I Ranked 5 Cheddar Biscuit Mixes & One Blew the Rest Away
When you think cheddar biscuits, you think Red Lobster. The cheesy bread type has been a staple at the seafood joint since 1992 and faces little to no competition in the chain restaurant world. Other establishments remain hung up on rolls, wheat loaves, and breadsticks–not that we're mad about that.
But, Red Lobster isn't just dominating the dine-in scene—it's also competing in grocery aisles with its boxed biscuit mixes. And here, it faces some real competition. Top players in the baked goods space, like Pillsbury, along with various store brands, throw their own recipes into the ring. It's a bold move to go up against such a respected and established name. But hey, you have to risk it to get the biscuit, right?
Let's see how they all compare in a cheesy biscuit bake-off.
Pillsbury
The Doughboy brings us a wealth of winning baked goods. I mean crescent rolls? Toaster strudels? Cinnamon rolls? The list goes on and on. But, the brand's cheddar garlic biscuit mix was admittedly new territory for me. The biscuits require a few extra steps compared to your typical "pop the tube and bake" Pillsbury products. You have to stir milk into the mixture and provide your own shredded cheddar cheese before popping them in the oven. It's simple but just enough to qualify it as "baking", in my opinion. The bag came at a cost of just $1.29.
The Look: Cheesy biscuits have a certain lumpy look to them that's different from any standard biscuit–you won't find any flakey layers in this taste test. These from Pillsbury came out paler than expected but they showed off flecks of shredded orange cheese.
The Taste: Pillsbury started at a disadvantage by not including a buttery top coat in its recipe. And, unfortunately, its biscuits weren't good enough to dazzle without it. With a soft center, crunchy bottom, and stiff peaks at the top, their texture was passable. But, they were dry without enough pangs of cheddar cheese to make up for it. When I wasn't reaching for water, I also spent most bites wondering where the heck the garlic was.
Aldi
Surprisingly, Aldi provided the least economical biscuits. Priced at $3.99, I would venture to guess that their gluten-free status elevated their cost. From the store's exclusive liveGfree brand, they are cheddar cheese flavored (shredded cheese not included) and come with a garlic herb seasoning packet that must be combined with melted butter before being slathered onto the cooked biscuits. They are also egg and soy free in case you were wondering.
The Look: The mix poured out extra white and powdery, just like pure flour–an observation that isn't too far off from the truth. After prepping and baking, though, the biscuits came out brick-like, crackled, and yellowed, like a cross between cornbread and a sugar cookie.
The Taste: livGfree was the only mix that called for oil in its recipe and it showed. If their coloring didn't give it away, you would be able to tell from that first greasy nibble. Aside from this hitch, I do have to assign some credit. These biscuits aren't half bad for a gluten-free product. While they are exceedingly dense–offering a cake-like consistency–there are no whiffs of grittiness that you sometimes get from other products in this category. The cheese sprinkled throughout elevates the flavor profile, and the seasoned butter on top is the piece de resistance. A bit salty, a little garlicky, and with parsley (mostly for looks), it makes all the difference.
Meijer
As all large grocery stores do, Midwest grocer Meijer provides its shoppers with plenty of low-cost store brand alternatives. Priced at $1.99 and sitting right next to Red Lobster's boxes, this cheesy garlic biscuit mix certainly fits that bill. To spin up the bargain baked goods, you'll need milk, shredded cheese (the box says "of choice" but I went with cheddar to keep things even), and melted butter. This time, though, instead of brushing on the butter post-oven, it actually gets incorporated into the mix itself.
The Look: Nearly indistinguishable from Pillsbury's from the shade to the shape. The orange strips of cheese seem to pop more in Meijer's, though. These also came out looking underdone and doughy in the middle, but I promise they are cooked all the way through.
The Taste: A lack of butter glaze was not as large of a detriment to these biscuits as it was to Pillsbury's. Why? Because these have butter at their core which gives each one a richer flavor and a pillowy yet crumbly structure. Without the buttery finishing touch, the cheeses baked right into the dry mix including asiago and Parmesan have a chance to shine. I also appreciated the herby taste of dried basil which gave each biscuit a fresh and unlikely twist.
Giant Eagle
The regional grocery store chain Giant Eagle is known for its top-notch bakery and its wide range of excellent store-brand picks–speaking from personal experience. So, I had high expectations for its cheddar and herb biscuit mix. It rings up at $2.29 for the powder blend that you are instructed to stir together with cold water and shredded cheddar cheese. A garlic herb blend pouch is also provided which dissolves into melted butter creating the sauce that gets spooned onto each hot biscuit.
The Look: They turned out flatter than I expected with no large crests or mounds. Cheese specks seemed light but green herb freckles spanned across the entire width of the biscuits thanks to the butter sauce.
The Taste: An optimal level of more dense than fluffy with just a touch of stiffness at the base–where the dough was in direct contact with the cookie sheet. Soaked in the butter garnish, they're moist, garlicky, savory, and salty. Perhaps a bit too salty. It seems to me the herb blend was made up almost entirely of sodium–it certainly goes beyond adding a pinch "just for taste". But, all things considered, these are still well-constructed biscuits and you could always scale back on the butter sauce application.
Red Lobster Box Mix
Red Lobster joins the ranks of chains famous for their bread. Texas Roadhouse with its rolls and cinnamon butter wears this badge as well as Olive Garden with its garlic breadsticks. But, the fact that Red Lobster offers up its secret recipe for cheese lovers to make at home is pretty special. The mixes cost $2.89 each and must be combined with water and shredded cheddar cheese to bring the biscuits to life. The included garlic herb seasoning blend also requires melted butter before it can join the party.
The Look: Marginally less squished than Giant Eagle's. But, aside from their stature, they're nearly identical to the pictures on the box.
The Taste: The buttery best. The biscuit alone manages to be both light and airy but also solid and filling at the same time. Plus, just the right amount of crispiness comes from the topmost bits. With the cheese thrown in a great natural taste, they could stand on their own. But then, the butter topping changes the game. Unlike the rendition from Giant Eagle, this one strikes a proper, less offensive balance of saltiness to other flavors like garlic, gracing each bite with a succulent and tasteful finish. Are they exactly like the delicious dough balls you'll find in the restaurant? No. But, I think that boils down to my baking skills rather than anything else.
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