Every once in a while, you get the urge to make some comfort food. Today, it was Cheddar Bay Biscuits. These Red Lobster biscuits have a history. Their hushpuppies were offered as their side of bread with their meals, but they weren’t very popular with its patrons. Cheddar Bay Biscuits, a cheddar and garlic biscuit, were created with a nautical-themed name and thus its popularity soared! I understand that “bay” was used to envoke a nautical name. However, when I hear “Bay” in food-related items, I associate it with “Old Bay” seasoning since I’m from the Eastern Shore of Maryland! Of course I had to add a bit to the flour mixture to make the Cheddar “Bay” Biscuits more relevant/authentic to the area.
Let’s go!
- Freeze (1 stick) butter.
- Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
- Grate sharp cheddar cheese on box grater.
- Measure out buttermilk.
Dry Ingredients:
I only use White Lily Self-Rising Flour for my biscuits and highly recommend that you do too! It definitely makes them light in texture! Just fluff, spoon and level the flour into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk in the garlic powder and Old Bay seasoning.
Add Ingredients:
Grate the frozen butter over the flour mixture using a box grater. Lightly toss after half has been grated and repeat after grating the other half of the stick.
Next, toss in the grated sharp cheddar cheese. Do not use the packaged cheese as it contains a dry starchy coating which affects how it melts and tastes. An 8 ounce block is cheaper that a bag of pre-shredded cheese. Place the bowl in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
Finally, remove the bowl from the oven and make a well in the center. Pour in the buttermilk and stir just until all the flour is absorbed. Do not overmix!
The Drop:
Use a large scoop to drop dough onto a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. This made 18 biscuits so I placed 6 rows of 3 onto the the jelly-roll-sized pan (15″ x 10″). They were at least and 1″-1-1/2″ apart.
The Bake:
Place pan into a preheated 475 degree oven on the middle rack and bake for 15 minutes. The tops should be lightly browned.
The Final Touch:
Melt 2 T of butter and whisk in the garlic powder and dried parsley. Brush lightly on top .
Enjoy!
Storage:
Store leftovers in a ziploc bag or a glass container. You can wrap individual biscuits in a paper towel for 15 seconds and it will taste just as delicious as the first one off the pan!….
Cheddar Old Bay Garlic Drop Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1/2 c butter, frozen (1 stick)
- 2-!/2 c White-Lily Self-Rising Flour fluffed, spooned, leveled
- 2 c Sharp cheddar cheese, grated using a box grater 8 oz block
- 2 t garlic powder
- 1 t Old Bay seasoning
- 1 c chilled buttermilk
After baking:
- 2 T melted butter
- 1/4 t garlic powder
- 1/2 t dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 475℉.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder and Old Bay seasoning,
- Grate frozen butter with a box grater. Toss it gently into flour mixture.
- Toss the sharp cheddar cheese into the flour mixture to evenly distribute.
- Chill in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
- Make a well in the center of the mixture. Add buttermilk and stir just until all buttermilk is incorporated with no remnants of flour remaining. The dough will be sticky. Do not overmix.
Drop Biscuits and Bake:
- Using a large scoop. biscuits on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. Spacing them about 1-1/2" apart on a 15" x 10" should fit 6 rows of 3 each, yielding approximately 18 biscuits.
- Bake at 475℉ for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Brush with melted butter mixture and enjoy!
