Sourdough Cheddar Bay Biscuits (Red Lobster Dupe)

Name: Sourdough Cheddar Bay Biscuits (Red Lobster Dupe)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 22 min
Ingredients: 2¼ (280g) cups all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 2 tsp sugar; ½ tsp fine sea salt; 1 tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp onion powder; ½ tsp dried dill; ½ (113g) cup cold salted butter; 1¼ (150g) cups shredded sharp cheddar; ½ (120g) cup sourdough discard (cold); ½ (120g) cup cold buttermilk; 2 tsp honey (if not using sugar); ¼ (57g) cup salted butter; ½ tsp garlic powder; 2 tsps parsley (dried or fresh)

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If the best part of eating at Red Lobster is the warm basket of biscuits, you’re going to love this recipe. These Sourdough Cheddar Bay Biscuits (Red Lobster Dupe) are a cozy copycat packed with sharp cheddar, herbs, and have the most flaky buttery layers. They bake up tall and tender, then get brushed with garlicky melted butter for that irresistible finish. Serve them as a side with dinner or bring them out as a crowd-pleasing appetizer and watch them disappear.

Note: This recipe also includes an alternative to shape these into scones, please see the section below.

Sourdough Cheddar Bay Biscuits (Red Lobster Dupe)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Classic cheddar bay flavor at home: All the buttery, garlicky goodness of the famous Red Lobster biscuits, made fresh in your own kitchen.
Perfect use of sourdough discard: A savory recipe that turns extra discard into something truly delicious.
Fluffy, tall biscuits: Tender inside with golden edges and flaky layers.
Loaded with real cheddar and herbs: Sharp cheddar and savory herbs give these biscuits bold flavor in every bite.
Quick and beginner friendly: No yeast, no hard steps- just mix, cut, bake and enjoy!

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Tools You’ll Need:

Large mixing bowl- for mixing your biscuits.
Cheese grater- for grating the butter and cheese if needed, I use this grater linked here. You can also use your food processor with the grating attachment.
Dough Spatula (optional)- I love to use this to help bring my dough together, I’ve linked the spatula I use here.
Round biscuit cutter or small mason jar- for cutting your biscuits. I use this round biscuit cutter.
Kitchen Scale (optional)– for precise measurements if desired.
Measuring cups and spoons– for measuring ingredients.
Whisk- to combine butter topping.
Microwave Safe Bowl- to melt butter for garlic butter.
Parchment Paper- to line the baking sheet to avoid sticking if using a baking pan.
Baking Sheet or Cast Iron Skillet- to bake the biscuits. I love this cast iron skillet linked here.
Pastry Brush- to brush scones with buttermilk and butter topping.

Gather Your Ingredients:

Salted butter– Make sure your butter is cold before you grate it! This is the key to a fluffy and flaky biscuit. Used for the butter bath too.
Sourdough discard– Adds moisture and is the magic that ferments your dough if you choose. Best used cold straight form the fridge to keep the butter cold.
Buttermilk– Adds moisture and tenderness to the dough. Can be substituted for whole milk if needed, but I love the texture buttermilk adds.
All-purpose flour– Provides structure and stability to the biscuits. You can substitute bread flour but I like the softness all-purpose gives the biscuits.
Baking powder– Provides lift and helps the biscuits rise without yeast.
Baking soda– Balances acidity from the sourdough discard.
Sea salt– Enhances the overall flavor and balances the richness.
Granulated sugar– A pinch of sugar balances the biscuits and gives a golden finish. You can substitute with honey as well.
Garlic powder, onion powder, and dill- adds savory flavor directly to the biscuits and the garlic butter.
Parsley- adds a touch of color and freshness. Use dried or fresh in the garlic butter and as a garnish.
Sharp cheddar cheese- The best cheese for these biscuits is sharp cheddar, it adds the perfect flavor. You can grate your own or use pre-shredded.

Instructions

Step 1: Mix the Biscuit Dough

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar (if using), salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and dill.

Make sure the butter is very cold before grating it, I like to pop the butter into the freezer for 5 minutes prior to grating. Using a box grater or the grating attachment on your food processor, grate the cold butter into small bits. Grate your cheese as well if needed.

Grate your cold butter — Whisk together the dry ingredients

Add the cold butter and the shredded cheese to the dry ingredients, and mix it all together until the butter bits and the cheese are well coated in the dry ingredients.

Create a little well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the cold sourdough discard and the cold buttermilk.

Using a pastry blender or your hands, gently bring the wet and dry ingredients together until the dough starts to roughly come together and a shaggy dough forms. It’s important not to overmix the dough at this stage, or the biscuits will be tough.

Coat the butter and cheese with dry ingredients

Add the buttermilk and discard and mix gently — Coat the butter and cheese with dry ingredients

Step 2: Shape and Bake the Biscuits

Once you have a shaggy dough, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

Pat the biscuit dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Fold the dough in half once, then gently pat it back down to 1 inch thickness. This quick fold helps create tall layers.

Optional Overnight Fermentation: At this point you can transfer the rectangle of biscuit dough to plastic, wrapping it tightly and refrigerating it overnight for extended fermentation time or if you want the dough ready ahead of time.

Cut into 2 1/2 or 3 inch circles evenly using a biscuit cutter or a small Mason jar. Gather any remaining scraps and repeat the steps of patting and cutting until you’ve used all your dough.

Cut out the biscuits — Pat dough into 1 inch thick rectangle

Oil a baking sheet or a cast iron pan, (if using a baking sheet line with parchment paper).

Arrange the biscuits into the cast iron skillet or on the baking sheet close together (close to touching) to help them bake tall instead of spread. Brush the tops with more buttermilk.

Brush the tops with buttermilk or cream — Arrange biscuits into the pan

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).

Optional Chill: to really get a nice buttery flaky biscuit, I recommend chilling them at this point in the freezer for 20 minutes while the oven preheats to help the butter get really cold again. You can skip this if needed.

Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown. Internal temperature should reach 200°F. Remove from the oven when the biscuits are done baking.

Step 3: Mix the Garlic Butter

While the biscuits are baking, melt the butter for brushing on top of the biscuits in a small microwave safe dish.

Brush tops of biscuits with butter — Mix the garlic butter

Add the garlic powder and parsley to the melted butter, and whisk to combine. While the biscuits are still warm, brush generously with the garlic butter topping. The butter will soak into the crust for the perfect finish.

Serve warm!

Yields 8-10 biscuits

How to Store:

Room Temperature- Store biscuits in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes or microwave for about 15 seconds.

Freezer- Unbaked biscuits: These biscuits are great to mix ahead and freeze until you’re ready to bake, and keep up to 2 months. Simply cut the biscuits and transfer to a Ziplock bag on a baking sheet to keep them flat. Remove all the air from the bag and freeze flat. Bake whenever you’d like.

Baked biscuits: Freeze baked biscuits in an airtight container or Ziplock for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy them, and warm them in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes or microwave for about 15 seconds.

How to Shape Scones:

If you prefer scones instead of biscuits, this dough works beautifully.

After mixing the dough, gently press the dough into a circle about 1 1/2 inches thick and 8 inches wide. Use a bench scraper or a sharp knife to cut the circle into quarters, then cut each quarter into half to create 8 triangle scones.

Transfer the scones to a lined baking sheet, brush the tops with buttermilk, and place the tray in the freezer for 20 minutes. This helps the scones bake up tall and flaky.

Bake using the same temperature and timing as the biscuits.

Optional Overnight Prep: For longer fermentation and easier prep, wrap the shaped dough circle in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Cut and bake the scones the next day.

FAQ’S:

Can I make these without sourdough discard?

Yes. Replace the discard with ¼ cup flour + ¼ cup buttermilk.

Why should I bake them close together?

This encourages upward rise instead of spreading.

Do I have to use buttermilk?

You can substitute milk, but buttermilk works with the baking soda to create more lift.

Why do I need cold butter?

Cold butter creates steam pockets that make biscuits flaky.

If you loved this recipe, drop a comment and leave a star review and don’t forget to checkout more of my yummy sourdough appetizer recipes like this Sourdough Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread or my Sourdough Rosemary Peasant Bread (Macaroni Grill Dupe)!