Southerners are known for giving their recipes colorful names. This one got its name because each extra-large drop biscuit is as big as a cat’s head. The treats are crisp and golden outside, soft and pillowy inside, and filled with scallions, cheddar cheese and just the right amount of black pepper. These cathead biscuits are quick to fix and simple to make—you don’t even have to roll out the dough. —Cheryl Day, Back in the Day Bakery,
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 cups (188 grams) cake flour
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons (26 grams) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (227 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup (30 grams) chopped scallions
- 2 cups (227 grams) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups (355 to 473 milliliters) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature, beaten
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Directions
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter; toss to coat. Cut in butter using a pastry blender, or pinch it with your fingertips, smearing it into the flour. You should have various-sized pieces of butter, ranging from coarse sandy patches to flat shaggy pieces to pea-sized chunks. Stir in the scallions, cheese and pepper.
Make a well in the center, pour in 1-1/2 cups buttermilk and gently mix until mixture is crumbly but starting to come together into a shaggy mass. If the dough still looks too dry, add up to 1/2 cup more buttermilk. The dough should be moist and slightly sticky.
Turn the dough onto itself a few times until it forms a mass. Gently pat down the dough until it resembles a loaf of bread. Dust the top lightly with flour.
Using a 3-ounce (89 ml) ice cream scoop, portion dough 1 inch apart onto the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten biscuits.
Lightly brush the tops with beaten egg. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until biscuits are golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
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Nutrition Facts
1 biscuit: 351 calories, 23g fat (13g saturated fat), 76mg cholesterol, 591mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 9g protein.
