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Epicurious

Fluffy Cathead Biscuits With Honey Butter

By Joe Sevier

4.3

(18)

Baked biscuits in a cast iron pan next to a dish of buckwheat honey and butter ready to be mashed together.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Joe Sevier and Anna Stockwell

Cathead biscuits are a Southern staple whose name refers to their large size (about as big as a cat's head). The dough for this hand-rolled biscuit recipe is made by incorporating flour into the wet ingredients, instead of the reverse. The result is a fluffy (rather than flaky) biscuit, ready to be split and spread with flavorful honey butter. Read more.

Cooks' Note

If you can't find buttermilk powder, substitute 2 cups store-bought buttermilk (omit water). White Lily self-rising flour can be substituted for all-purpose flour (omit baking powder and salt).

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    45 minutes

  • Yield

    Makes 12 biscuits

Ingredients

For the biscuits:

½ cup buttermilk powder
3 tablespoons baking powder
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
Pinch of sugar
6 tablespoons lard or bacon fat, cut into pieces and slightly softened
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces and slightly softened, plus more, melted, if desired
3½–4 cups all-purpose flour, divided, plus more

For the honey butter:

½ cup flavorful honey (such as buckwheat)
¼ cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

Preparation

  1. For the biscuits:

    Step 1

    Arrange rack in middle of oven; preheat to 400°F. Whisk buttermilk powder, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl until evenly distributed and no lumps remain. Add 2 cups water and whisk to combine. Add lard and butter.

    Step 2

    Add 2 cups flour and mix with a fork until mixture resembles porridge. Using fork, press fats against side of bowl to cut into smaller, irregular, flattened pieces.

    Step 3

    Fold in remaining 1½–2 cups flour by the half cup with fork until a wet dough forms. Turn out dough onto a well-floured surface. Dust top of dough with more flour. Gently fold dough into itself until it feels like a pillow and is no longer sticky. Using a floured bench scraper or butter knife, divide dough into 12 equal pieces.

    Step 4

    Working with 1 piece at a time, dip cut sides in flour and gently roll into a ball with your hands. Nestle each ball side by side in a large cast-iron skillet or on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake biscuits until lightly browned, 25–30 minutes. Brush with melted butter, if desired. Serve with honey butter.

  2. For the honey butter:

    Step 5

    Combine honey, butter, and salt in a medium bowl. Mash with fork until just combined but not emulsified.

TagsBiscuitPastriesSouthernAmericanSideBreakfastBrunchNut FreeBakingCast Iron SkilletKwanzaaEpicurious

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