Gluten Free Cheddar Bay Biscuit Bites

Cheesy, garlicky, golden brown biscuit bites that happen to be completely gluten free. That’s what we’re making today, and trust me, they are so good.

I know that a lot of gluten free baked goods can be hit or miss. Some are too dry, some fall apart, and some just taste off. These biscuit bites are none of those things.

They’re inspired by the classic cheddar bay biscuits you’d get at a seafood restaurant. Rustic, tender on the inside, and packed with sharp cheddar cheese in every bite.

The recipe is straightforward and doesn’t take long at all. You mix the dough, scoop it onto a baking sheet, bake, and then brush everything with a simple garlic butter topping.

These are great as a side for soups, salads, or really any meal. Or you can just eat them on their own. I won’t judge.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Tastes Just Like the Restaurant Version – These biscuit bites have that same buttery and cheesy flavor you love from Red Lobster but fully gluten free.

Incredibly Easy to Make – You just mix the dough and scoop it onto a baking sheet with no rolling or cutting needed.

Perfectly Fluffy and Tender Inside – The cold butter and buttermilk create soft and flaky layers that melt in your mouth every single time.

Ingredients

For the Biscuit Bites

• 2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 1 tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1/3 cup Cold Unsalted Butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 3/4 cup Cold Buttermilk

For the Garlic Butter Topping

• 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
• Pinch of Salt

How to Make

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add the cold cubed butter and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work it in until you have pea-sized crumbs scattered throughout.

Step 3

Add the shredded cheddar cheese and toss to coat in the flour mixture. Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir with a fork until a shaggy, slightly sticky dough comes together. Do not overmix.

Step 4

Using a medium cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. You should get about 20 to 22 biscuit bites. They should look rustic and rough, not smooth.

Step 5

Bake for 13 to 16 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the biscuit bites are set. They should be puffed and slightly cracked on top.

Step 6

While the biscuit bites bake, prepare the garlic butter topping. Stir together the melted butter, garlic powder, chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.

Step 7

As soon as the biscuit bites come out of the oven, brush each one generously with the garlic butter mixture. The butter will soak in slightly and give them an incredible flavor and shine. Serve warm for the best experience.

My Tips

Keep the Butter and Buttermilk Cold

This is the single most important thing for getting tall, flaky biscuit bites. Cold butter creates little pockets of steam in the oven, and that’s what gives you that layered, tender texture inside.

Cut your butter into small cubes and put it back in the fridge (or even the freezer for 10 minutes) before you start mixing. Same with the buttermilk – keep it in the fridge until the moment you need it.

If your kitchen runs warm, you can even chill your mixing bowl for a few minutes. The goal is to keep everything as cold as possible so the butter doesn’t melt into the dough before it hits the oven.

Stop Mixing Sooner Than You Think

When you pour in the buttermilk, stir with a fork just until the dough barely comes together. It should look shaggy, rough, and a little messy. That’s exactly what you want.

Gluten free doughs can get gummy fast if you overwork them. Unlike regular flour, the starches in gluten free blends break down quickly with too much mixing, and you’ll end up with dense, heavy biscuit bites instead of light and fluffy ones.

If you still see a few dry spots, just press them in gently with your hands. Don’t keep stirring to get a smooth dough – smooth means you’ve gone too far.

Use a Cookie Scoop for Even Baking

A medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) is the best tool for portioning these out. It keeps all the biscuit bites roughly the same size, which means they’ll all finish baking at the same time.

If some are bigger than others, the small ones will overbake and dry out while you wait for the big ones to cook through. That’s an easy problem to avoid with a scoop.

Don’t press or shape the dough after you scoop it. Just drop it onto the baking sheet and leave it looking rough and rustic. Those uneven edges get nice and crispy in the oven.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
• Gluten Free Cheddar Cheese Crackers
• Gluten Free Cheesy Garlic Bread
• Gluten Free Brazilian Cheese Bread
• Gluten Free Cheddar Jalapeno Bread

FAQ

Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?

Buttermilk is really important here because its acidity reacts with the baking powder to help these biscuit bites rise and get fluffy. Regular milk won’t give you the same lift or tangy flavor.

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make a quick substitute by adding 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to 3/4 cup of milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it looks slightly curdled, then use it just like buttermilk.