Honey Butter Cathead Biscuits

There’s a special touch in Southern biscuits. Not the dainty, uniform rounds you find in a can, but the hearty, rustic kind that land on the table like a promise. These are called cathead biscuits— they are big, fluffy, and unbothered by perfection. The name derives from their size (as big as a cat’s head)..

When I bake them, I always embrace the feeling of those lazy Sunday mornings. They’re biscuits you can pull apart with your hands, slather with jam, or my favorite way, drench with honey butter that melts into every flaky layer.

These biscuits don’t ask for much. A few pantry staples, a hot oven, and a willingness to keep things a little rustic. No biscuit cutter, no rolling pin… just drop them straight onto your baking sheet and let them puff up golden brown.

And when they come out of the oven, hot and steaming, you brush on that golden honey butter. Sweet, salty, and a little sticky; the kind of bite that makes you pause mid-conversation because it’s just that good. 🤎

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Honey Butter Cathead Biscuits Recipe

Yields: 6–7 large biscuits

Prep Time: 15 mins

Bake Time: 20–24 mins

Dry Ingredients

• 3 cups self-rising flour

• 1 tbsp sugar (optional)

• ½ tsp fine sea salt

Wet Ingredients

• ½ cup (1 stick) cold salted butter, cubed or grated

• 4 oz cold cream cheese, cut into small cubes

• 1 cup cold buttermilk

• 1 tbsp honey (plus more for brushing)

Honey Butter (for brushing)

• 4 tbsp butter

• 2 tbsp honey (Optional: pinch of cinnamon or splash of vanilla)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a cast iron skillet or line a baking sheet with parchment.

2. In a stand mixer bowl (or by hand), combine flour, sugar, and salt.

3. Add cubed butter and cream cheese to the dry mix. Using the paddle attachment on low speed, mix until the texture is crumbly with visible butter/cheese bits.

4. Pour buttermilk and honey into the dry mix. Mix just until a shaggy dough forms. Stop mixing the moment it comes together.

5. Gently scoop or shape 6-7 large rustic balls of dough. No rolling, cutting, or folding-just tall, soft biscuit mounds. Place close together for soft sides, or spaced apart for crispier edges.

6. Right before baking, brush the tops with a little extra buttermilk. This gives them that golden, bakery-style crust.

7. Bake for 20-24 minutes until golden and tall. Check the bottoms. They should be lightly browned.

8. While hot, generously brush with the melted honey butter.

   Optional: add a second coat 2-3 minutes later and finish with a pinch of flaky salt.