Cathead Biscuit Recipe
This Cathead Biscuit Recipe makes some seriously fluffy and ginormous biscuits. These buttery golden tops are flaky on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside, that make them perfect for lathering with butter and your favorite marmalade.
Servings: 8 biscuits
Calories: 497kcal
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, well-sifted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup butter, divided (half cold, half melted)
- 1/3 cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening, cold
- 2 cups buttermilk, cold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Grease a 12-inch deep dish cast iron skillet and set aside.
- Sift the flour, then scoop and level. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a food processor. Pulse to mix.
- Next, add the cold shortening and 1/4 cup cold butter. Pulse again until the fat is mixed into the flour creating a pebble texture. Continue pulsing as you add in the cold buttermilk.
- Once the dough is thoroughly mixed, stop pulsing. The dough should look wet, but even.
- Dump the dough out onto a floured work surface. Press it flat with your hands until it is smooth, in an even 2-inch thick disk. Use a drinking glass, or 3-inch cutter, to cut out 8 biscuits. If needed, cut out 7, then gather the dough and cut out the last biscuit.
- Place the biscuits in the skillet. Then brush the tops with the melted butter, and place in the oven immediately.
- Bake in the center of the oven until the tops are golden and the biscuits have risen at least 1 inch above the top of the skillet. Around 30-35 minutes. Make sure to move the oven racks, if need, to allow room for growth.
- Use a spatula or knife to separate the biscuits before lifting out of the pan.
Video
Notes
Biscuits have the best texture when: A. the dough is cold as it goes in the oven, B. hasn't been over mixed, and C. the flour is well-sifted. Use cold ingredients and work fast! Do not over-mix the dough in the food processor or when cutting. If possible, cut all the biscuits out without re-gathering the dough. To ensure the dough is cold, you can prep the biscuits then place in the refrigerator to chill before baking.
Store any leftover biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days! Reheat them in the microwave or pop them in a warm oven.
Nutrition
Serving: 1biscuit | Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 1022mg | Potassium: 463mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 454IU | Calcium: 214mg | Iron: 4mg