If I could eat one thing alongside every single meal for the rest of my life, it would be these insanely tasty biscuits.
Seriously, just set me up with a dozen and I’ll be a happy girl… for the rest of the day, at least.
You may be thinking, “Hey, these look pretty darn familiar!” Well, they are my favorite homemade copycat version of the famous biscuits from that popular seafood chain restaurant (one that I’ve actually never been to, if I’m being honest).
The only reason I know these are similar is because my old roommate used to work there, and she’d bring the tasty treats home to share as a snack after her shift.
I am admittedly not impartial. But I’m here to tell you that these are the best biscuits in the entire world, hands down.
First of all, they are incredibly easy to make. The dough comes together quickly in a mixing bowl, and then all you have to do is drop it by the spoonful on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. You can easily do this with an ice cream scoop or a ¼-cup measuring cup.
Using this method, they can be made drop biscuit-style for a more rustic look like you see here in the photos. Or, if you choose to shape them more, you can do so with your hands, making them into clean rounds. But be sure to work the dough as little as possible if you choose this option, because their tender texture will become tough if the dough is overworked.
I like the rustic look because it not only feels homemade, it’s also a lot easier to prepare them this way. You don’t have to waste any time trying to make them perfect when they look so good already, without fussing over them. You can save the work and intricate lamination process for our other layered biscuit recipe!
While these bake, your entire home will be filled with the enticing scent of garlic, cheese, and home-baked goodness.
Personally, I’ll take any excuse to serve dinner with some sort of biscuit or bread on the side. I am known as the carb fiend in my family, after all.
That’s why, whenever the bread basket is set down in front of us at a restaurant, it gets put at the OTHER end of the table after I’ve taken a piece.
Otherwise, that bread will be all mine in mere minutes… I just can’t stop myself. Warm bread and biscuits are my weakness! And I just love a homemade version.
Eating these biscuits fresh out of the oven is one of life’s greatest joys, in my opinion.
They are golden brown on the outside, with this kind of crunchy exterior that provides wonderful texture. The interior, on the other hand, is a completely different story.
It’s fragrant, soft, and it pretty much melts in your mouth with every bite. You get these buttery notes combined with the garlic and cheddar cheese that dance all over your taste buds. They are flaky and fluffy. And it’s impossible to stop at just one.
You might end up eating about 10 of them before you know it. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything…
As crazy as it may seem, I love to serve these with a smear of additional butter. Hey, butter is the magic ingredient in most baked goods, isn’t it? Why not add a little more to a warm biscuit?
The recipe comes together in only 30 minutes, so it’s super simple to make alongside whatever you are cooking tonight. Or maybe on top of whatever you’re cooking, like a juicy tomato cobbler or a warm and hearty chicken stew?
It’s a wonderful way to up your weeknight dinner game, or to bring something special to the table to pair with a holiday feast.
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Cheddar Garlic Biscuits
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 15 biscuits 1x
Description
Ready in just 30 minutes, our cheddar garlic biscuits are exactly what you need to round out your evening meal. They’re bursting with savory, cheesy flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (or a 50:50 combination of white and whole-grain spelt)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups tightly packed grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- Coarse kosher salt, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, pepper, garlic powder, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt.
- Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter or two forks or knives, work it into the dough. The mixture should look like coarse sand.
- Add the cheese and stir to thoroughly incorporate it into the dough.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Add to the dough and stir until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Use two tablespoons, a small ice cream scoop, or a 1/4-cup measuring cup to scoop the dough in equally sized portions, and drop it in mounds one by one onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with kosher salt.
- Bake in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a biscuit comes out clean.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Biscuits
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Baked Goods
Keywords: cheddar, garlic, biscuit
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Cube Butter, Grate Cheese, and Measure Remaining Ingredients
Cut one stick of unsalted butter into 1-inch pieces. Keep chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Grate enough sharp cheddar cheese until you have 2 cups total. You could use the large holes on your box grater for this, or the shredding disk on your food processor.
Be sure to review our tips for using your box grater properly! You’ll learn some helpful information on how to use each side, as well as safety guides and cleaning tips.
Measure out all remaining ingredients as listed on the ingredients list.
Preheat your oven to 400˚F and position a rack in the center. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 2 – Make Dough
Add the flour, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and iodized table salt to a large bowl.
Whisk together to combine.
Add the butter and work it into the dough by using a pastry cutter or two knives or forks. The mixture should resemble coarse sand. Stir in the cheese until it is incorporated.
Whisk together the buttermilk and an egg in a small bowl. Add this the flour mixture, and stir until incorporated.
Be sure not to overmix, as this will create a tougher texture than what you’re looking for in the final baked goods.
Step 3 – Bake
Using an ice cream or cookie scoop, or a 1/4-cup measuring cup, scoop the dough in small mounds. Drop the dough directly onto the prepared baking sheets, with about 2 inches of space between each.
Sprinkle the portioned dough lightly with kosher salt. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after about 10 minutes.
The biscuits are done when they are golden brown on the outside, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.
Can These Biscuits Be Frozen?
Thankfully, these biscuits freeze well. For me, this is a good way to not only save some for later, but to stop myself from eating them all in one sitting.
To freeze, allow them to cool completely, then add to a resealable freezer bag. Seal and freeze for up to two months.
When you are ready to reheat, microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.
If you want a tangy variation, while keeping the same cheddar flavors, try our sourdough cheddar chive recipe!
If you want to make even more delicious biscuits, here are just a few more favorites:
What kind of dinner will you serve these rolls alongside? Tell us in the comments below. And be sure to come back and rate the recipe once you’ve tried it, to let other readers know how much you enjoyed it!
Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published by Shanna Mallon on December 2, 2010. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Meghan Yager
Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.
yum, the cheddar and garlic flavors of the biscuit sound great! i’ll try these soon using some half white and half whole wheat flour.
Yummm, biscuits! I couldn’t believe how easy they are to make — I may never go back to the canned ones again. I love those rhythms of cooking. A quiet Saturday alone in my kitchen, chopping and stirring and tasting and cleaning, is all I need to feel whole again after a long week.
Wonderful post.
Oh, Red Lobster biscuits. I used to make a meal of those as a kid. And now I imagine all the strange preservatives and psuedo-dairy ingredients in them and the joy is killed. So, thank you! For a milder and less-salty alternative. 🙂
Your description of all that baking is for you could not be explained any better… I feel the same exact way. It doesn’t matter how busy my day at work is, I love coming home and just getting in the kitchen. If these taste anything like the Red Lobster ones then they have to be absolutely fantastic!
Ooh, this will be the *perfect* biscuits to bake the day before Christmas. Something to nosh on while doing the last-minute wrapping. Thanks for sharing this!
Blissful, Sounds like a plan!
Jacqui, I know! Anything that turns out well the first time is a big hit with me. : )
Tim, : )
Maria, We would get along well. I def made a meal of those biscuits—and not just when I was a kid. These bring it all back!
Evan, It’s so nice to hear you get it!
99ways, I’m tempted to delete your comment as your name seems spammy. However, your comment seems real, so you get to stay!
my mom made cheese biscuits the other day. sooo good alongside a bowl of turkey noodle soup. i could have eaten a dozen!
I felt the same way recently about a batch of gnocchi as you did about your burlap ravioli—that a delicious end result would’ve been nice, but not necessary. The best part was really in the release of slicing, roasting, mashing, and rolling, which tends to make nagging, chronic worries dissolve in the calm physicality of the process.
Ahhh….perfect with soup. I finally visited Baked last weekend when I was in NYC and tried virtually everything but didn’t get around to the biscuits. Can’t wait to try yours (especially with the addition of spelt flour–very cool). Happy Friday!
I could seriously make a batch of biscuits every day. The only problem is, I could also eat a batch of biscuits every day 🙂 Yours look fabulous!
I love those biscuits at Red Lobster! Over the summer I tried Tastefully Simple’s cheddar biscuit mix that reminded me of the Red Lobster biscuits. And believe it or not but the new cheddar biscuits at Ruby Tuesday taste even better than the Red Lobster variety.
say no more than red. lobster. biscuits. i think i ate a basket of ’em once!
I have leftover buttermilk sitting in my fridge, and I already made a batch of pancakes with it, soooo bring on these biscuits!!
I have leftover buttermilk in my fridge too! If you knew how infrequently I cooked you would be laughing right now. Thanks for the inspiration.
Megan, Oh, I’m so jealous! I’d love to go there!
Sues, Ha! I hear you.
Heather, You’re definitely among friends here!
Alicia, Mmmm buttermilk pancakes!
Susan, : ) I have days, or weeks, like that!
you said the magic word, biscuits! i LOVE biscuits. like, last food ever would be biscuits. this recipe looks wonderful! thank you…
Enjoy!
Heaven is full of carbs… mainly these biscuits.
I love those red lobster biscuits! A version with less salt is a must try!
This is going to sound melodramatic, most likely, but until recently, there was one cookbook I made two recipes from….because the thought of cooking terrified me. I knew I could do it, but my mother’s a Home Ec. teacher, so the thought of messing up……well, let’s just say I didn’t cook much.
Thank you sooo much for this site 🙂 I’ve tried 2 recipes now with success, and I’m looking forward to the next one to try. You make cooking seem way less scary and, this isn’t intended to be mean, it may be because of how willing you are to talk about the unsuccessful tries.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! 🙂
Ginger, Ha!
Dana, Do it!
Allison, I am so glad you feel that way! I honestly believe everyone has unsuccessful tries, as you put it, but there are some people who pretend they don’t. We’re all just learning together!
mmm, these kind of biscuits are my favorite!
I’ve made these biscuits before! But I used chipotle. I bet the garlic would be awesome. Perfect for a cold night.
Adrianna, I would love to try the chipotle version!
Hi I’m back dear. Cooked these and they’re wonderful. I enjoyed them but my son didn’t because he had fever for two days. Anyway, I saved some so that he can be the cookie monster again when he feels better. Gonna check your new post! 🙂
Hey Retro – Hope he’s feeling better soon, and glad you enjoyed them!
I made these the other day along with a salad and Tim and I LOVED them!
Yay! I’m so glad, Julie!
Made these with dinner tonight (roasted chicken, glazed carrots, green beans from my MIL) – success! They were delicious!! (Thank you for the recipe!) I think I like them even better once cooled – the tangy cheesy flavor is a little more prominent. Do you think fresh garlic would work okay, and if so, how much?
Elise, Your dinner sounds amazing! I think you could swap a higher amount of minced real garlic for similar results. I’d want to do three tablespoons, but then I can never have enough garlic. : )
Hey Shanna, So I knew you had a blog from Jackie, but I was just searching for a way to perfect these biscuits from another site that was almost identical to yours however, you found the missing link….cream of tartar!! It made all the difference! Thank you…lol! Hope you are doing well, hope to see you guys when I’m home next 🙂 I’ll have to start following your blog more cause I love cooking! Just wish I had more time…some day! 🙂
Nikki! 1. I can’t believe you found my blog by accident like that! What a small world! 2. I know what you mean about being short on time… but we have to eat, right? There’s always a little time for cooking. 🙂
The biscuits reminds me of the ones at Ruby Tuesday! Yum!!
I would love to makes these for Thanksgiving this year – I am having to travel home for Thanksgiving and wonder if I can make the biscuit dough ahead of time, then take it with me on my four-hour trip and baking them at my Mom’s kitchen. Will the dough keep? Or does the dough have to be used right away?
Thank you!
Hi Mahijira – While I haven’t done that with this recipe, I would guess the dough should be fine, if you keep it chilled in a cooler or something. It might slightly alter the results, but I’d go for it.