Flaky, Cheesy Bisquick Cheddar Bay Biscuits

These garlicky, golden biscuits taste like the restaurant version but come together in about 20 minutes. Bisquick does the heavy lifting so you get a tender, flaky crumb without measuring a pile of dry ingredients.

Why These Biscuits Are a Staple

The cheese melts into buttery pockets while the garlic-herb topping hits the second the biscuits come out of the oven. You get a crisp bottom, a soft inside, and a salty, savory finish that makes the kitchen smell fantastic.

Because everything is measured straight from the box, the recipe is forgiving on a busy night. You can have hot biscuits on the table while soup simmers or fish finishes under the broiler.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Bisquick mix: the base for these biscuits, spooned and leveled
• ½ tsp garlic powder: a dry, savory note that carries through the dough
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter: cut into small cubes, cold fat creates the flaky layers
• ¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese: shredded, yellow or white both work
• ½ cup whole milk: cold milk helps keep the butter chilled
• 2 tbsp melted butter: for the garlic butter brush
• ½ tsp garlic powder: for the topping, not the dough
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley: optional but brightens the finish

Variations / Substitutions

• Cheese: Swap sharp cheddar for pepper jack, smoked gouda, or a pre-shredded Mexican blend. The biscuit will taste milder or spicier depending on the cheese.
• Herb topping: No parsley? Use snipped chives or a pinch of dried oregano in the melted butter.
• Dairy-free: Use a plant-based butter stick and a soft vegan cheddar shred. The texture will be a little less flaky but still good.

If you want a biscuit with no cheese at all, try classic Drop Biscuits instead.

How To Make Bisquick Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Step 1: Whisk the Dry Mix

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups Bisquick and ½ tsp garlic powder until no lumps remain.

Step 2: Cut in the Cold Butter

Add the ½ cup cold butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits still visible. Work quickly so the butter stays cold.

Step 3: Stir in the Cheddar and Milk

Pour in the ¾ cup shredded cheddar and ½ cup cold milk. Stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms and no dry pockets of flour remain. Overmixing will make the biscuits tough, so stop as soon as it comes together.

Step 4: Drop the Biscuits

Use a ¼-cup measure or an ice cream scoop to drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. You should get 8 biscuits. They don’t need to be perfectly round, the uneven edges crisp up beautifully.

Step 5: Bake and Brush with Garlic Butter

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the tops are deep golden brown and the bottoms sound hollow when tapped. While the biscuits bake, stir the 2 tbsp melted butter with the remaining ½ tsp garlic powder and the parsley. The second the biscuits come out of the oven, brush each one generously with the garlic butter and serve right away.

Tips for the Flakiest Biscuits

• Use butter straight from the fridge. Softened or room-temperature butter will blend into the flour too evenly, and you will lose the flaky layers.
• Spoon the Bisquick into the measuring cup and level it with a knife, never scoop straight from the box. Packing it down adds too much flour and makes the biscuits dense.
• If your kitchen is warm, pop the bowl of dry ingredients and the butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before you start. Cold fat equals a taller rise.
• Leftover garlic butter? Drizzle it over steamed green beans or toss it with popcorn for a zero-waste flavor boost.
• For a thinner, crispier biscuit, flatten each mound slightly with your palm before baking. They will spread a little more and get an extra-crunchy base.

Bake times shift a little depending on how big you scoop the dough.

Storing Leftover Biscuits

• Refrigerate: Keep baked biscuits in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They will soften, but a quick reheat brings back the crisp edges.
• Reheating: Warm them in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or split and toast them in a dry skillet. Avoid the microwave, which makes them chewy.
• Freeze unbaked: Drop the biscuits onto a parchment-lined tray and freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 2 to 3 extra minutes to the bake time.

What Goes Well With Cheddar Bay Biscuits

These are a natural with any seafood dinner, especially pan-seared salmon or shrimp scampi, because the garlic and butter in both dishes echo each other. A bowl of creamy tomato soup or a thick New England clam chowder is just as good, the biscuit soaks up every last spoonful. They also hold their own next to a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette, which cuts through the richness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a homemade baking mix instead of Bisquick?

Yes, any standard biscuit baking mix works. Just make sure it contains leavening and a bit of fat, otherwise the texture will change.

Do I have to brush the biscuits with butter right out of the oven?

Brushing them hot lets the garlic butter soak in, but you can skip the brush and just dip each warm biscuit in the mixture instead.

Can I double this recipe for a crowd?

Yes, double all ingredients and bake the biscuits on two separate sheets in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Rotate the pans halfway through so they brown evenly.

My biscuits didn’t rise much, what went wrong?

The butter likely got too warm during mixing or the dough was overworked. Chill the bowl and the butter beforehand, and stop stirring the moment the dough comes together.

Bisquick Cheddar Bay Biscuits Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 22 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 245

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups Bisquick mix
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• ¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• ½ cup whole milk
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• ½ tsp garlic powder (for topping)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method

 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Whisk together Bisquick and the first ½ tsp garlic powder.
2. Cut cold butter into the dry mix until crumbly with pea-sized pieces.
3. Stir in cheddar and milk just until a shaggy dough forms.
4. Drop 8 mounds of dough onto the sheet, spaced 2 inches apart.
5. Bake 12 to 14 minutes until golden. Mix melted butter with remaining garlic powder and parsley, then brush over hot biscuits.

Notes

Let the biscuits cool on the pan for 2 minutes before moving them; they are delicate straight from the oven. If you want an even stronger garlic punch, add a pinch of garlic salt to the butter topping instead of the plain powder.