Garlic Cheese Biscuits

If you’ve ever polished off a basket of those famous cheddar bay biscuits at a seafood restaurant, this recipe gets you close. Bisquick mixed with shredded cheddar and garlic powder, stirred with milk, rolled, cut, and baked until golden. Garlic butter brushed on top before they hit the oven seals the deal.

The key to tender biscuits is minimal mixing. Stir the milk in just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Over-mixing activates the gluten and turns biscuits tough and chewy instead of flaky and soft.

Rolling the dough to a half inch and cutting small (1 ½ inch) gives you bite-sized biscuits that bake fast and puff up tall. The garlic butter on top soaks into the surface and creates a glossy, aromatic crust.

Chef Tips

• Don’t overwork the dough. A few lumps are fine. Smooth dough means tough biscuits.
• Use sharp cheddar for more flavor punch. Mild cheddar can taste bland once baked.
• Press the cutter straight down without twisting. Twisting seals the edges and prevents the biscuits from rising evenly.
• Serve hot. These are at their absolute best straight from the oven when the cheese is still melty.

Variations

• Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the garlic butter for a spicy kick.
• Mix in chopped fresh chives or parsley with the cheese for an herbed version.
• Use pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar for a spicier, Southwestern-style biscuit.