Jumbo Lump Crab Gravy + Cheddar Bay Garlic Butter Swim Biscuits

There’s comfort food… and then there’s this. Golden, buttery Cheddar Bay-style swim biscuits baked in garlic butter until crisp on the edges and tender in the center, topped with a rich, velvety crab gravy loaded with sweet jumbo lump crab. It’s cozy, indulgent, and just elevated enough to feel like something special without losing that down-home soul.

Whether you’re making this for a weekend brunch, a holiday spread, or just because you deserve something incredible, this dish hits every note: savory, creamy, buttery, and deeply satisfying.

Why You’re Going to Love This Recipe

• Buttery swim biscuits that bake up soft, fluffy, and crispy around the edges
• Loaded with sharp cheddar, garlic, and herbs in every bite
• Creamy, restaurant-style crab gravy packed with jumbo lump crab
• Perfect balance of comfort food and elevated flavor
• Great for brunch, dinner, or impressing guests

Ingredients

Cheddar Bay Garlic Butter Swim Biscuits

• Unsalted butter
• Flour
• Cold buttermilk
• Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• Chives, diced
• Baking powder
• Sugar
• Garlic, paste or minced
• Salt
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Dried parsley

Jumbo Lump Crab Gravy

• Jumbo lump crab meat
• Heavy whipping cream
• Seafood stock
• Shallot, diced
• Bell pepper, diced
• Flour
• Garlic
• Dried tarragon
• Dried parsley
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Unsalted butter

Garnish

• Old Bay seasoning
• Garlic butter
• Chives

How to Make Cheddar Bay Garlic Butter Swim Biscuits

Preheat your oven to 400°F.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, garlic, salt, and dried parsley. Melt in short intervals until fully combined, then set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, cheddar cheese, chives, and buttermilk. Gently fold everything together until just combined. Don’t overmix, you want the biscuits tender.

Pour the melted garlic butter into the bottom of your baking dish. Spread the biscuit dough evenly on top. It’s completely fine if the butter pools around the edges and over the top. That’s what gives you those crispy, golden edges.

Score the dough into portions, then bake for 25 to 28 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

How to Make Jumbo Lump Crab Gravy

In a pan over medium heat, melt butter and sauté the shallots, bell peppers, and garlic until soft and fragrant.

Sprinkle in the flour and stir until it’s fully absorbed, creating a light roux.

Deglaze with seafood stock, stirring to combine. Once it begins to thicken, pour in the heavy cream and continue stirring.

Let the gravy simmer until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Season with salt, pepper, tarragon, and parsley. Gently fold in the jumbo lump crab meat and let it warm through for a minute or two. Avoid overmixing so you keep those beautiful chunks intact. Remove from heat.

Assemble

Brush the warm biscuits with garlic butter and finish with a sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning.

Cut into thick portions and spoon that rich crab gravy right over the top. Finish with fresh chives and serve immediately.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftover biscuits and gravy separately in airtight containers in the fridge.

To reheat biscuits, warm them in the oven at 350°F until heated through to keep that crisp edge.

Reheat the crab gravy gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of cream or stock if needed to loosen it back up. Avoid overheating to keep the crab tender.

Final Thoughts

This Jumbo Crab Biscuits & Gravy is the kind of dish that makes you slow down and savor every bite. It’s rich without being overwhelming, comforting but still elevated, and packed with flavor from top to bottom.

Perfect for when you want to bring something unforgettable to the table… or keep it all to yourself.

Print

Jumbo Crab Biscuits & Gravy

There’s something about a pan of buttery, golden biscuits fresh from the oven that just feels like comfort but this one takes a sharp turn into indulgence. These Cheddar Bay garlic butter swim biscuits bake up rich, fluffy, and soaked in flavor from the very bottom up, with crispy edges and a soft, cheesy center that practically melts into every bite. Then comes the real moment. That silky, luxurious crab gravy loaded with sweet jumbo lump crab, kissed with shallots, garlic, and herbs, and finished with just enough cream to make it unapologetically decadent. It seeps into every crevice of those biscuits, turning something already incredible into a full-on experience. This is the kind of dish you make when you want to slow down, savor every bite, and maybe not share.

Course brunch, dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword biscuits and gravy, brunch, crab, seafood

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6 biscuits

Author kingcooks

Equipment

• 8×8-inch baking pan

Ingredients

Cheddar Bay Garlic Butter Swim Biscuits

• 1 stick butter unsalted
• 2 1/2 cups of flour
• 2 cups buttermilk cold
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
• 1/4 cup chives diced
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp garlic paste or minced
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp parsley dried

Jumbo Lump Crab Gravy

• 8 oz jumbo lump crab meat
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup seafood stock
• 1/4 cup shallot diced
• 1/4 cup bell peppers diced
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp garlic chopped or paste
• 1 tsp tarragon dried
• 1 1/2 tsp parsley dried
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Unsalted butter for cooking

Garish

• Old Bay seasoning
• Garlic butter
• Chives

Instructions

Cheddar Bay Garlic Butter Swim Biscuits

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, minced garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp dried parsley. Microwave in 20-second intervals until melted. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients listed under “Cheddar Bay Garlic Butter Swim Biscuits.” Gently fold until just combined and no dry spots are left.
• Pour the melted garlic butter to the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking pan.
• Add the biscuit dough and spread out evenly. It’s totally fine if the garlic butter overlaps, in a way you want it to.
• Using a knife, divide evenly into servings. This recipe should make six thick biscuits.
• Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25-28 minutes or until cooked through and golden around the edges and top.

Jumbo Lump Crab Gravy

• To pan over medium heat, add a few tablespoons of butter and sauté the shallots, bell peppers, and garlic for 2-3 minutes.
• Once fragrant, sprinkle with flour and allow the flour to be absorbed.
• Deglaze the pan with seafood stock and mix to combine. Once the mixture starts to thicken, stir in the heavy cream.
• Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken and can coat the back of a spoon.
• Season with salt, pepper, tarragon, and parsley. Finally, fold in the jumbo lump crab meat. Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes just to warm the crab meat and remove from heat.

Assemble

• Now that the biscuits are cooked, brush with garlic butter and give them a dash of Old Bay to finish.
• Cut out a serving and top with the jumbo lump crab gravy. Garnish with chives and enjoy!