Maker's Spotlight: Callie's Hot Little Biscuit

Biscuits aren’t just food in the South—they’re a way of life. And when it comes to handmade, buttery, downright irresistible biscuits, Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit is the name to know.

What started as a passion project in a tiny bakery has risen (pun intended) into a beloved brand, with Carrie Morey at the helm, keeping her mother’s legacy alive one flaky bite at a time.

Named after her mother, Callie White, the biscuit recipe that started it all is still at the heart of everything they do. But Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit is more than just incredible biscuits—it’s a story of tradition, family, and the power of handcrafted food.

For nearly twenty years, Carrie and her team have been mixing, rolling, and baking each biscuit entirely by hand, staying true to their roots while growing into a nationally recognized Southern staple. With a thriving online business, bustling Charleston eateries, and biscuits found in kitchens across the country, Callie’s has become a household name.

We sat down with Carrie & her team to chat about the journey, their biscuit-making philosophy, and what makes a hot little biscuit truly special.

A Conversation with Carrie Morey of Callie's Hot Little Biscuit

From rolling out dough in a tiny bakery to building a nationally beloved brand, Carrie Morey has kept one thing constant—her commitment to handmade, Southern tradition.

But beyond the buttery layers of her iconic biscuits is a story of passion, perseverance, and a whole lot of love.

We caught up with Carrie & her team to talk about the inspiration behind Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, the lessons learned along the way, and, of course, the best way to enjoy a hot little biscuit.

Grab a cup of chai (or a biscuit, if you're lucky!) and settle in for a conversation that’s as warm and comforting as the biscuits themselves.

SW: Tell us about the name Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit - so fun!

Callie's Team: Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit’s namesake is Callie White, Carrie’s mother, who created the biscuit recipe that we are still using today to make our handmade biscuits, even twenty years later.

The “hot little biscuit” part is courtesy of Carrie’s Grandmama, who always said “It’s not ladylike to eat a big biscuit.” When I heard those words as a child, I can’t say I really understood what Grandmama was talking about. Who wouldn’t want a big biscuit? And if being lady-like was the price at stake, I was more than willing to forgo that label. But over the years I developed a deep appreciation for the power of a small biscuit and even for the finer points of ladylike behavior—most of the time.

And, of course, as we know in the South, you should never eat a cold biscuit. So, with all of those stories and wisdom combined, Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit was born! And what’s crazy is that our family tradition of small biscuits has turned into something bigger than Grandmama, my mom, or I could ever have imagined.

SW: Did you grow up baking or cooking? How do you think that shaped who you are?

Carrie: It surprises people when I say it, but truly, I am not really a baker.

I grew up cooking, mostly, but biscuits were really the only baking I did consistently. I find myself being able to be more creative in the kitchen, not strict with a recipe or exact in my measurements like baking usually requires.

That is what I love about biscuits! They break the baking rules; I can use salted butter, I can estimate the measurements, and I can substitute for different ingredients that I have on hand.

I find the art of biscuit-making needs less science and more love, which I think is part of the reason why I’ve made it a huge part of my life. I love sharing the love of handmade biscuits!

SW: No trade secrets - but what do you think sets your biscuits apart from anything like it?

Callie's Team: What sets our biscuits apart from the rest is the fact that twenty years down the road, we are still making each and every single biscuit by hand.

There are no machines, except our ovens, that go into the baking process.

We mix by hand, roll by hand, stamp by hand, butter by hand, package by hand, and ship out your order by hand. And you can definitely taste the difference!

SW: Tell us a little bit about the Callie’s team! How have you grown over the years?

Carrie: Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit started out twenty years ago as a project for me to be able to work from home while raising my daughters.

At the time, I had just had my oldest, Caroline, and we started baking and shipping out biscuits from a tiny little bakery in a run-down strip mall. We didn’t have a storefront, and we were selling on the internet way back in 2005 – I mean, who remembers anyone who was buying anything online back then, let alone buying some handmade biscuits?

Luckily, the business took off with word getting out about our delicious biscuits and we have grown and evolved into the business we are today, two decades later! And throughout the years, we have opened our two eatery locations here in downtown Charleston and have been welcomed into the fold of the Charleston food-scene.

It’s hard to believe we’ve been doing this for so long, but it’s amazing to take a step back and see how much we have grown and how we have become a part of so many families’ traditions and everyday lives. I’m so fortunate to have grown and be able to hire and work with the amazing team of people I have from our family of artisan bakers to our wonderful shipping team, and so many amazing leaders and team members in our production facility and our eateries.

SW: This is super divisive in some households, but what toppings are your faves for a classic biscuit? Butter? Jelly? Gravy?

Carrie: I love to try just about anything as a topping on my biscuits from preserves to gravy to mashed avocado – you name it! But nothing could ever beat a little extra butter. It’s just the perfect complement to our tender, fluffy biscuits!

SW: If you weren’t baking and selling biscuits - what do you think you’d be doing?

Carrie: This is a great question! 

After doing this for twenty years, it’s hard to think of doing anything else, but I think I would still be doing something within the food industry – marketing, writing, etc. but definitely something surrounding my love of cooking and entertaining! Oh, or maybe travel writing – seeing gorgeous places and eating delicious food all over the world is the dream!

SW: What is your favourite food memory?

Carrie: When I was little, I remember my dad waking me up in the middle of the night to sneak into the kitchen with him and make cream corn waffles using a box of mix and a can of cream corn! Omit the liquids from the waffle mix directions, add the cream corn and cook it in your waffle iron – the perfect midnight snack! Thank me later!

SW: What advice would you give anyone thinking about starting their own food biz?

Carrie: Buckle up! My biggest piece of advice is that you’d better be doing whatever you’re dreaming about with a lot of passion and love because it is super difficult to build a food business.

Passion will help you the most during the hard times!

SW: Who are some heroes for you/Callie’s? How did they help?

Carrie: My dad is a hero of mine because he is someone who showed me the value of hard work and dedication.

My mom is a hero of mine because she cultivated my love for food and entertaining, and taught me so many skills that have helped me build what Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit has become.

SW: What are some favourite memories with customers over the years? 

Carrie: I love hearing from customers that order time and time again! They are the ones that have made us a part of their family traditions and a part of their everyday lives. It is such an honor for me!

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