 7-10 minutes at 450 degrees. Watch them in the last couple of minutes and remove from oven when they start to turn golden brown.
Prep Tips
- Finishing Touches – Mix butter and garlic powder and brush this homemade garlic butter on top of the biscuits while they are still hot. A sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley makes a pretty garnish too!
- Cheese – Traditionally, the Red Lobster biscuits are made with sharp cheddar cheese, but you can use a milder cheddar variety, even white cheddar cheese if you like! Of course, you’re welcome to put your own spin on this recipe and use your favorite type of cheese. Pepper jack would also be delicious!
- Storage – Keep biscuits in an airtight container or zipt-op bag (squeezing out all the air). When stored in the refrigerator, they’ll stay good for 3-4 days. At room temperature they won’t last quite as long. You can also freeze them for up to a month in a freezer bag.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Can You Substitute for Bisquick?
The original recipe calls for Bisquick by name. Bisquick is simply a baking mix that contains flour, shortening, salt, sugar and baking powder.
If you don’t have Bisquick on hand, you can swap it out with another similar baking mix or pancake mix. Depending on the brand of pancake mix, you may end up with a slightly sweeter flavor for your biscuits.
You can also make your own Bisquick substitute with our easy flour mixture recipe!
Flour Mixture (Bisquick Substitute)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 TB unsalted butter
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and butter in a food processor until the butter is no longer visible in the dry ingredients. Use in place of Bisquick in this recipe.
Why Are They Called “Cheddar Bay Biscuits?”
If you’re wondering whether there is a special meaning to the name Cheddar Bay biscuits, Red Lobster shared the secret on their website in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the favorite menu item.
According to Red Lobster, “the iconic biscuits were coined “Cheddar Bay Biscuits” five years later to reflect the seaside atmosphere of Red Lobster restaurants.” The original name was “freshly baked, hot cheese garlic bread.” Just doesn’t quite have the same ring to it does it??
Can You Make Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits Gluten Free?
Believe it or not, you can make these decadent biscuits a gluten free recipe! It’s actually how I make mine these days!
To do so, you’ll want to make your own flour mixture (using the recipe here in the FAQ section) instead of Bisquick. Use a gluten-free all purpose flour and you should be all set!
I think there is also a gluten free version of Bisquick brand mix, but I haven’t personally tried it. If you do, let me know how it goes!
More Easy Biscuit Recipes
Cheddar Bay Biscuit Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
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Cheddar Bay Biscuits (Red Lobster Copycat)
Equipment
- Food processor
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
Cheese Biscuit Ingredients
- 2 cups Bisquick OR flour mixture
- 2/3 cup Milk
- 2/3 cup Cheddar cheese grated
Biscuit Topping
- 2 Tablespoons Butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
Flour Mixture (Bisquick Substitute)
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon Baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Combine Bisquick (or our substitute mix) with the milk and cheese until you have a batter and no visible dry spots.
- Use a tablespoon to drop large spoonfuls of the batter onto your prepared baking sheet.
- Bake biscuits for 7-10 minutes at 450 degrees. Watch them in the last couple of minutes and remove from oven when they start to turn golden brown.
- Mix butter and garlic powder and brush on rolls while hot.
- Enjoy! These taste best when still warm. Just saying...
If Making Bisquick Substitute:
- Blend the 2 cups of flour, 1 TB baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 TB of butter in a food processor until it is evenly mixed and you can't see the butter. Use in place of Bisquick in recipe.
Notes
- Brush warm biscuits with garlic butter and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
- Sharp cheddar is classic, but mild cheddar, white cheddar, or pepper jack work too.
- Store airtight 3–4 days in the fridge or freeze up to 1 month.
Nutrition
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