Carthay Signature Fried Biscuits: A Crisp Shell Around Melted Cheese
A deep golden, crisp outside; a molten center of cheese with smoky bacon and the sharp heat of jarred jalapeño; and something sweet on the side. Hold on to those three things and you have the outline of the dish.
Break one open while it is still hot and the filling gives way: cheese, bits of bacon and flecks of jalapeño inside a round, fried biscuit shell. A TouringPlans reviewer who ordered them at Carthay Circle Restaurant described the outside as crispy and the inside as melted white cheddar with bacon and jalapeño, with apricot-honey butter served alongside. That contrast of salty, smoky, spicy and sweet is at the heart of this appetizer.
This is not Disney's official recipe. Disney has described what goes into the dish, but it has not published amounts, method or frying times. The recipe below follows one independent home copycat published by Fav Family Recipes, and keeps its own units and numbers. It has not been kitchen-tested by Sekai Gohan, so treat the yield and timings as the source's guidance, not as measured results.
For many home cooks outside the United States, the hardest part is the dough: the copycat uses a tube of large refrigerated biscuit dough, which is not available everywhere. The substitution section below explains how to approach that honestly.
A Signature Appetizer at a Theater-Style Restaurant
Carthay Signature Fried Biscuits are a modern restaurant appetizer, not a traditional regional dish. In a July 26, 2019 Disney Parks Blog guide to iconic foods at Disney California Adventure park, Carthay Circle Restaurant presented them as fried biscuits stuffed with white cheddar, bacon and jalapeño, served with apricot-honey butter. The same guide describes the restaurant as celebrating the flavors of Southern California.
A TouringPlans visit report from October 13, 2014 described a dining room that recalls a theater, with Art Deco design, and the biscuits served there as an appetizer. Read together, the two sources connect the room and the plate: a dish known as the house starter of a restaurant built around a movie-theater look.
Neither source tells us who created the dish, when, or whether it is on the menu today. A 2019 blog post and a 2014 review describe what was served at those times; they are not proof of the current menu. This article also does not fold the dish into the general history of Southern biscuits, because nothing in the sources links the two.
Disney's Description Versus the Home Copycat
| Point | Disney's 2019 description | Fav Family Recipes copycat |
|---|---|---|
| Cheese | White cheddar | Monterey Jack and cheddar (cheddar is not specified as white) |
| Other filling | Bacon, jalapeño | Cooked bacon, jarred jalapeño, egg, milk, salt and pepper |
| Shell | Fried biscuit | Refrigerated large biscuit dough, each biscuit cut into 4 |
| Served with | Apricot-honey butter | Suggestion of honey, softened butter and apricot jam, with no amounts |
| Amounts and method | Not published | Given in cups, tablespoons, slices and pieces |
The difference matters when you shop. If you want to stay close to the copycat's flavor, buy both cheeses as listed. If you want to lean toward Disney's description, using white cheddar is an option covered under variations, but it is an editorial choice, not part of the copycat.
What Builds the Flavor and Texture
The two cheeses are the body of the filling: Monterey Jack melts smoothly, and cheddar brings saltiness and cheese flavor. Cooked bacon adds smoke and savoriness. Jarred jalapeño is specified by the source instead of fresh; it brings acidity along with heat. In this version the jalapeño is drained before measuring so the filling holds together, which is our editorial choice; the source does not say whether to drain it.
The beaten egg and a little milk bind the filling into balls that can be frozen hard. Freezing is what makes it possible to wrap the filling tightly in a small piece of dough and get it into hot oil without it slumping. The biscuit dough becomes the crisp shell.
Ingredients (About 32 Pieces, as Listed in the Copycat)
The amounts below are the copycat's own, in its original units. The source does not give amounts for frying oil, salt and pepper, or the serving accompaniments, so none are added here. The yield of about 32 is the source's estimate, not a counted result.
This dish contains wheat, milk and egg, and bacon (pork, depending on the product). Check the labels of the dough, cheese and bacon for allergens and shared-facility statements, and keep tools separate where cross-contact is a concern.
Equipment
- Rimmed tray or baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Plastic wrap or another cover for the tray
- Mixing bowl and spoon
- Knife and cutting board
- Deep, heavy pot for frying
- Cooking thermometer (an editorial recommendation for holding 350°F; not part of the source's instructions)
- Slotted spoon
- Kitchen paper and a heat-safe plate
Choosing Substitutes
- Biscuit dough: The copycat calls for a 16.3 oz tube of 8 large refrigerated biscuits. Other refrigerated biscuit doughs can differ in thickness and size, which changes how much filling a piece can wrap and the finished texture. Using one is an editorial substitution that has not been tested. Wrap a single filling ball first to check that the dough covers it completely before cutting the rest.
- Monterey Jack: If you cannot find it, a mild, easy-melting cheese is an editorial option. The flavor will differ from the source.
- Jalapeño: The source specifies jarred. Fresh jalapeño changes the acidity, moisture and heat, and moves away from the recipe.
- Apricot-honey butter: Neither Disney nor the copycat gives proportions. Mixing softened butter, honey and apricot jam to taste, or setting out store-bought honey butter and apricot jam, are both reasonable ways to serve it. The copycat also mentions other jams; this version keeps to apricot.
Method: Freeze the Filling, Wrap It, and Fry at 350°F
The filling must freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight, so start the day before or in the morning. The frying temperature comes from the source; the internal-temperature check in step 5 comes from general Japanese public food-safety guidance and has not been measured for this recipe.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Filling won't hold together | Not enough binding | Add milk a little at a time until the mixture holds when squeezed firmly |
| Filling is too soft to wrap | Not frozen long enough | Return the balls to the freezer; the source calls for at least 6 hours or overnight |
| Dough tears while wrapping | Dough stretched too thin, or a ball too large for your dough | Pinch the tear closed before frying. With a different dough, test one ball first |
| Cheese leaks into the oil | Seam or hole left open | Seal every seam completely before frying |
| Outside browns before you can confirm the center | Oil temperature has drifted | Check the thermometer and hold 350°F; fry fewer at a time |
| Center not confirmed as heated | Frozen filling at the core | Don't rely on color or a set time. Don't serve a piece until its center has reached the guideline |
The copycat suggests briefly microwaving a biscuit to melt the cheese. That is a texture suggestion, not a safety step, and it is not used in this version as a fix for undercooking.
Variations
- Adjust the heat: Use 4 tablespoons of jarred jalapeño for a milder filling or 5 for more heat, staying within the source's range.
- Swap the Monterey Jack: Use a mild, easy-melting cheese if Monterey Jack is unavailable. Expect a different flavor.
- Lean toward Disney's description: Use white cheddar instead of regular cheddar. This is an editorial choice, not the copycat's specification.
- Store-bought accompaniments: Set out honey butter and apricot jam and let everyone combine them as they like. A measured recipe would need testing.
- A different dough: If your local biscuit dough is a different size, wrap one ball first to confirm it fits before dividing the rest. Don't change the total amounts of dough or filling without reason.
Where This Dish Sits in American Food
These biscuits belong to a specific place: a contemporary restaurant appetizer at a theme park, served in a dining room styled after a movie theater. They are not a traditional Southern Californian dish, and the sources say nothing of an inventor or origin story. Making them at home with a published copycat is one way to recreate the experience, not the restaurant's own method. For more dishes from across the country, see our United States page.
Leftovers and Reheating
The copycat suggests keeping leftovers at room temperature for hours or overnight; that is not followed here, because the filling contains egg, dairy and bacon. Instead, following the general home food-safety guidance of Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: divide leftovers into clean, shallow containers in small portions, cool them quickly, and refrigerate them promptly. Don't leave them out at room temperature for a long time while they cool. When reheating, heat thoroughly; the general guide is a center temperature of 75°C or higher. This is general guidance, not a tested storage period or reheating time for this recipe, so none is given.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this Carthay Circle's official recipe?
No. Disney has described the ingredients (white cheddar, bacon, jalapeño and apricot-honey butter) but has not published a recipe. The amounts and method here come from Fav Family Recipes' independent copycat.
Can I use fresh jalapeño?
The source specifies jarred jalapeño. Fresh jalapeño changes the acidity, moisture and heat, so treat it as your own adaptation.
How many does this make?
The copycat estimates about 32. Each of the 8 biscuits is cut into 4, giving 32 pieces of dough, but the number of filling balls is approximate. This yield has not been measured in our kitchen.
How long do I fry them?
The source's FAQ gives a general guide of 3–4 minutes per biscuit at 350°F, its summary lists a cook time of 6 minutes, and its method says to fry until deep golden brown. None of these guarantees the frozen center is safely heated. Keep the oil at 350°F, and check the center as well as the color.
Can I make the honey butter ahead or serve it to small children?
No ratio is given, so mix it to taste; this article gives no make-ahead or storage guidance for it. Because it contains honey, do not give it to children under 1 year old; normal cooking does not make honey safe for infants.
Sources
- Disney Parks Blog / Disneyland Resort, "Foodie Guide: Disney California Adventure Iconic Foods" (July 26, 2019). Disney's description of the biscuits as filled with white cheddar, bacon and jalapeño and served with apricot-honey butter at Carthay Circle Restaurant, and the restaurant's Southern California theme. No recipe, amounts or method are given. https://disneyparksblog.com/dlr/foodie-guide-to-iconic-tastes-at-disney-california-adventure-park/
- Fav Family Recipes (Erica Walker), "Cheesy Fried Biscuits (Disney Copycat)." The independent copycat used for ingredients, amounts, freezing, the 32-piece division, 350°F frying, and serving suggestions. Not an official Disney recipe. https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/carthay-circle-fried-biscuits-copycat/
- TouringPlans, "Appetizers Only at Carthay Circle Restaurant" (October 13, 2014). A diner's description of the crispy exterior, melted white cheddar with bacon and jalapeño, apricot-honey butter, and the restaurant's interior at that time. Not evidence of the current menu. https://touringplans.com/blog/appetizers-carthay-circle-restaurant/
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan), "家庭での食中毒予防" (Preventing food poisoning at home). General guidance on heating to a center temperature of 75°C for at least 1 minute, cooling leftovers quickly in small portions in clean shallow containers, refrigerating promptly, and reheating to 75°C or higher. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/shokuhin/syokuchu/01_00008.html
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (Japan), "ハチミツを与えるのは1歳を過ぎてから。" (Give honey only after age 1). Guidance not to give honey or foods containing honey to children under 1 year old. https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000161461.html
