When I read that Red Lobster launched a gluten-free version of their popular Cheddar Bay biscuits, I was surprised. This is not a restaurant that’s known for its gluten-free menu.
Then I saw that Red Lobster wasn’t making a gluten-free version of their biscuits in their restaurants. No. They created a mix so you can make the biscuits yourself. At home. (As I type this, gluten-free Cheddar Bay biscuits aren’t offered in the restaurant, nor does it sound like Red Lobster has any plans on doing so.)
That’s…odd? But, still, the mix grabbed my attention. Because I love biscuits the way Oprah loves bread. (I created a recipe for gluten-free Cheddar biscuits a few years ago. Those biscuits, I must say, are pretty darn good.)
So I headed to the only place selling the mix: Wal-Mart. A box cost me $3.84. The non-gluten-free version of the mix was $1.78. As is often the case, the gluten-free version cost most. Sigh.
The Ingredients
Biscuit Mix
Rice flour, palm oil, defatted soy flour, leaving (baking soda, sodium aluminum, phosphate, monocalcium phosphate), cornstarch, food starch-modified, whey powder, salt, dextrose, buttermilk, xanthan gum, soy lecithin.
Herb Blend
Garlic powder, maltodextrin, salt, onion powder, hydrolyzed soy protein, torula yeast, natural and artificial flavors (maltodextrin, butter oil), corn oil, silicon dioxide (anti-caking agent)
The ingredients are pretty boring. A blend of rice flour, soy flour, and cornstarch. While the mix does contain milk, soy, and cornstarch, it looks to be egg-free.
Making and Baking
The back of the box calls for 1/2 cup shredded cheese. It also includes this note on the bottom: “Some shredded cheddar cheese contains gluten. Be sure to make certain your cheese is gluten-free.”
Here’s the deal: I don’t know if gluten in shredded cheese is just a rumor or if there is a brand that uses it. I’ve yet to see one. (That doesn’t mean there isn’t and you should always read labels!) But at this point, I feel like this is a rumor that’s been circulating for years without any proof. I wish someone could name a brand of shredded cheese that uses wheat. (If you know of one, let me know!)
I shredded my own cheese for the mix. Why? I like the taste better. Pre-shredded cheese is convenient but I think it’s a bit blah when it comes to taste. So I shred my own.
The mix came together easily. The box says to scoop out the dough in “about 1/4 cup” portions. So I did. And I got…nine biscuits. (My biscuits were a scant 1/4 cup each.) This isn’t the end of the world but it’s a bit annoying.
The biscuits took 16 minutes to bake. On the box, we’re directed to “bake until golden brown on top.”Hmm…the bottoms were a lovely golden brown. In fact, if I’d baked them much longer, they might have tipped into being too brown.
The top of the biscuit? Not really golden brown at all.
The day before I tested the mix, I picked up a 1/2 dozen (NON-gluten-free) Cheddar Bay biscuits at my local Red Lobster. Those babies were nice and golden brown. Look at how they compare to the gluten-free version.
I melted some butter, mixed it with “garlic herb blend” (this just smelled like garlic and onion) and slathered it on the hot biscuits. The mix says to melt 1/4 cup of butter. That’s a generous amount of butter for 9 biscuits. So I had a bit leftover.
The Taste
These biscuits were very good. Like the ones sold at the restaurant, they were rich–almost a bit too rich, they left grease on my fingers. The garlic herb butter added a really nice flavor. I’d love to mix the packet into the flour mixture before baking. I think this would add a nice even flavor throughout the biscuits.
The one thing that surprised me was the mild cheddar flavor. It’s there but it’s not terribly strong.
The Texture
The biscuits were nice and soft. None of that grit that can be present in too many gluten-free baked goods.
The bottom of the biscuits provided a nice crunch, while the inside was soft and tender. (And not gummy. Yay!)
What I liked
I really liked how easy these biscuits were to make. You add some shredded cheese, a little cold water, stir, and you’re done. I also like the texture and flavor. Did I LOVE the flavor? I can’t say that I did. I found them just a wee bit bland. They were good, not great.
What I didn’t like
The price. The box cost almost $4.00, plus the added expense of having to add your own cheese. This seems a bit pricey for a mix that’s supposed to make 12 biscuits but only made nine.
Would I buy these again?
That’s a solid maybe. While I liked them, they weren’t a total standout for me. Since biscuits are such a treat, I’d rather take a few extra minutes and make mine from scratch. This way I can use butter, instead of the palm oil that’s included in the Red Lobster Mix.
Jackie says
I just make my own.
Linda says
Wegmans in CNY also carries the gluten-free Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix costing $3.99 located in their baking supplies isle. After reading your review, I decided to whisk the Garlic Herb Blend pouch into the flour first. Then I whisked the 1 cup of REALLY COLD water into the mixture. Shredded 1/2 cup Gouda cheese and mixed it in with a spatula. I decided to use the Breville Smart Oven using the thin pizza tin that came with the oven. Sprayed nonstick onto the tin. Used a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to mound 18 biscuits close together on the pizza tin. Divided two tablespoons cold butter portions into 18 small cubes and poked 1 cube atop each biscuit before baking. Then I put the pan into the oven; baked at 425°; removed the biscuits after 9 minutes. They were browned all around! They did not spread on the tin. I served them with 3 pounds of baked chicken wings that cooked in the big oven and 4 bean salad. Yes, the biscuits are bland and I could hardly see any green specks from the Garlic Herb. But they were good with the flavorful wings. Very fast and convenient to make and have on hand when in a hurry. Next time, I might add 1/4 tsp sea salt or Herb Ox Chicken bouillon. And I might try a more pungent cheese and add some finely chopped scallion. Thanks for sharing your new find, testing the mix, and review thoughts.
Cynthia Flick says
I made these tonight. The herb blend was way too salty. Probably would have been better to stir it into the mix and skip the melted butter entirely. Quite expensive as usual for gluten free mixes. I’ll stick to made from scrstch
Bob Foley says
Thank you for this review! I was excited to find out about these yesterday and bought some today. I did mix in the garlic pouch to the dough as you suggested. I also reduced the cooking time and butter amount. They came out really good!! Gluten free for three years and each year the options get better 🙂
Patyi says
I thought they were great and tasted better than most gluten free biscuits I have made from scratch. And much easier I particularly loved the texture. My son who is the one with the gluten allergy, loved them.
Cheryl A Boyd says
I was ecstatic when I saw the Red Lobster g/f cheddar biscuits at my local Walmart for $3.84!! I made them tonight & they are fantastic!! I cut the water to 3/4 cup as I melted 1/4 cup of butter with the garlic seasoning & added it right into the mix!! It yielded 12 biscuits as stated & baked for 20 minutes & they were golden brown!! I’m buying more tomorrow!!
Lee says
I have never had a Red Lobster cheese biscuit, but I LOVE biscuits and I love cheese, so when I saw these online, I had to try them. Took a long drive to get to a Walmart and bought a box. I don’t like the ingredient list or the price, but OMG, these are the BEST gf biscuits I’ve had, and I’ve tried many- made from scratch by restaurants and bakeries, frozen (Whole Foods), and from mixes- all of them were either like rocks and/or gummy inside, or weirdly soft, and none were a lovely brown or had a crispy outside and soft crumb inside. Until now.
I made half the package (I measured the mix and found the box contains 2 c. total, so it’s easy to cut in half). Half a package gave me 6 nice sized drop biscuits. Mine did brown, which really surprised me, and they were done in 15 minutes. I decided to try the butter/herb mix, though I felt all the extra butter was overkill. Yet I ate them all and though I feel kind of sick right now, I’d do it again in a second. They were really, really tasty.
I will be buying more of this mix. I loved these biscuits.
Amanda Sue Brown says
I made these gluten-free biscuits as a side dish to my Christmas dinner. I thought they were every bit as delicious as I remembered the original biscuits to be from year’s ago when I was able to eat gluten. They were hot and cheesy on the inside and crisp and buttery on the outside. Unfortunately I had a gluten reaction to them. Has anyone else experienced a negative digestive reaction to these biscuits? Everything else on the dinner menu was gluten-free and the biscuits were the independent variable in my Christmas dinner.
Johnnie Presley says
Yes, I just made the gluten free biscuits from the box mix and had a really bad reaction. The biscuit was delicious and I almost ate another. Thank God I didn’t, because I thought I may die. I really hate Red Lobster Now. Beware!
MJ says
I had the same content and flavor results. And yessss, fresh grated cheese, pleazz!
I have made these multiple times and here’s what put them over the top for me and turned them into a staple for brunch and parties…
Almost double the cheese in the mix AND make them small! 21 to 22 per batch. All will fit on a single large cookie sheet. Place an inch apart. Not too round nor too flat. These barely spread or settle. What takes these to the next level is that added crunch by taking them out after 14 minutes, changing the oven to broil (450), topping the biscuits with a couple of pinches of cheese (I include fresh grated parm’) (drizzle now with butter, if adding) and broiling until golden with crusty tips. Less than three minutes in my oven.
I’ve found these worth the effort, especially one under and over a sunny-side up egg. Yum! And gluten free!