These Fried Biscuits taste exactly like the spicy, cheesy biscuits found at Carthay Circle, a restaurant in Disney’s California Adventure park. Perfect little bites that are super easy to make at home!
These Carthay Circle Fried Biscuits are a staple at the ritzy California Adventure restaurant. Located at the Disneyland Resort, the Carthay Circle restaurant is one of the fanciest dining experiences at the park. If you’re planning an adults only Disney vacation, or looking for an elegant dining experience while you’re there, book a reservation for this restaurant as soon as you can; the place books out months in advance! The food is delicious, albeit pricey. So if a ritzy dining experience isn’t in the cards, make these cheesy jalapeño bombs at home! They’re so easy to make and taste exactly like the popular appetizer. Light and crispy on the outside, gooey and cheesy on the inside. Perfect to enjoy in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Ingredients in Copycat Fried Biscuits
These little fried balls may look and taste fancy, but they’re so easy to make, you won’t believe it! Here’s all you need:
- Shredded cheese – I used a mixture of cheddar and Monterrey jack, but you could use cheddar and Pepper jack for extra spice. And here’s a little tip: shred your own cheese from a block instead of pre-shredded. It just melts so much better.
- Cooked bacon – You’ll need about 5 or 6 strips of cooked bacon, finely chopped. I’ve also used the pre-cooked bacon pieces (NOT bacon bits) which are found near the regular bacon of your grocery store.
- Diced jalapeño – I like to use the jalapeños in a jar and not a fresh one.
- Eggs, milk and salt and pepper – These are used as a binding agent for the cheese, bacon and jalapeño balls.
- A tube of refrigerated biscuit dough – any canned biscuit dough works great. I happen to be partial to the buttermilk flaky biscuits or any Pillsbury biscuits.
- Some oil for frying – I prefer vegetable oil.
Six Simple Steps to Savory Fried Biscuits
- Mix the cheese, bacon, jalapeño, egg, milk, salt and pepper together. Go ahead and use your hands if you need to get the whole mixture blended together.
- Form the cheese mixture into small balls. I use a small cookie dough scoop for consistency, but you can eyeball it too.
- Pop the cheese balls into the freezer for a few hours, or preferably overnight.
- Cut each biscuit into quarters, and wrap each and wrap them in pre-made biscuit dough. Make sure they’re completely covered and nice and smooth.
- Heat your oil to about 350 degrees and fry the balls in the hot oil in a pan or dutch oven until they’re golden brown. I fry about three or four at a time, so the oil doesn’t get too cool. Let them drain on a paper towel.
- Serve them hot with some honey butter (I made some with a mixture of honey, softened butter and a scoop of apricot jelly).
Sweet and Savory Options
You can serve these fried biscuits as a savory appetizer or sweetened up for dessert. Here are some ideas:
- For a savory flair, serve with a side of homemade sausage gravy for dipping.
- Or try to serve these deep-fried biscuits with powdered sugar, honey butter or a mixture of cinnamon-sugar.
- If you prefer to make your own biscuits, try our yummy and easy homemade buttermilk biscuit recipe instead of canned biscuits.
How to Store Leftover Fried Biscuits
To keep leftover fried biscuits fresh, here’s how to properly store your leftovers:
- Make sure the biscuits are cooled completely before storing so they don’t become soggy.
- Store fried biscuits in an airtight container or ziploc bag.
- If you need to layer the biscuits, place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper in between layers.
- Fried biscuits can be stored at room temperature for a few hours or overnight. But any longer than that, you should pop them in the fridge for up to a few days.
“Oh my gosh, these look incredible!! I love homemade biscuits, but I’ve never made anything like these before. I’m in the UK, so I’ve not had these biscuits before, but I need them in my life!”
Annie
“Oh wow these look amazing. I’ve never had these at Disney, but definitely going to try them!”
Erika
Fried Biscuits (Disney Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4-5 tablespoons finely diced jalapeño from a jar, (not fresh)
- 5-6 slices cooked bacon, finely chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1-2 teaspoons milk, or as needed
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 (16.3-ounce) tube large biscuits (8 count)
- oil, for frying
Instructions
- Step 1: Cover a plate or tray with parchment paper. Set aside
- Step 2: Combine cheeses, jalapeno, bacon, egg, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium mixing bowl. Mix with a spoon until well combined. It will keep its shape when you squeeze it together firmly in your hand.
- Step 3: Using a small cookie scoop, scoop a small ball (about the size of a typical bouncy ball) and roll it in your hands until it stays together and forms a smooth, tight ball. Repeat with the remaining cheese mixture. You should have about 32 balls.
- Step 4: Place the balls on the prepared tray. Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Step 5: Remove cheese balls from the freezer. Open the biscuit dough.
- Step 6: Cut each biscuit into 4 sections. Flatten each section and wrap one around each cheese ball, rolling it in your hands to make sure there are no holes or seams. You want it to be smooth and round.
- Step 7: Heat oil in a deep fryer or skillet to 350 degrees F. Fry each ball until dark golden brown.
- Step 8: Serve hot.
Notes
- If the cheese inside doesn’t seem to be completely melted, just pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds and they will be perfect.
- You can also serve them sweet with powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or honey butter. I like to mix our honey butter with a scoop of apricot jelly or strawberry jam.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to deep fry a biscuit?
As a general rule, cook each biscuit in 350 degree oil for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
What to do if the cheese doesn’t melt inside the biscuit?
If you find that after frying, the cheese isn’t completely melted, just pop the biscuits in the microwave for 10 seconds. That should do that trick!
What to serve with fried biscuits?
We serve the Carthay Circle Fried Biscuits with honey butter made from a mixture of honey, softened butter, and a spoonful of apricot jelly. These biscuits are best served hot!
Interested in more Disney Recipes?
From a yummy Dole Whip recipe to the Popular Jalapeño Cheese Stuffed Pretzel recipe that will transport you to the Disney Parks – check out Disney foodie favorites on our recipe page!
