I can take you to Cheddar Bay.

I've been there. And it is glorious.





Even haters will admit that Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits are bomb. And if you haven't tried them, you'll just have to trust me. Believe in the Biscuit.

RL's biscuits are more scone-shaped blob-shaped, but I personally love using a biscuit cutter for these. They puff up to reveal the cheesy, flaky and buttery layers. The baked biscuit is also easier to split for adding a dab of butter. Not that it needs it really, but who doesn't like their biscuit buttered?

Definitely use both a baking mix for the base AND buttermilk.

Take Me Away to Cheddar Bay Biscuits
Yield: 12-14 Biscuits

2 ½ cups Trader Joe’s Buttermilk Pancake/Baking Mix
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
4 tablespoons cold butter (1/2 stick), cut into small pieces
1 to 1 ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese
¾ cup cold buttermilk

To brush on top:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together baking mix and garlic powder. Add pieces of cold butter to mix and combine using a pastry cutter or two knives. Do this until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with small pieces of butter throughout. Add the shredded cheese and stir to combine.

Add buttermilk to the mixture, a little at a time, while stirring together with a fork. Stir until just combined; do not over-mix. Use your hand if needed to help the mixture come together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured workspace and knead the mixture gently a few times. Roll out the dough using a well-floured rolling pin to ½-inch thickness. Cut out biscuits using a 2-inch round biscuit cutter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. Knead leftover scraps together and repeat until all dough is used. (This is where you'll have an opportunity to get a couple blob-shaped biscuits. I hate wasting biscuit dough! Just don't do it.)

Stir together melted butter, garlic salt and garlic powder in a small bowl and brush mixture on top of biscuits using a pastry brush. If desired, sprinkle top of biscuits with a little freshly ground black pepper.

Bake for 11-14 minutes, or until tops and bottoms of biscuits are golden brown.

Serve warm.

Next stop: Cheddar Bay. Bon voyage/appetit!