Garlic Cheddar Bay Biscuits

A friend asked me years ago if I had a homemade biscuit recipe similar to Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits, so I came up with these Garlic Cheddar Drop Biscuits. They quickly became a family favorite, and judging by all the emails and comments I’ve gotten over the years, we’re definitely not the only ones who love them!

There are LOTS of copycat Cheddar Bay Biscuit recipes out there. Many start with Bisquick or another baking mix, which is a great shortcut, but I wanted an easy from-scratch drop biscuit recipe for those times when you don’t have Bisquick on hand. Don’t worry, homemade doesn’t mean difficult.

These are drop biscuits, so there’s no rolling, folding, or biscuit cutter involved. Just mix the dough, drop spoonfuls onto a baking sheet, brush them with garlic butter, and bake. From start to finish, you can have warm homemade cheddar biscuits on the table in about 30 minutes.

The biscuits are soft and fluffy inside with plenty of sharp cheddar cheese and buttery garlic flavor. They aren’t traditional Southern-style flaky biscuits with lots of layers. Instead, they’re tender, cheesy drop biscuits with slightly crisp golden edges and that delicious garlic butter topping.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy Cheddar Bay Biscuit recipe without Bisquick, shortening, or buttermilk, this one’s for you!

What I Love About This Recipe

• They’re incredibly quick and easy. You don’t need yeast, a rolling pin, or a biscuit cutter for these homemade Cheddar Bay Biscuits. Because they’re drop biscuits, you simply mix the dough and spoon it onto a baking sheet. You can have warm, fluffy biscuits ready in about 30 minutes, making them easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
• They’re made completely from scratch. A lot of copycat Red Lobster biscuit recipes use Bisquick, but this recipe starts with simple ingredients including all-purpose flour, baking powder, butter, cheese, and milk. It’s especially handy when you don’t have a box of baking mix sitting around. And despite being homemade, they’re still super simple to prepare.
• There’s plenty of garlic butter. Garlic powder goes right into the biscuit dough AND into the melted butter topping. The biscuits get brushed with garlic butter before baking, then again while they’re hot from the oven. That second buttery coating is one of my favorite parts!
• They’re cheesy and fluffy. Sharp cheddar gives these biscuits plenty of cheese flavor, while cold butter and baking powder help create a soft, fluffy interior. Freshly shredded cheddar melts especially well throughout the dough. The golden edges add just enough texture without making the biscuits dry.
• You can customize them LOTS of ways. Add bacon, jalapeno, chives, scallion, rosemary, or another favorite cheese for your own variation. You can also make mini biscuits or larger jumbo biscuits by changing the size of the dough portions and adjusting the baking time. It’s an easy base recipe to play around with.

Equipment You May Need

• Large Baking Sheet – You’ll need enough room to space the biscuit dough apart so the biscuits can bake evenly.
• Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat – Either makes cleanup easy and helps keep the biscuits from sticking to the baking sheet.
• Medium Mixing Bowl – Use a bowl large enough to combine the dry ingredients, cold butter, cheddar cheese, and milk without overworking the dough.
• Whisk – Helpful for thoroughly combining the flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder before adding the butter.
• Pastry Cutter – A pastry cutter makes it easy to cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. A fork or two knives can also work.
• Large Spoon – Use a spoon to gently combine the dough and portion it onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Small Mixing Bowl – Perfect for mixing the melted butter, garlic powder, and salt for the buttery topping.
• Pastry Brush – Makes it easy to lightly coat the biscuits with garlic butter before AND after baking.

Garlic Cheddar Bay Biscuits Ingredients

For the Biscuits

• All-Purpose Flour – The base of these homemade from-scratch drop biscuits. The recipe uses 8.5 ounces, or about 2 cups.
• Baking Powder – Gives the biscuits their lift and helps create a light, fluffy texture without yeast.
• Salt – Enhances the cheddar and garlic flavors. If you use salted butter instead of unsalted, you may want to reduce the added salt.
• Garlic Powder – Adds garlic flavor throughout the biscuit dough. Regular garlic powder works well, or you can experiment with toasted garlic powder.
• Unsalted Butter – Keep the butter COLD and cut it into small cubes before adding it to the flour. Cold butter is important for the texture of the biscuits.
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Gives these Garlic Cheddar Bay Biscuits their cheesy flavor. For best results, shred good-quality cheddar from a block, although preshredded cheese will work in a pinch.
• Milk – Keep the milk COLD until you’re ready to mix the dough. I generally use skim milk because that’s what we have around, but other types of milk can work too.

For the Garlic Butter Topping

• Unsalted Butter – Melted butter creates that rich buttery finish. Some goes onto the biscuits before baking, and the rest is brushed over the hot biscuits afterward.
• Garlic Powder – Adds even more garlic flavor to the buttery topping.
• Salt – Just a little salt helps bring out the flavors of the butter, garlic, and cheddar.

How to Make Garlic Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Step One: Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheet
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, or use a nonstick baking pan.

Step Two: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder until well combined.

Step Three: Make the Cheddar Biscuit Dough
Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is crumbly. Mix in the shredded cheddar cheese, then mix in the cold milk just until combined, being careful not to overmix the dough.

Step Four: Form the Drop Biscuits
Drop the biscuit dough onto the prepared pan, using about 3 tablespoons of dough for each biscuit. There’s no need to roll or shape the dough, which is what makes these easy drop biscuits so quick!

Step Five: Add the Garlic Butter Topping
Mix together the 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Lightly brush some of the garlic butter over each biscuit, reserving the remaining butter mixture for after baking.

Step Six: Bake the Biscuits
Bake the biscuits at 425 degrees F for about 10 to 15 minutes or until browned on the bottom. Remove them from the oven and, while they’re still hot, brush the tops with more of the reserved melted garlic butter mixture. Serve immediately.

Garlic Cheddar Bay Biscuits FAQ

How should I store the biscuits?
Store leftover Garlic Cheddar Bay Biscuits in an airtight container or resealable bag. They can be kept at room temperature for a short period, although refrigeration can help them last longer. I recommend warming leftovers before serving because these biscuits really are best warm.

Can I freeze the biscuits?
Yes! You can freeze the baked biscuits, although I still think they’re best right after baking. Wrap them well and store them in a freezer-safe container or bag, then warm them before serving.

How long will the biscuits last?
The biscuits should last a few days at room temperature, about a week in the refrigerator, or a few months in the freezer when well wrapped. Reheat them in a warm oven to help freshen them up before serving.

Substitutions?
Instead of sharp cheddar cheese, try another shredded cheese such as Swiss, Monterey Jack, or another good melting cheese. Parmesan would make a delicious gourmet variation too. You could also add ingredients such as feta, minced onion, sundried tomatoes, jalapeño, bacon, chives, scallion, rosemary, or other favorite herbs and seasonings.

Can I use low-fat ingredients?
You can experiment with a lower-fat cheese, but choose one that melts well when baked. I would not recommend low-fat butter alternatives or margarine in the actual biscuit dough because changing the fat can affect the texture.

What else can I add to this recipe?
LOTS of things! Try dried or fresh rosemary, chives, Italian seasoning, Greek seasoning, scallions, jalapeno, bacon, or dried parsley. You could even add a little sugar if you want a slightly sweeter cheesy biscuit.

Can I make this vegan/vegetarian/low carb/gluten-free?
Here are some suggestions, but I can’t guarantee results. Be sure as always to check particular brands and ingredients if you’re following a specific diet or have diet restrictions or allergies.

Vegan – This would be a tough one to make vegan. You could try vegan butter, milk, and cheese, but not sure the results will be great.

Vegetarian – It’s vegetarian. Be sure to check individual brands/products just to be sure.

Low-Carb – Unfortunately, no easy way to make these low-carb or a good low-carb substitute for the flour.

Gluten-Free – You could try a gluten-free flour substitute that has a 1:1 substitute. Or try my Gluten-Free Cheddar Bay Biscuits recipe.

These Garlic Cheddar Bay Biscuits have been a favorite around here for years, and it’s easy to see why. They’re quick, fluffy, cheesy, loaded with garlic butter, and simple enough to make from scratch even on a busy night.

Just be careful when you put a basket of warm biscuits on the table. They have a funny way of disappearing FAST!

Garlic Cheddar Bay Biscuits Recipe Video

Quick video tutorial to show how this recipe comes together…

You might also like this delicious homemade Italian Beer Bread or these from-scratch, one-hour Italian Parmesan Homemade Dinner Rolls!