Cathead Biscuits
Light and fluffy inside with crisp edges—these cathead biscuits are ideal with butter, jam, honey, or a generous spoonful of sausage gravy.
Course Baking, Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Author Catherine’s Plates
Equipment
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Dry 1-cup measuring tool
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Spoon and butter knife
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Large mixing bowl
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Cutting board
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Pastry blender (or fork)
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Whisk
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12″ cast iron skillet or other baking dish
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3 1/2″ biscuit cutter
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Measuring cup
Ingredients
- 4 cups self-rising flour
Note: if using all-purpose flour, add 6 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt.
- 1/2 cup very cold butter, cut into small cubes
- 2 TBS butter, melted
- 2 cups buttermilk
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Grease or butter a 12″ cast iron skillet and set it aside.
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Place the self-rising flour in a large bowl and whisk to aerate. If you used all-purpose flour, whisk in the baking powder and salt now.
For accurate measuring, spoon flour into the dry cup, overfill slightly, then level off with the flat edge of a butter knife.
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Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour. Using a pastry cutter (or your fingertips or a fork), cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles peas-sized crumbs.
Tip: Grating a frozen stick of butter into the flour works well, too.
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Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir just until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
If you don’t have buttermilk, make a substitute by adding 2 TBS white distilled vinegar or lemon juice to a 2-cup measuring cup, fill to the 2-cup line with regular milk, stir, and let sit 5 minutes.
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Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it into a circle about 3/4″ thick. Use a 3 1/2″ cutter to cut out eight biscuits. Recombine scraps and cut additional biscuits as needed.
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Arrange the biscuits in the prepared skillet so they touch. Brush the tops with the melted butter.
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Bake 30–35 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. Serve warm.