Description
These homemade Cheddar Bay biscuits are stuffed with a creamy crab filling and finished with a tangy lemon butter sauce. Perfect as an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer for parties, brunch, or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (optional)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (115g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 cup (115g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk, cold (or whole milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
- 8 oz (225g) lump crab meat
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions or chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne or dash of hot sauce (optional)
- 4 tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, gently combine crab meat, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, scallions, parsley, salt, pepper, and cayenne or hot sauce if using. Mix just until combined and set aside in the fridge.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic powder, Old Bay, sugar, and salt.
- Add cold cubed butter and cut it into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in shredded cheddar cheese until evenly distributed.
- Pour in cold buttermilk and gently fold until just combined. The dough should be sticky but not wet.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough, flatten slightly, and place 1 heaping teaspoon of crab filling in the center. Top with another small scoop of dough, pinch edges to seal, and shape into a ball. Place on prepared baking sheet.
- Repeat with remaining dough and filling, spacing biscuits about 2 inches apart. Makes 10-12 biscuits.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown on top and bottom. Tent with foil if tops brown too quickly.
- While biscuits bake, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt. Stir until fragrant (1-2 minutes), then remove from heat.
- When biscuits are done, immediately brush tops with lemon butter sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
- Let biscuits cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm with extra lemon butter sauce on the side.
Notes
Keep butter and buttermilk cold for flaky biscuits. Don’t overmix the dough. Seal edges well to keep filling inside. Fresh or refrigerated crab is best, but canned works if well-drained. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Biscuits are best served warm but can be reheated. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 biscuit
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 8
Keywords: crab stuffed biscuits, cheddar bay biscuits, appetizer, seafood, lemon butter, party food, brunch, easy recipe, homemade biscuits, cheesy biscuits