Various embodiments provide methods of making ceramic articles and cold-set plugs for ceramic honeycomb bodies. The methods of making ceramic articles include providing a ceramic honeycomb body and applying an aqueous composition to the ceramic honeycomb body to form a cold-set plug. The aqueous composition includes a refractory filler, an inorganic binder, and an organic binder. The refractory filler includes particles having a d50 ranging from about 10 μm to about 40 μm, a d10 greater than about 2 μm, and a d90 less than about 110 μm. Embodiments also provide methods of making the cold-set plug that include preparing the aqueous composition and forming the cold-set plug by applying the composition to the ceramic honeycomb body.