The world of strange, kooky boxed baking mixes intrigues me.
They draw me in with their colorful packaging and wildly varied price ranges. I stand in the baking aisle and try to make sense of their antics: Tie-dyed cake patterns, Auntie Annie pretzel kits, and $7 Milk Bar cookies. Do they taste like the boxes claim and are they worth their price tags?
Unfortunately, I found the Duff Goldman Purple Rain cake and insanely expensive Crumbs Bake Shoppe Colossal Cupcake mixes to be lacking. This time I grabbed a less expensive product that made no claims to be “premium” quality. The Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix called my name during my last Target trip. At $2.24, plus 1/2 cup of cheese and 1/3 cup of butter, I proceeded in the spirit of “What the heck?”
It’s true that we all want what we can’t have. In Mason City there is no Red Lobster in sight and so it doesn’t sound too bad. Believe it or not, a Red Lobster actually went out of business here!
Growing up, my parents stuck to a rotation of three dine-in restaurants for special occasions, none of which included Red Lobster because my mom didn’t like it. I wanted what I couldn’t have, so I begged and pleaded to go and they finally took me. I remember it striking me as just “ok.”
I didn’t return to Red Lobster until Jake and I lived in Fargo. It was insanely busy all of the time. Honestly, the food was fine. Ordering Endless Shrimp, however, was most certainly not fine. I got full 1/2 way into my first plate of shrimp, nullifying the whole promotion.
And finally, when I think of Red Lobster, I think of my friend Chelsea. As a high schooler, she once chose to dine here for her birthday. She had always wanted to try eating a lobster. What actually happened horrifies her to this day: The server made her choose a lobster from the tank and give it a name. Then she instructed her to, “Now, say bye-bye. He’s going to boil!” Like many lobsters before him, he suffered a Game of Thrones fate and arrived at the table looking the same, except redder. She’s been a vegetarian ever since.
Frankly, I’m terrified of lobsters. They’re, like, so snappy and pokey. I met my first lobster in culinary school and I’ll never forget this big box of tethered lobsters whose antennas waved wildly from the top.
But, I digress. The Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix contained one packet of baking mix and a small foil pouch of seasoning. All you need to add is 3/4 cup of cold water, 1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and 1/3 cup of melted butter.
Preparation is simple. Mix together the baking mix, cheese, and water in a bowl until just combined. Place 1/4 cup scoops of batter onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 350℉ for 13-15 minutes until the tops are golden brown.
I can’t shred cheese and not think of that scene in Napoleon Dynamite where Kip’s grating a giant brick of cheddar with a tiny little grater.
While the biscuits bake, I combined the melted butter with the seasoning mix. It smelled like bouillon and tastes of garlic salt.
The instructions directed me to spoon or brush the butter mixture over the warm biscuits and serve immediately. I ended up with extra butter, so you could get away with only using 1/4 cup.
And the verdict?
Pretty dang good. I found this mix to produce an accurate knock-off of what Red Lobster serves in their restaurants. In fact, Jake and I both dare say these taste better. I felt less crazy when a friend informed me that she just made these at home, too, and also thinks they taste better than the restaurant’s.
I didn’t notice anything wild about the ingredients in the baking mix. The list doesn’t list any seasonings or spices and it might actually just be Bisquick. But, somehow, these really do taste like the real thing and possibly better. Having spent $2.24 for the box and adding my own 1/2 cup cheese + 1/4 cup of butter, it’s a relatively cheap thrill, especially since it tastes like the real thing.
Most Red Lobster biscuit recipes do, in fact, call for Bisquick mix. If you already have this on hand, you could try one of these recipes. Bisquick isn’t an ingredient of which I want to keep a large quantity and don’t plan to make them very often, so I’d be satisfied buying an occasional box when the craving hits.
I’d definitely try this product. We eat at Red Lob on very rare occasions, usually with my sister, and the biscuits are always the culprit when it comes to getting full too soon. I think these biscuits and a salad would be a pretty perfect dinner for me 🙂 I love your videos too!!
The Real Person!
Thanks Monica:)
I tried making the biscuits in mini baking sheet. Came out dry. Then the second box I added 3/4 cup cheddar cheese and 3/4 cup Half & Half in place of the water.
Make sure not to over mix.
Came out amazing. Instead of the herb butter, use 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 TBL honey and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Much better and NOT dry.
The Real Person!
Thanks for sharing your tips so we can give this a try!
I personally LOVE these biscuits, these AND the restaurant version. This first time I had them was when my grandmother bought them. She too enjoys trying the bake mixes out of the boxes for fun but is insistent on homemade meals when lots of family is over. I love these biscuits and love that I can get my fix at home in my kitchen. I think it’s great companies do This so you can enjoy their flavored at home. Another restaurant company that does this is Macaroni grill you can find their boxes meals at target. I suggest the parmasan chicken. 🙂 so glad you did a review of this!
The Real Person!
Thanks for the suggestion Alicia! I haven’t dined at a MG for a while. Will check these out for one of those nights we need a quick hot meal.
I haven’t found these to be as good as the restaurant’s, possibly bc I use way less butter than it calls for. Plus, my tops got a bit crunchier than the restaurant’s version. Still yummy either way!
The Real Person!
I added a generous spoonfull or two of butter on each one and still had leftover. But, the amount of butter would probably effect the flavor. Especially since there’s really no seasoning or anything in the actual biscuit mix.
The fist time I saw them at Walmart, I thought, “you have to be kidding! No way, are they giving us the same recipe we get at the restaurant too!” Really, I don’t think they are either, as the ones in the restaurant are softer.
Interestingly enough, Fort Dodge lost their Red Lobster too and it was never busy until the week they pulled out. Then, you couldn’t get a table without waiting over an hour for one. I too, digress…
Terrible for the diet – yes. Great to feed a hungry husband who loves his bread and snack on for after a full day of working in the studio? Absolutely!
If you want proof, just open my pantry. I have eight boxes of these darn things in my own cupboard and mix different cheeses with it besides cheddar for a change up.
The Real Person!
Interesting that Fort Dodge’s went out of business too! I like your idea of mixing in different cheeses.
I have not been to a Red Lobster in Years! But, there is one in Waterloo. We should go sometime. My mother in law made these once. She didn’t have and cheddar cheese, so she used parmesan. It turned out really good.
WHAT? You aren’t white???? Mind blown. 🙂 Those Olive Red Lobster Garden biscuits look amazing!!!! Yummy. I suspect the winning factor was the extra cheese and butter and the love in which you baked into them. Love your videos. Keep going!
The Real Person!
LOL. Extra cheese and extra butter always help.
I’m confused to the “what? You aren’t white?” What does that have to do with anything?!? No disrespect to u as I assume u meant no disrespect either!
I tried a box of these once…mine weren’t that good…in fact, I was rather disappointed! Maybe your extra cheese is the ticket and I’ll have to try again!
The Real Person!
Dang it:( I’d try some extra cheese, really spoon that butter over them and be careful not to overmix the batter.
Your video made me laugh – especially the comment about your plate. Love your videos!
I love your plate! It looks exactly like your twin in first grade. Maybe you knew before we ever discovered we were sisters 🙂
The Real Person!
It does! I knew we would be sisters someday.
Thanks for posting the items to add to the mix. I bought a large box from Costco and threw the box out! My family would like to thank you for saving dinner tonight.
The Real Person!
I hope they turned out well!!!
Awesome video! I think I’m gonna try mixing in some bacon bits, and drizzle some melted garlic butter over my own recipe. My biscuits are so awesome that I just can’t bring myself to try the Olive Garden ones. (Oops…I meant Red Lobster!)
The Real Person!
Thank you Brent! Those sound like great biscuits. I’m still perfecting my biscuit skills. Might try your twist!
I was lazy this morning. I used the mix, followed the directions, but instead of making biscuits, I put the mixture in a greased 8 inch square Pyrex baking pan. It took the same time and temperature as it would have for the individual biscuits.. But this was so much easier to just slice warm pieces like you would do corn bread. I probably used a little bit more cheese; It calls for 1/2 cup, but I had a 7 ounce bag or coarsely shredded sharp cheddar, and used 1/2 a bag. I didn’t bother with making the garlic and herb butter either, because I had a small tub of Land O’lakes Garlic and herb butter in the fridge that I bought for the holidays. It was quick simple and fantastic.
The Real Person!
Making the biscuits in a pan is a great idea. Thanks for sharing your tip. Will have to try this.
I’ve made them twice and both times they turned out crumbly? Perhaps this is how they are suppose to be?
The Real Person!
When I made the boxed mix, they did not turn out noticeably crumbly. They were pretty moist in the middle – maybe try adding extra cheese or butter? Sorry that happened!
Just leave it in the oven for less time. Maby it’s over baked and lost moisture. Remember do not over mix.
Sorry that reply was for Calvin
I will have to try the Red Lobster biscuit mix !
I think these biscuits could be used for a bunch of other ways, like in breakfast sandwiches. That would give it more flavor…
The Real Person!
That’s a fantastic idea.
I just tried making the biscuits, they are cheap and easy not to mention delicious. This product is sold at Walmart for $1.95 per box. You’ll save more just go to walmart.com love always.
can I add eggs and more liquid and deep fry veggis, chicken, fish etc?
The Real Person!
That is a good question. I have never tried this!
Eggs would cause the mix to rise as it cooks and would give more of a consistency of cake,
I add part of a pkg of Hidden Valley Ranch dip/dressing mix and a tablespoon of dry dill weed and a small amount of bacon bits to the dry biscuit mix.