Sausage Balls

Cheesy sausage balls are a classic favorite during Christmas time. Follow this incredibly simple recipe to make the best savory sausage balls!

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Sausage Balls recipe

If you’ve never munched on warm homemade sausage balls on Christmas morning while you’re waiting for breakfast to be ready, you’re missing out! These little flavor packed packages are such an easy snack to make, and really perfect for any time of year.

They’re actually a great bite sized appetizer for game day too! Throw them on the table with other great appetizers, like air fryer chicken wings, at your next party and you will win the first place spot as the best host.

This sausage ball recipe is incredibly simple too. Even if you’re inexperienced in the kitchen, you can make this yummy snack. It’s really just mixing a bunch of ingredients together, rolling them into little balls, and then baking!

So if you’re in need of the perfect appetizer that doesn’t require much effort, these delicious sausage balls are always a good idea. They’re a crowd hit and the recipe makes a LOAD of servings. You can munch on them for days!

More holiday recipes: White Cranberry Mule • Candied Orange Slices • Pumpkin Eggnog

Why you’ll love this recipe

Everyone loves a traditional recipe like this one! Sausage balls are so great because:

• These sausage cheese balls store really well and reheat wonderfully as well. They’re a great make-ahead item that you can heat as needed!
• They are an easily shareable treat that are perfect for parties and other gatherings. If you need some easy finger foods to serve, sausage balls are a great option.
• It only takes about a half hour to prep and bake this snack. So if you need something that is quick to make, you can throw together some sausage balls!

Tools & equipment

To make this fun snack, you’ll need to have a few things on hand.

You’ll use a large mixing bowl to combine all the ingredients together. Either use your hands to mix or a silicone spatula! A wooden spoon may work too. You will also need measuring cups and spoons.

Have a few baking sheets on hand and either line them with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. It can also be helpful to scoop the sausage ball mixture with a cookie scoop!

You don’t have to have a wire cooling rack, but if you need the sausage balls to cool quickly them I recommend transferring them to a wire rack after baking.

Ingredients

With just a few simple ingredients, you can create one of my favorite appetizers. Here’s what you need for this easy recipe:

• ground pork sausage
• biscuit mix
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• cayenne pepper
• black pepper
• kosher salt
• sharp cheddar cheese

Substitutions & variations

Make a gluten-free version of this classic recipe by swapping regular biscuit mix for a gluten free version. You could possibly use almond flour or coconut flour too!

Use any type of raw pork sausage that you want! Make spicy sausage balls by using hot sausage, or just go with a plain breakfast sausage. You can even swap out the pork ground ground turkey sausage or chicken sausage if you prefer.

While I season this recipe with the above seasonings, you can use anything that you want. Feel free to even change up the flavor profile with other ingredients like maple syrup or honey.

Sharp cheddar cheese is a great flavor contrast to the pork sausage. However, you can use any cheese that you want. I’ve even seen some people make cream cheese sausage balls! Just keep in mind that cream cheese may change the texture and bake time of this recipe.

How to make Sausage Balls

Here’s how to make this easy appetizer recipe:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C) and then line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Then combine the biscuit mix and dry spices in a large bowl. Add sausage to the dry ingredients and use your hands or a silicone spatula to mix them together.

Add the shredded cheese and mix until thoroughly combined.

Using a cookie scoop, form 1.5 inch balls and roll them between your hands to create an even shape — you should be able to make about 36 little balls.

Then place unbaked sausage balls onto the previously prepared baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Allow to cool to safe temperature (they’ll be VERY hot on the inside) and then serve warm!

Tips & tricks

Check out these few tips so that you have the best success:

• For the best flavor and a more gooey melt, shred your own cheese instead of buying pre-shredded cheese! It adds an extra step, but it really does make a world of difference.
• If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can use a regular spoon. Just make sure you have uniformly-sized balls and spread them out evenly on a large baking sheet. This will help ensure that they bake all the way through!
• Allow the raw sausage to sit outside of the fridge for a few minutes before mixing. Super cold sausage can be difficult to mix, so allowing it to sit at room temp for a bit will make it much easier to combine with the other ingredients.

Food pairings

Serving cheesy sausage balls as breakfast or brunch item? Then don’t forget the coffee! An iced caramel macchiato or apple crisp macchiato would be the best.

While these sausage balls can be eaten all on their own, pairing them with your favorite dipping sauce is definitely not a bad idea! Beer cheese dip and other yummies like mustard dip.

They’d be a great appetizer alongside pimento cheese dip, bacon-wrapped dates and pork belly burnt ends on toothpicks.

If you need a good brunch cocktail to serve with sausage balls, this screwdriver drink would be great! And some classic mimosas are never a bad idea either.

FAQ

More Appetizer Recipes

• Whipped Feta Dip
• Fried Pickles
• Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Popcorn Shrimp