These cat head biscuits are tender, fluffy, with. golden craggy tops. They’re an old-fashioned biscuit that requires no kneading, rolling or even cutting out. Simply scoop the shaggy dough into a pan and bake. You’ll have some mighty delicious biscuits even Grandma would be proud of!
I hope you’ll try more of our favorite biscuits like my sweet, glazed Bo Berry biscuits, no-knead butter swim biscuits, and easy-peasy Bisquick biscuits next!
Why Are They Called Cat Head Biscuits?
These biscuits have been given their name because they are said to be as big as a cat’s head!
Cathead Biscuits Ingredients
- Flour: I use Gold Medal All-Purpose Flour.
- Cake Flour: This type of flour has a lower protein content and makes the biscuits tender.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda: These help the biscuits rise and brown nicely.
- Salt: Adds flavor and adds elasticity to dough.
- Sugar: These aren’t sweet biscuits. The sugar just rounds out the flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: If you use salted butter, you may want to decrease the salt you add to the recipe.
- Vegetable Shortening: I use regular shortening, not the butter flavor type. I know a lot of people prefer the butter flavor, but I find it to have a bit of an artificial taste.
- Buttermilk: Gives the biscuits a nice tang and it partners with the baking soda for the biscuits to rise.
Recipe Notes
- Scoop: I like to portion these out with a 1/2 cup scoop.
- Bake: You can either use a 9-inch cake pan or a 9-inch cast iron skillet to bake these in. If you use a cast iron pan, don’t heat it before adding the dough like you do with cornbread.
How To Make Cat Head Biscuits
- Whisk the dry ingredients.
- Add butter and shortening.
- Cut it with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
- Pour the buttermilk and mix until it starts to be a shaggy sticky dough.
- Portion the dough and place it in a cast iron then bake.
- Brush the tops with melted butter.
***See the full instructions below.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- Storing: This Southern cat head biscuits can be stored for up to 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Can These be Frozen: Yes, store these biscuits in a resealable plastic bag and they will last for 2-3 months in the freezer.
- Make-Ahead Tips: You can the biscuit dough ahead of time, place the shaped biscuits in the cake pan, cover it, and keep it in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat: Microwave this biscuit at 5-10-second intervals to recreate that fresh-out-of-the-oven experience!
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
Serving Recommendations
I love these with butter and honey or jam. They’re also great served with my homemade white gravy or slathered with pimento cheese!
More Delicious Homemade Breads
- Lion House Rolls
- Practically N0-Knead Bread
- Bisquick Cornbread
- Jalapeno Cornbread
- Beer Bread
- Olive Garden Breadsticks
- Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks
- Bisquick Banana Bread
- Garlic Bread
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Cat Head Biscuits
These cat head biscuits are tender, fluffy, with. golden craggy tops. It's an old-fashioned biscuit that requires no kneading, rolling or even cutting out.
Servings: 6 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes when cold then brought to room temp.
- 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
Topping
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper 1/3 position. Preheat oven to 425ºF (218º). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together both flour (1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 cups), baking powder (1 tablespoon), baking soda (1/2 teaspoon), salt (1 teaspoon), and sugar (1/4 teaspoon).
- Add butter (8 tablespoons) and shortening (4 tablespoons) to the flour mixture and cut in with a pastry blender or 2 knives, until the mixture resembles coarse meal
- Pour buttermilk (1 1/4 cups ) into the flour about 1/4 cup at a time, working it in with your fingers or or a flexible spatula until the mixture starts to come together into a shaggy, sticky dough.
- Using a 1/2 cup cookie scoop, portion out the shaggy dough into the prepared cake pan. You should have 6 biscuits nestled into the pan, touching each other.
- Bake biscuits in preheated oven, until the tops are golden, about 20-25 minutes. Brush tops with melted butter (1/4 cup). Cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack.
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Source: Adapted From Cook’s Country
The perfect biscuits!
Wow! Thank you so much, Shayne 🙂