Hey folks! Mornin’ to you — hope the coffee’s hot and the day’s treatin’ you right. Fall air is cooler, and I’m enjoying morning walks with James T. a whole lot more now. With the crisp mornings hinting at fall and winter, it’s the perfect time to reach for the coziest recipes — like big, fluffy cathead biscuits with rich sausage gravy. Not only is this classic Southern comfort food that warms you up, but it’s also a dish that works beautifully if you’re hosting family or friends. With the holidays and gatherings around the corner, this easy Southern breakfast or dinner is quick to make, versatile, and everyone will love you for serving it.
❤️Why You’ll Crave These Fluffy Biscuits with Creamy Sausage Gravy
- ✅ Big, tender cathead biscuits with golden tops
- ✅ Creamy sausage gravy for biscuits — classic old-fashioned or savory onion + broth version
- ✅ Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dinner
- ✅ Make-ahead friendly: biscuits and gravy freeze beautifully
- ✅ Skip gravy for butter, jam, jelly, or syrup version for a quick treat
- ✅ Pair biscuits with homemade Sweet Corn Soup — a recent meal I posted, and it was so good I had to share it here
🥣 What Are Cathead Biscuits?
Cathead biscuits are a Southern staple — soft inside, golden outside, and big enough to earn their “cathead” nickname. No biscuit cutter needed — just scoop, drop, and bake for that rustic, homey look. Perfect for smothering with sausage gravy, butter, or preserves. These homemade biscuits are one of the best ways to bring classic Southern flavor to your table.
🍳 The Gravy — Two Ways to Make Sausage Gravy for Biscuits
Two Ways to Make Sausage Gravy for Biscuits
- Skip onion and chicken broth for the true Southern classic
- Just sausage, flour, milk, salt, and black pepper
- Creamy, peppery, perfect over homemade cathead biscuits
- Ideal for a traditional Southern breakfast
Sausage Onion Gravy (Deeper, Savory, British Pub-Style)
- Caramelize onions first, then brown the sausage
- Add a splash of chicken broth before milk
- Onion sweetness plus broth depth gives a richer, golden gravy
- Perfect when you’re craving layered flavor with the depth and richness of a true pub classic.
📝 Ingredients for Cathead Biscuits & Sausage Gravy
Cathead Biscuits
- Self-rising flour (White Lily preferred)
- Unsalted butter (cold)
- Buttermilk
Sausage Gravy
- Ground mild breakfast pork sausage – the kind sold in a plastic tube. I stick with mild so it’s friendly for everyone at the table.
- Yellow onion (optional)
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk
- Chicken broth (optional)
- Salt, black pepper, pinch of sage or thyme (optional)
⚡ Quick Steps to Make Southern Biscuits & Gravy
- Mix biscuit dough, scoop into large rounds, and bake golden
- For gravy:
- Cook onion (if using), then brown sausage. Let it sit in the pan, so it develops deep, browned bits—those add big flavor.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir
- Whisk in milk (plus broth if using)
- Simmer until thickened, then season. The gravy will keep thickening as it sits, so stir in a splash of milk if it gets thicker than you like.
- Omit onion and broth for classic Southern sausage gravy
🍽 Serving Options for Cathead Biscuits
- Smother biscuits with either gravy version
- Skip gravy and serve with butter, jam, jelly, or syrup
- Add eggs for a filling breakfast or brunch
- Pair with homemade Sweet Corn Soup for a cozy meal
- A hearty choice for brunch or breakfast-for-dinner, perfect for fall mornings, holiday gatherings, or anytime you’re entertaining. Make the gravy up to 5 days ahead, reheat before serving, and pair with fresh biscuits, coffee, and juice. Add a fruit or green salad to balance the richness.
🛠 Helpful Equipment for Biscuits & Gravy
- Cast iron skillet or 9×13 metal baking pan or two 9-inch round baking or pie pans
- Mixing bowl
- Hand grater or box grater
- Wooden spoon
❄️ Storage & Freezing Tips
- Biscuits freeze well; reheat in oven or microwave
- Gravy freezes too; thaw and warm with a splash of milk
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a day or two
Cathead biscuits and sausage gravy are the ultimate Southern comfort food. Choose classic or savory onion-broth style. Freeze extras. Serve for any meal. Cozy guaranteed. This easy Southern breakfast or dinner will become a go-to for fall, winter, and family gatherings.
Southern Cathead Biscuits with Sausage Gravy
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and lightly grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet or metal cake pan. Set aside.
- Measure the flour by spooning the flour into a dry measuring cup and leveling it off with the back of a butter knife. Add the flour to a large bowl.
- Grate the cold butter into the flour by using a box grater, then use a fork to gently stir and press it in with the back of the fork. Or, cut the cold butter into the flour with a pastry blender until the pieces are about the size of an English pea.
- Pour the buttermilk into the flour mixture and stir just until it is all combined. Don't over-mix. Use floured hands to portion the dough out into 8 equal pieces. Loosely form them into a round shape and place them in the prepared skillet. They should be touching. Don't stress too much about how they look. Brush the tops with the additional melted butter.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with even more melted butter, if desired. Serve warm.
- (If making the sausage‑onion gravy version) In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring every so often, until they’re soft and golden — about 10 to 15 minutes. If the onions start to stick or brown too quickly, stir in 2-3 tablespoons of water to keep them from burning.
- (Classic sausage gravy — start here. For the sausage‑onion gravy version, this is Step 2 after browning the onions.) For the sausage‑onion version, remove the browned onions from the skillet and set them aside. Add the sausage to the skillet and cook over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles as it browns. Keep cooking until there’s no pink left. Stir the onions back in if you removed them.
- Make the roux: Sprinkle the flour evenly over the sausage mixture. Stir well so the flour coats everything, then cook for 1–2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
- If using chicken broth, slowly pour it into the skillet first, stirring as you go. Once it’s fully blended, gradually add the milk, stirring well after each addition. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring often, until the gravy thickens.For a thicker gravy, use about 2 cups of milk in total.For a thinner gravy, add a little more milk until it reaches your preferred consistency. This gravy will thicken as it sits, so it’s best served immediately. If it starts to get thick, stirring in some additional milk will help.
- Season and serve: Add salt and plenty of black pepper to taste. If you’re making the sausage‑onion gravy version, a tiny pinch of dried sage or thyme adds a cozy touch — totally optional, and I rarely do this myself. Spoon generously over warm cathead biscuits and serve right away.
Notes
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!
📖 You’ll Love These Recipes Too
- Everything Bagel Hand Pies
- Butter Swim Biscuits: Crispy, Buttery Southern-Style Biscuits that Practically Make Themselves
- Sweet Blueberry Biscuits with Vanilla Glaze
- The Best Ever Blackberry-Lemon Biscuits
- Summer Strawberry Cornbread
- Old Fashioned Bread Pudding – Simplest Recipe
If you enjoyed this recipe and would love to see more, join me on YouTube, X, and Instagram! You can follow James T. on Instagram, @WarpSpeedWags . Please comment, like, and share. It really helps! I would love to hear from you 🙂 And if you made this recipe, how did it go for you?
8 responses to “Southern Cathead Biscuits with Sausage Gravy”
Oooh boy. It doesn’t get much better than this for a classic. I feel better knowing James T approves!
–Scott
Yummy …. Looks and sounds delicious…
Looks delicious!!!
Thank you, Tracie!
Yum!
Those biscuits sure do look good-egg and all! 🙂
Thank you, Nancy!
[…] September 20, 2025 at 10:25 AM | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment Southern Cathead Biscuits with Sausage Gravy […]