Recipe: Cathead Biscuits

Cathead Biscuits are a beloved Southern classic, and their name has a fun bit of folklore attached to it. These biscuits are known for their large size – so big that they’re said to be as large as a cat’s head. Hence, the name “cathead biscuits.” Now, whether they’re truly the size of a cat’s noggin might be up for debate, but there’s no doubt these biscuits are significantly larger than your average biscuit.

Cathead Biscuit recipes are typically made with simple ingredients like self-rising flour, butter or shortening and buttermilk. Traditionally, they’re formed by hand or scooped into a skillet or metal baking pan, which gives them a slightly rustic, uneven shape that adds to their charm. And there’s no biscuit cutter involved (like with this recipe) – so there’s that.

These biscuits are known for being super tender on the inside with a slightly crisp exterior.

The beauty of Cathead Biscuits lies in their simplicity and their size, which makes them perfect for splitting open and slathering with butter, honey or your favorite preserves. They’ve been a staple in Southern kitchens for generations, often served alongside hearty meals like fried chicken or sausage gravy, or just enjoyed on their own with a cup of coffee.

So, the next time you’re in the mood for a buttermilk biscuit that’s as big as a cat’s head (or at least close to it), give these a try. They’re sure to bring a little bit of Southern comfort to your table.

Is butter, lard or shortening better for making biscuits?

When it comes to biscuits, choosing among butter, lard or shortening really depends on what you’re craving.

Butter gives biscuits a rich, creamy flavor and makes them nice and flaky. It’s perfect if you love that buttery taste with a bit of crispiness on the edges. It’s my go-to fat when making nearly any kind of biscuits.

Lard is all about old-school Southern charm. It makes biscuits super light and tender, with a subtle savory flavor. If you’re after that fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth texture, lard’s your best bet.

Vegetable shortening, like Crisco, is the go-to for soft, consistent biscuits. It doesn’t add much flavor, but it makes biscuits reliably tender every time.

Can’t decide? Mix butter with either lard or shortening for the best of both worlds. Just keep your fats cold and don’t overwork the dough, and you’ll have delicious biscuits no matter what.

How should I store leftover biscuits?

Are leftover biscuits a thing? I’m not sure I’ve ever heard of those.  But seriously, though …

For short-term storage, let your biscuits cool completely, then wrap them in foil or place them in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh at room temperature for a day or two. If you want them to last a bit longer, you can refrigerate them for up to a week.

For longer storage, biscuits freeze beautifully. Just pop them into a freezer-safe bag or container once they’re cooled, and they’ll keep for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, you can reheat them straight from the freezer in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until warmed through.

This way, you can enjoy homemade biscuits any time you like, even if they’re leftovers.

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Do I have to use White Lily flour?

You don’t have to use White Lily flour to make great biscuits, but it’s a favorite among many Southern bakers for a reason. White Lily is a soft wheat flour, which means it has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour. This results in a lighter, fluffier biscuit with a tender crumb.

But if you don’t have White Lily on hand, no worries. You might try a mix of another kind of self-rising flour and cake flour to get a similar result. Just keep in mind the texture might be slightly different.

Ingredient FAQ

• Self-rising flour: Self-rising flour is flour that already has the leavening in it. It’s affordable and saves a few steps. If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can simply make your own by adding 6 teaspoons of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of salt to all-purpose flour and whisking it before cutting in the butter.
• Unsalted butter: Butter adds great flavor to biscuits, which is why I use it instead of lard or shortening. Just be sure to keep it as cold as possible when working with it.
• Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds a distinct tang and flavor to biscuits. For this recipe, I prefer to use whole buttermilk. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a buttermilk substitute.

Cathead Biscuits

Serves: 8 biscuits

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 cups White Lily self-rising flour
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter (plus 2 tablespoons melted)
• 2 cups cold whole buttermilk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and lightly grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet or metal cake pan. Set aside.
• Measure the flour by spooning it into a dry measuring cup and leveling it off with the back of a butter knife. Add it to a large bowl.
• Cut the cold butter into the flour using a pastry blender until the butter is cut into pieces the size of an English pea.
• You can also grate your very cold butter using a box grater and then stir it all together.
• Pour the buttermilk into the flour mixture and stir just until it is all combined. Don’t overmix.
• Use floured hands to portion the dough out into 8 equal pieces.
• Loosely form them into a round shape and place them in the prepared skillet. They should be touching. Don’t stress too much about how they look.
• Brush the tops with the additional melted butter.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
• Brush with even more melted butter, if desired.
• Serve warm.

Recipe notes

Nutritional information: calories 388 kilocalories, carbohydrates 48 grams, protein 10 grams, fat 17 grams, saturated fat 10 grams, polyunsaturated fat 1 gram, monounsaturated fat 4 grams, trans fat 1 gram, cholesterol 44 milligrams, sodium 66 milligrams, potassium 148 milligrams, fiber 2 grams, sugar 3 grams, vitamin A 538IU, calcium 83 milligrams, iron 1 milligram.

This recipe originally appeared on SouthernBite.com. For more great recipes, visit the website or check out “The Southern Bite Cookbook.”