Copycat Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Homemade cheddar bay biscuits are an easy drop biscuit recipe that comes together in just one mixing bowl. No rolling or cutting is required for these cheddar cheese biscuits with an herb butter topping that bake in less than 20 minutes.
Raise your hand if you go to Red Lobster just for the cheddar bay biscuits . . .
SO tasty, right?? My kids could eat a bottomless basket of them if they had a chance.
The good news is, you can actually make a totally delicious homemade copycat recipe when you're in the mood.
It's not the same as having a server bring you a dinner you didn't have to cook, but it will definitely be a delicious part of family dinner you won't mind making once you see just how easy they are to bake.
Why This is the Best Recipe
These amazing dinner rolls are the best cheddar biscuits because:
- Quick and Easy: Drop biscuits get stirred together in one bowl and then spooned onto a baking pan for quick baking in minutes.
- Light and Fluffy: The quick prep actually means the biscuits are lighter and fluffier because the dough doesn't get overworked.
- Rich and Buttery: The melted butter topping is essential and so delicious.
- Cheesy and Herby: Not your regular biscuits, these cheddar bay biscuits are dotted with cheddar cheese and the perfect blend of seasonings.
Ingredients
This easy cheddar biscuits recipe comes together quickly with a few pantry ingredients:
- Butter: I used salted organic butter because it bakes like a dream.
- Buttermilk
- Cheddar Cheese: I recommend grating a block of cheese instead of using pre-shredded cheese. It tastes and melts so much better.
- All Purpose Flour
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Dried Herb Seasoning: See my note below.
- Garlic Salt
- Salt
The Best Herb Seasoning
To get that awesome "cheddar bay" flavor, I used a Parisian Shallot herb blend that features shallots, chives, scallions, dill, basil, tarragon, chervil, and bay.
"Herbs de Provence" is NOT a good substitute since it has lavender in the mix and will not taste the same.
If you don't have a similar herb blend, I would mix together just scant amounts of these much more common pantry spices:
- dried basil
- dried dill
- dried parsley
- dried fennel
- dried chives and/or green onion
- sprinkle of black pepper or fresh cracked peppercorns
You only need a teaspoon total, so just add a shake of each to a bowl, stir them together, then use in the recipe as directed.
How to Make the Biscuits
Prepping the biscuits is so easy because there is no rolling or cutting of the dough.
While you assemble the ingredients, preheat the oven to 425°F.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt, and the herb blend.
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Shred the Cheese
I really do suggest hand grating the cheese, or using a food processor. It only takes a minute and the cheddar will taste so much better in the biscuit.
Add the grated cheese to the bowl of flour and gently toss to coat.
This will help ensure the cheddar doesn't clump together too much in the final biscuit.
Mix the Butter and Buttermilk
This next step definitely needs a little visual clarification because you might be considered if you don't know this part is normal . . .
Melt the butter in a microwave safe container. Measure the buttermilk.
Drizzle the buttermilk into the melted butter and whisk it with a fork.
As you whisk it, the mixture will become curdled looking. You want this to happen, I promise!
You can see what the texture looks like once I poured it into the bowl of flour:
Make the Biscuit Dough
Stir the curdled buttermilk mixture into the flour with a large spatula.
Do not overmix the dough, we want the biscuits to be light and fluffy.
Just stir until the dry pockets of flour have mostly disappeared and the dough starts to pull away from the edges of the bowl like this:
Drop the Biscuits
Line a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Use a large table spoon to spoon 12 even balls of dough.
Drop them in 4 rows of 3 biscuits.
It's ok to gently pat the sides of each dough ball, you don't want shaggy biscuits or the pointy parts will burn.
They shouldn't be perfectly smooth, but just have a natural dropped biscuit shape like this:
Baking Instructions
Bake the biscuits for 13 - 15 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom side of the biscuit.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and add the last bit of dried herbs to the butter mixture.
Brush the butter mixture right over the top of the baked biscuits.
Serve the biscuits warm.
Look at the fantastic, fluffy texture of the inside:
Serving Suggestions
These cheddar bay biscuits are so delicious they're practically a meal in and of themselves!
But assuming you want to serve them as part of an actual dinner for your family, they would pair with a large number of delicious dishes.
Channel your favorite seafood restaurant and serve them with oven baked salmon or air fryer shrimp.
The cheddar would pair great with BBQ chicken or a brown sugar spiral ham.
And biscuits are a great choice for soup night. Try making a batch of tomato bisque soup and serve these on the side.
More Dinner Roll Recipes
Love making warm, fresh bread for family dinner? You won't want to miss the original buttermilk drop biscuit recipe to add to the rotation, too.
Want something a little different? Serve squares of Grandma's buttermilk cornbread or make my easy bread machine crescent dinner rolls.
No bread machine? Not a problem. My easy rosemary pull apart rolls are made in a stand mixer on your counter.
📖 Recipe
Copycat Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Ingredients
For the Biscuits:
- 8 tbsp (1 stick) butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried herb blend See Notes
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 4 oz cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
For the Biscuit Topping:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp dried herb seasoning See Notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place the butter in a microwave safe dish and melt it on HIGH. Let the melted butter sit aside to cool while you prepare the dry ingredients.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt, and the herb blend.
- Shred the cheddar cheese by hand, pre-shredded cheese will not bake as well. Add the shredded cheese to the mixing bowl and stir it into the flour mixture.
- Measure the buttermilk and whisk it into the melted butter with a fork. Continue to stir for a minute or until the mixture becomes lumpy and appears curdled.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and stir it together with a spatula. Don't over mix the dough, stop as soon as all the flour has just been incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go.
- Use a large soup/table spoon to scoop 12 even balls of dough and drop them on the prepared baking sheet in 4 rows of 3.
- It's ok to gently pat the edges of the dough into place on each biscuit. You don't want an overly shaggy biscuit drop or the pointy bits will brown more quickly than the rest of the biscuit. See photos above for reference.
- Bake the biscuits for 13 - 15 minutes or until golden brown underneath and just starting to brown on top.
- Add the last 1/2 tsp dried herbs to the 2 tbsp butter and let them melt together in the microwave. Use a pastry brush to paint the tops of the biscuits while they are still warm. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Herb Blend to Use:
I used a Parisian Shallot herb blend that features shallots, chives, scallions, dill, basil, tarragon, chervil, and bay. "Herbs de Provence" is NOT a good substitute since it has lavender in the mix and will not taste the same. If you don't have a similar herb blend, I would mix together just scant amounts of these much more common pantry spices:- dried basil
- dried dill
- dried parsley
- dried fennel
- dried chives and/or green onion
- sprinkle of black pepper or fresh cracked peppercorns
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