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Red LobsterMenu Guide · 2026
Recipe

Cheddar Bay biscuit recipe,
a Red Lobster copycat.

This Cheddar Bay biscuit recipe makes 12 garlic and cheddar drop biscuits in about 36 minutes, brushed with garlic and parsley butter like the ones at Red Lobster. No rolling or cutting: you stir, scoop and bake.

By Garrick Williamson · Published

Prep
15 min
Bake
12 to 16 min
Total
About 36 min
Makes
12 biscuits
A plate of warm homemade Cheddar Bay style biscuits

Cheddar Bay biscuit recipe ingredients

For the biscuits

  • 250 g all-purpose flour (about 2 cups, spooned and leveled)
  • 12 g baking powder (1 tablespoon)
  • 8 g granulated sugar (2 teaspoons)
  • 3 g fine salt (1/2 teaspoon)
  • 3 g garlic powder (1 teaspoon)
  • 115 g sharp cheddar, coarsely shredded (about 1 cup)
  • 240 ml whole milk (1 cup)
  • 113 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled until lukewarm (1/2 cup)

For the garlic butter topping

  • 42 g unsalted butter, melted (3 tablespoons)
  • 1.5 g garlic powder (1/2 teaspoon)
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 small pinch of fine salt, to taste

How to make Cheddar Bay biscuits

  1. Flour, shredded cheddar, milk, melted butter and the dry seasonings measured out in bowls

    Step 1

    Heat the oven and set out the ingredients

    Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Measure everything before you start.

  2. Flour and shredded cheddar tossed together in a white mixing bowl

    Step 2

    Mix the dry ingredients and cheese

    Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and garlic powder in a large bowl. Add the shredded cheddar and toss it through the flour.

  3. Soft, sticky biscuit dough with flecks of cheddar in the mixing bowl

    Step 3

    Stir in the milk and butter

    Stir the milk and lukewarm melted butter together, then pour them into the dry mixture. Fold gently with a spoon just until no dry pockets remain. The dough should be soft, sticky and scoopable. Don't knead it.

  4. Twelve rough mounds of biscuit dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet

    Step 4

    Scoop 12 mounds

    Divide the dough into 12 roughly equal mounds on the tray, about 2 inches apart. A 3-tablespoon scoop is a good starting point; share any leftover dough among the mounds. Leave the tops rough.

  5. Golden baked biscuits on the baking sheet

    Step 5

    Bake

    Bake on the middle rack for 12 to 16 minutes, checking at 12. The ridges should be golden and the centers set, not wet. If the centers are still doughy, give them a little longer.

  6. Brushing garlic and parsley butter over the warm biscuits

    Step 6

    Brush with garlic butter

    Stir the topping ingredients together and brush the garlic and parsley butter over the biscuits while they're warm.

  7. A plate of finished Cheddar Bay style biscuits

    Step 7

    Rest and serve

    Let them rest for about 5 minutes, then move them to a plate and serve warm.

Tips for soft, cheesy biscuits

  • Weigh the flour if you can. Packing flour into a cup makes the biscuits dry.
  • Mix only until combined. Overmixing makes the crumb tough.
  • If the dough is too dry to scoop, fold in more milk 1 tablespoon at a time. If it spreads like batter, let it stand for a minute before deciding.
  • Shred the cheddar yourself; it melts better. Use a scoop or two spoons to shape the mounds instead of adding flour.
  • Brush the topping on after baking, so the garlic and herbs don't scorch.
A biscuit split open to show a tender crumb with pockets of melted cheddar
Done right, the inside is tender, with pockets of melted cheddar.

Want the real thing? See Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits for what extras cost at the restaurant, their calories and allergens. For leftovers, see how to reheat Cheddar Bay Biscuits.

Questions about this recipe

Is this Red Lobster's own recipe?

No. Red Lobster doesn't publish its recipe. This is a copycat made to taste like the restaurant's biscuits: cheddar and garlic in the dough, garlic and parsley butter on top.

Can I use Red Lobster's boxed biscuit mix instead?

Yes. Red Lobster sells a Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix in grocery stores: you add shredded cheddar and water, bake, then brush on the herb butter that comes in the box. There's a gluten-free version too.

How do I keep and reheat leftover biscuits?

Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. Reheat them in an air fryer or oven at 350°F, about 3 minutes in an air fryer or 7 in an oven.