Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits
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Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Get ready to take your biscuit game up a notch with this Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits recipe! Imagine sinking your teeth into warm, buttery goodness packed with sharp cheddar and a hint of garlic. They’re perfect alongside soups, or just on their own when you need a snack. The best part? They’re super easy to whip up! Dairy-free + Gluten-free Option.
My family can’t get enough of homemade biscuits! I've made everything from Flaky Sweet Potato Biscuits to Honey Buttermilk Biscuits + Garlic Herb Biscuits. My boys especially love a trip to Red Lobster—mainly for those iconic Cheddar Bay Biscuits. Since the nearest one isn’t close by, I figured it was time to create my own Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits from scratch and it's safe to say they’ve been a huge hit.
These biscuits are perfect for breakfast + brunch, or as a cozy side for soup or dinner. Ready in just 30 minutes, they’re golden and slightly crisp on the outside with a melt-in-your-mouth, tender center. Plus, they’re easy to make gluten-free or dairy-free!
Jump to:
- What Are Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits?
- Why You Will LOVE Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits
- How to Make Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits
- Ingredients
- Tips for Making Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits
- What is the Secret Super Flaky Biscuits?
- Can I Make These Biscuits Dairy-Free?
- Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits Recipe Q + A's
- My Favorite Side Dish Recipes
- MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
- Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits
What Are Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits?
Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits are those delightful little bites of heaven you might know from Red Lobster. They’re buttery, cheesy, and super flaky, making them the perfect sidekick to your favorite meals or just great on their own. Typically made with cheddar cheese, garlic, and a touch of herbs, these biscuits are a hit for breakfast, brunch, or any meal.
Why You Will LOVE Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits
- They’re ready in just 30 minutes—perfect for busy mornings or last-minute dinners!
- Each bite is a delightful mix of crispy on the outside + fluffy on the inside.
- You can easily customize them to be gluten-free or dairy-free, so everyone can enjoy!
- The cheesy, buttery flavor makes them irresistible—your family will be begging for more.
- They’re the ultimate sidekick for soups, salads, or even breakfast dishes!
How to Make Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Overall, these flaky cheddar biscuits aren't very hard to make at all. Like you would any biscuit or pastry recipe, you start with all cold ingredients and add the dry ingredients together followed by grated/cubed butter, the wet ingredients, and mixing everything together. Then you do the "stack, pat, + roll" method a few times, cut out the biscuits using a biscuit cutter, and bake. Wallah.
Ingredients
BISCUITS:
- All-purpose flour. I like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur’s organic flour, which add great texture. Again, quality matters! For a flakier biscuit, you can substitute with pastry flour. I love mixing both flours together for the best texture!
- Baking powder + baking soda. Works as a leavener. See further post below to ensure that they are still fresh.
- Seasonings. Sea salt, dried parsley, garlic powder + smoked paprika
- Unsalted butter. I like to bake with unsalted butter, however, you can substitute with salted butter and omit the additional salt. Make sure its COLD!
- Buttermilk. You can use Almond milk (or whole milk) + 1 tablespoon lemon juice mixed together.
- Cheese. Shredded sharp cheddar + mild cheddar.
- Egg wash. For brushing.
TOPPING:
- Unsalted butter. Melted.
- Dried parsley
- Garlic powder
- Cayenne pepper.
SHOP MY FAVORITE TOOLS FOR COOKING, ESPECIALLY FOR THIS BISCUITS RECIPE!
Here, I've curated a list of cooking + baking essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baked goods or cooked meals, especially with this Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits recipe. Everything from my fave baking sheet, dutch ovens, immersion hand-blender, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!
Tips for Making Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Creating the perfect flaky biscuits isn't a tough process once you follow these pro tips below:
TIP 1: VERY COLD INGREDIENTS ARE KEY!
Ensuring that your butter and buttermilk are cold helps the biscuits to uphold their structure and expand nicely as they bake. This creates a light, fluffy texture which is exactly what you want!
TIP 2: CUTTING WITH A BENCH SCRAPER OR KNIFE WORKS MAGIC!
I love cutting my biscuit dough with a bench scraper or sharp knife because it helps me to avoid any "toggling" of the dough which causes them to come out "lean" or "lop-sided". Usually, I have this trouble with standard biscuit cutters because twisting during the cut is a huge NO, NO!
TIP 3: IF USING A BISCUIT CUTTER, DON'T TWIST!
If using a standard biscuit cutter instead of cutting them into squares, be sure not to twist. Simply press it down into the dough and lift it straight up to avoid your biscuits from rising less and flopping over.
TIP 4: STACKING THE LAYERS OF THE DOUGH IS A MUST!
Stacking the layers of the dough for these biscuits is a game changer! It definitely creates a flaky, almost pull-apart-like texture that you won't regret.
TIP 5: PLACE BISCUITS NEXT TO EACH OTHER!
Placing your biscuits next to each other on the baking sheet will help them to rise up higher.
TIP 6: THE OVEN HAS TO BE HOT!
Much like other baking recipes, ensuring that your oven is preheated is super important! In addition, baking these biscuits at 400 degrees Fahrenheit ensures that they rise and crisp up nicely enough to cook through.
What is the Secret Super Flaky Biscuits?
As you can see, I’m no stranger to homemade crusts, pop tarts, or pastries of any sort. With practice, I've managed to learn a thing or two about creating the perfect dough and so, here’s my hidden secret to super flaky garlic herb biscuits:
COLD GRATE + CUBE THE BUTTER!
Yes—I know. You might be wondering why I’ve stated this but it works. Since we’ll be using 2 sticks in this recipe, I simply grate 1 stick of butter and cube the other. Honestly, I think that the variation in the butter pieces along with them being VERY COLD helps some to melt faster and settle more in the dough, which creates a beautiful flakiness like no other.
To take it a step further, you can add the cold cubed butter to the dry ingredients and blend it into “peas-like” pieces–leaving out the grated butter for now. Then add the grated butter in, fold a few times and then roll it out. This creates butter in more than one layer which creates a heavenly texture too.
Can I Make These Biscuits Dairy-Free?
Of course! If you're looking to make these Cheddar Bay Biscuits also dairy-free, simply swap the butter, cheese, and buttermilk for dairy-free alternatives. Make your own dairy-free 'buttermilk' by mixing plant-based milk with lemon juice. As for the butter and cheese, simply use vegan butter in the space of unsalted butter and dairy-free cheese alternatives like Violife, So Delicious Dairy-Free, etc. in place of the cheese.
Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits Recipe Q + A's
The first culprit for a chewy biscuit might be a result of kneading the dough too much and over-handling it which causes an overdevelopment of the gluten in the flour.
Basically, cold butter is key to making your biscuits fluffy. Warm butter will be absorbed into the flour and prevent them from becoming fluffy and flaky which is why it's best to keep the butter refrigerated until ready to use or ensure that you use it right away when making biscuits.
Absolutely! For longer storage–the biscuits can be stored in the freezer. After they have baked and are completely cooled, simply individually wrap the biscuits with foil paper or plastic wrap and add them to a zip loc bag and freeze.
Yes! If using a food processor to incorporate buttermilk to flour/butter mixture, ONLY ADD ¼ cup of milk AT A TIME to your dough, keeping it on “pulse” to avoid the dough from breaking down too much and it becoming “watery”.
The trick is to make sure you chill the butter for 30 minutes or chill the cut biscuits for 15 minutes or so before adding them to the oven. Doing so ensures that the fat doesn't melt and produce greasy, leaden biscuits.
My Favorite Side Dish Recipes
If you love this Flaky Biscuits Recipe, then you'll definitely love these side dishes!
- Ultimate Vegan Mac + Cheese
- Easy Vegan Roasted Potato Salad
- Classic Oven Baked Buffalo Wings
- Southern Baked Mac and Cheese with Breadcrumbs
- Crispiest Jumbo Garlic Herb Fries
- Copycat Broccoli Mac + Cheese
- Garlic Herb Smashed Potatoes
- Maple Herb Glazed Carrots
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you tried this Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. And don't forget to tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea! I love hearing from you!
Homemade Flaky Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Ingredients
BISCUITS:
- 4 cups organic all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ Tbsps baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tsps dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup COLD unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 ¼ cups buttermilk (You can use Almond milk (or whole milk) + 1 tablespoon lemon juice mixed together)
- ½ cup Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Mild cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 Egg wash, for brushing
TOPPING:
- 2 Tbsps unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
TO MAKE THE BISCUITS:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, parsley, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and sea salt in a medium bowl.
- Add in the cold cubed (or grated) butter and using a pastry cutter or fork, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like 'pea-sized' clumps.
- Fold in both cheeses until combined. Slowly add in the buttermilk and gently stir everything together until combined and the dough is moist and comes together. NOTE: DON'T OVER-MIX! If the dough is too wet, add additional flour (1 tablespoon at a time); if too dry, add additional milk (1 tablespoon at a time).
- Using a medium-size scoop, scoop (about 2 Tbsps or so) each biscuit dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1-2 inches between each biscuit for spreading when they bake. Repeat until all dough is made.
- Brush tops of biscuits with egg wash or heavy cream and bake for 15-20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and fully baked through.
- Once biscuits are golden, remove from oven.
MAKE THE TOPPING + BRUSH:
- When warm (right before serving), in a bowl, mix together the melted butter, garlic powder, parsley, and cayenne pepper until combined. Brush butter topping atop each biscuit and enjoy!
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: At room temperature, leftovers can be tightly stored and last 2-3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze biscuits (once fully cooled and placed in a freezer-safe ziplock bag) for up to 3 months.
- BUTTERMILK: To make 'dairy-free' buttermilk, add 2 cups of your fave plant-based milk + 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or ACV, mixing everything well. Set aside for 5-10 minutes for the acids to activate and slightly thicken the mixture. You can also use whole milk or heavy cream (you'll probably need an additional cup for this option).
- GRATED BUTTER: To grate your butter, add the stick to a freezer for 15 minutes. Remove from freezer and using a grater, grate into pieces.
- GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: You can make my GF Cheddar Bay Biscuits as an option!
- DAIRY-FREE OPTION:If you're looking to make these Cheddar Bay Biscuits also dairy-free, simply swap the butter, cheese, and buttermilk for dairy-free alternatives. I talk more about creating dairy-free buttermilk in the recipe notes below. As for the butter and cheese, simply use vegan butter in the space of unsalted butter and dairy-free cheese alternatives like Violife, So Delicious Dairy-Free, etc. in place of the cheese.
Nutrition
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