Cat Head Biscuits
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Cat Head Biscuits are made from an old fashioned recipe handed down through generations. They're huge, fluffy biscuits with crunchy, golden tops!
What Is A Cat Head Biscuit?
Cathead biscuits got their name from being as big as a cat's head. They're not just any fluffy piece of bread, but a great big piece of southern history.
Now, don’t worry. There’s nothing even related to a cat in this recipe. But, you might start begging for more after you take your first bite!
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The Ultimate Drop Biscuit
The authentic way to make Cathead biscuits is by gently using your hands and never rolling them out.
My Granny made this old fashioned recipe without measuring a thing. It was all in her hands...the scoop of the flour, the swipe of real butter, and the swirl of buttermilk.
Granny Mac always said the best part about these buttery biscuits is that they're meant to be dropped. No rolling pin is necessary. No cutter is needed. There's definitely no food processor involved.
They're called a drop biscuit because that's exactly what you do! You just mix them by hand, pat them, and drop them in a skillet! That's the true sign of an authentic cathead recipe.
Ingredients
Homemade Cathead biscuits are made with just 7 ingredients, and the final result is worthy of celebration! They're special enough to serve on holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Here's what you'll need to make them. See recipe card for quantities.
- all purpose flour (White Lily works best)
- baking powder
- salt
- baking soda
- cold grated butter
- cold buttermilk
- melted butter to brush tops
Tools You'll Need
To make traditional Cat Head biscuits, you'll need 4 important tools...a large bowl, a cast iron skillet, a grater, and your hands.
You can make this bread without a cast iron skillet, but it wouldn't be the same. You could roll them and cut them, but why do that? Granny Mac never did.
Step by Step Instructions
1 - Grease a large cast iron skillet. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Mix together with one hand.
2 - Grate cold butter with a cheese grater into the flour mixture.
3 - With one hand, mix the butter into the flour until dough is crumbly.
4 - Make a well (indention) in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk into the well.
5 - With one hand, gently mix the buttermilk into the flour mixture until dry ingredients are barely moistened.
6 - Using both hands, pinch the dough into large irregular balls and place in greased cast iron skillet. Make sure balls are touching so they will rise properly.
7 - Brush the tops with melted butter. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
Biscuits and Gravy
I get a hankering for biscuits every time I fry a pan of bacon and need to sop up the gravy. I hanker for lots of things, but biscuits and gravy are right up there with the best of them.
Cat Heads are the best scratch-made biscuits to hold up to gravy. They're buttery and crumbly on the outside, while tender and soft on the inside.
Jam and Biscuits
Cat Heads with homemade jam are a little piece of heaven right here on earth. When you slather a hot biscuit with real butter and blueberry jam, it's the most delicious thing you've ever tasted.
You might think that a piece of bread this big would be heavy, but these wonders have a fluffy and light texture that crumble in all the right places. Every crevice is made for soaking up goodness.
Expert Tips
- Use cold ingredients. Cold dough is the secret to success. Make sure the buttermilk and butter come straight from the refrigerator and not the kitchen counter.
- If you really want to make cold dough, freeze the butter before hand. It's easier to grate and works well in this recipe.
- A cast iron skillet holds in the heat and helps make crispy edges.
- If the biscuits are touching in the skillet, they will rise up higher.
- Using a low-protein flour like White Lily (ad) makes your biscuits turn out light and airy.
Recipe FAQS
Cathead biscuits originated in the south, but no one knows for sure where the first one was created. Some folks in the Appalachian mountains have claimed them, but there's no way to know for sure.
The higher the temperature, the better the rise. A hot oven will produce the highest rise on breads and bakery items.
Serving Suggestions
These meals are perfect for sopping up gravy....
Recipe Card
Cat Head Biscuits
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose white wheat flour (White Lily works best) ad
- 2 Tablespoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ sticks cold grated butter (¾ cup)
- 2 ½ cups whole buttermilk (cold)
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter to brush tops of biscuits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Whisk together until fluffy.4 cups all purpose white wheat flour, 2 Tablespoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Grate the butter with a cheese grater into the flour mixture.1 ½ sticks cold grated butter
- With one hand, mix the butter into the flour until dough is crumbly.
- Make a well (indention) in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk into the well.2 ½ cups whole buttermilk
- With one hand, gently mix the buttermilk into the flour mixture until dry ingredients are barely moistened.
- Using both hands, shape the dough into large irregular balls and place in greased cast iron skillet. Make sure biscuits are touching.
- Brush the biscuit tops with melted butter.2 Tablespoons melted butter to brush tops of biscuits
- Bake at 450 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until biscuits are golden brown.
Video
Notes
- Cold butter is the secret to perfect biscuits. If you freeze the butter ahead of time, it will be easier to grate. If you don't have a grater, cut the butter in the smallest pieces you can.
- When you add buttermilk, try not to over mix the dough. Gently use your hands to bring the dough together and stop when it's barely moistened. You should be able to form a ball with the dough, but not mix it until every crumb is incorporated.
- Use whole buttermilk for best results. If you use low fat buttermilk, you may not need as much because it is thinner.
- The type of flour you use makes a difference. White Lily is the brand I recommend because it is a low-protein flour that creates a light and airy biscuit.
- If you don't have buttermilk, add 2 Tablespoons of white vinegar to 1 cup of milk or half & half and stir well.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
This recipe is a tribute to Granny Mac slinging biscuits in her tiny, southern kitchen. I miss you, Granny. Thank you for showing me the way.
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My first time making biscuits (Imma dude)😝 and they turned out grrrreat! Love the recipe
Yay! My grandmother would love to hear that a dude is making her Cat Head biscuits! 🙂
Where have these biscuits been all my life??? They are wonderful and it was so much fun using my hands!! I would post a picture if I could!!
Oh, I'm so happy! Thanks for letting me know how they turned out. I love making them with my hands too! 🙂
Hi Debi,
What method do you use to measure your flour? Scoop, gently fill or by measure
weight?
Hi Dee Anne. I do it like my Granny Mac did...by scooping it out of the flour canister. But, I know that in baking it is more proper to gently fill the measuring cup. I'm just a Granny's girl I guess.
Thanks Debi! Everyone is different! Thanks I’m making the buiscuits now!
Let me know how they turn out!
The step-by-step pics all shown together are awesome!! Keeps me from having to scroll with dirty hands to see what the next step should look like!! Biscuits look yummy!!
That's great to know, Kathy! I'll have to do that on more recipes! Happy to help. 🙂
Love these biscuits. Been making these for years, just like my Memaw & Mawmaw made...
I made these today they were reall delicious these are my go to biscuits from now on
Awesome! Thank you Starla! 🙂
I want a hot one with sweetened strawberries and a scoop of ice cream! NOW!!!
Okay then! Time for you to pull out the flour and get to work! 🙂
Killer biscuits! I love when you make these!
There's a lot of love in these biscuits, that's for sure! 🙂
These biscuits are everything. I remember them from my childhood! They're huge and fluffy, plus perfectly tender. Thank you for this great recipe!
Cat Head biscuits are my number one memory from my Granny's kitchen. She was an expert biscuit maker!
Biscuits have always scared me.....but I’m gonna try these soon!
Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Love all the details and notes of this recipe! Can’t wait to try them! ????????????
Thanks Hailey! I had a blast making these biscuits. Brought back so many memories of my Granny Mac!