Cathead Biscuits (Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits)

Freshly baked cathead biscuits are shown being brushed with melted butter in a black ceramic baking dish.

Cathead Biscuits (Old Fashioned Buttermilk Biscuits)

These large homemade Southern biscuits are called Cathead biscuits because they are shaped large and rise almost the size of cat's head. With a light, airy texture and the tang of buttermilk they are delicious with any meal or on their own smothered with honey or jam.

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Servings: large biscuits

Calories: 196kcal

Author: Milena Perrine

Ingredients

3 cups self-rising flour
2 tablespoon vegetable shortening such as Crisco
1 ½ cups buttermilk
½ teaspoon salt or to taste, optional
3 tablespoon butter melted (optional, to brush tops of baked biscuits)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 F. Grease a baking dish or skillet (about 9 inch diameter) and set aside.
In a mixing bowl add the self-rising flour (you can sift it for even lighter biscuits) and if using stir in the salt.
Add the vegetable shortening and work it in with a fork or simply pinch it in with your fingers.
Add the buttermilk slowly and stir it in gently (you may not need all the buttermilk) to form a shaggy mass like dough.
Either use a ⅓ cup measure to scoop up and drop eight heaps of batter onto greased dish OR, recommended, turn out the dough onto a clean, floured surface and gently apply pressure with your hand to flatten it. Use a 3.5 inch cutter, pressing straight down*. Make 8 large biscuits.
Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until the biscuits have risen and their tops are golden brown. Take them out of the oven and brush the tops with melted butter (optional but really delicious). Allow to cool before separating and serving.

Notes

Substitute for self-rising flour:

Add 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt to 1 cup of cake flour; scale accordingly.

Substitutes for buttermilk:

milk + acid – fill a one cup measure with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice, top with whole milk until full, stir and let sit 10 minutes, scale accordingly.
kefir – susbstitute with plain kefir 1 for 1.
yogurt cultured in the cup – mix ¾ cup of the yogurt with ¼ cup water until it resembles buttermilk, scale accordingly.

*Twisting the cutter compromises the integrity of the edges and prevents the biscuits from rising. Always press straight down.

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