Cream Cheese Sausage Balls are a hit no matter the occasion or time of day! Meaty, cheesy, and carby, it's almost shocking how much comfort you can get into one little bite.
This Sausage Ball Recipe is made extra delicious thanks to a 2-minute, homemade dry mix and the perfect ratio of ingredients! They bake up tender, moist, and positively loaded with flavor.
Even though we'll be ditching the Bisquick and subbing in a scratch-made dry mix, this classic holiday appetizer still comes together quickly, with a mere 15 minutes of prep time, and with great, great ease.
Serve them as a game-day appetizer alongside another finger-food staple Mini Pigs in a Blanket or a simple, make-ahead addition to the Christmas breakfast table, and get ready to sink your teeth into the best Sausage Balls you've ever had. Guaranteed!
Need more meaty, Breakfast time inspiration? Check out our Texas-Style Kolaches Recipe next!
WHY CREAM CHEESE SAUSAGE BALLS ARE BETTER FROM SCRATCH
The original Bisquick Sausage Ball Recipe looks very much like this:
- 3 scant cups Bisquick Baking Mix
- 1 pound pork sausage (you can use our Breakfast Sausage Recipe for this!)
- 4 cups Cheddar Cheese
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ½ cup milk
The problem? This high ratio of dry mix ingredients compared to those containing moisture is destined to result in a dry and fairly tough Sausage Ball. Frankly, we can do better than that.
In the original Sausage Balls Recipe (and many others you'll find on the web), as much as two to three cups of Bisquick mix is called for. That's a lot of dry ingredients, especially when combined with just one pound of pork sausage.
This recipe, however, calls for the perfect ratio of dry ingredients. Not only will this special dry mix make your Sausage Balls extra flavorful but also, extra tender, with the perfect amount of rise and "puff." You won't find an ideal texture like this anywhere in a box.
These Cream Cheese Sausage Balls have the perfect biscuit-to-sausage-to-cheese ratio. They're meatier, more savory, and an overall better bite. In a nutshell, this holiday classic is better from scratch. Guaranteed.
HOW TO MAKE SAUSAGE BALLS
- Mix Dry Ingredients - In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, garlic, and onion powder. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- Mix Sausage and Cheese - This task can be done easily and with great speed if you happen to have a stand mixer. If you don't, a handheld mixer and a large mixing bowl will do the trick as well! Just combine the pork breakfast sausage, cream cheese, and Cheddar cheese and mix until evenly combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients To Sausage Mix - Add the flour mix to the sausage/cheese mixture and mix on low until the flour is evenly distributed throughout.
- Scoop and Roll - Scoop out generous, tablespoon-sized mounds of the mixture and roll into a ball. You can use a medium-sized cookie scoop for uniform-sized Cream Cheese Sausage Balls, if you'd like. Another tip -- damp hands will keep the Sausage Balls from sticking to your hands and make rolling easier!
- Bake - Transfer the balls to a rimmed baking sheet lined with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper, spacing them about one inch apart. Then, bake at 375°F for about 25 minutes.
HOW LONG TO COOK SAUSAGE BALLS?
These Sausage Balls will take about 25 to 28 minutes at 375°F to fully cook through. The exterior should be browned with bits of golden cheese popping through!
ABOUT CREAM CHEESE SAUSAGE BALLS INGREDIENTS
- The Dry Mix | What's Essential and What's Not
- Sausage | Heat Level Options
- Cream Cheese | Consistency Matters
- Grated Cheese | Fresh Grated Is Best and Variety Options
THE DRY MIX
You'll find this perfect mix of dry ingredients very easy to whip together. At the base of it, you'll have all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Do not attempt to sub in any other type of flour for this mix. You'll also want to take care not to confuse baking powder with baking soda. Although both are both chemical leaveners, they do not behave the same in recipes. For this recipe, it's baking powder all the way.
To add an extra savory note and oomph up the flavor, a little bit of garlic powder and onion powder does the trick. These two spices are optional, but highly recommended!
SAUSAGE
You can use mild, regular, or even hot pork breakfast sausage if you'd like to add a little kick of heat to your Cream Cheese Sausage Balls! It's best if you do not use low-fat sausage for this recipe.
CREAM CHEESE
The cream cheese keeps the sausage balls moist and tender and prevents them from drying out too quickly.
Be sure your cream cheese has either been slightly softened or is at room temperature before you attempt to mix it with the sausage. Otherwise, mixing will prove difficult.
Similar to the sausage, you'll want to use full-fat cream cheese.
GRATED CHEESE
When it comes to Cream Cheese Sausage Balls, freshly grated cheese really is best. It has a higher moister content, the flavor will be stronger, and the texture far improved from the stuff you'll find pre-shredded in a package.
While freshly grated cheese is strongly recommended, you can, however, swap out the type of cheese you'd like to grate! We love Cheddar in this recipe, but any semi-firm cheese will work. For example, Gouda, Pepper Jack, and Colby Jack cheese are all considered semi-firm cheeses and would be delicious mixed into Sausage Balls!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH SAUSAGE BALLS
You can serve Cream Cheese Sausage Balls alongside a dip like BBQ Sauce, chili sauce, ranch dressing, or honey mustard.
If you're looking for more awesome finger foods to go alongside them, any of the appetizers below could serve double-duty for both game day entertaining or a Christmas breakfast treat!
Mini Pigs in a Blanket
Baked Brie with Jam
Bacon-Wrapped Smokies
Southern Deviled Eggs | Recipe
Puff Pastry Pinwheels
Marshmallow Fruit Dip
HOW TO SERVE CREAM CHEESE SAUSAGE BALLS
Because there is ground pork in Cream Cheese Sausage Balls, you'll want to follow the FDA Guidelines and stick to a 2-hour serving window. If you plan on having them out longer than that, consider keeping them warm in a slow cooker or a chafing dish.
Be sure to have little plates and toothpicks (or cocktail skewers) off to the side for serving, and you should count on three to four Sausage Balls per person.
CAN YOU MAKE CREAM CHEESE SAUSAGE BALLS IN ADVANCE?
Below we'll cover absolutely everything you need to know about making Sausage Balls in advance. Whether you want to fully cook them and serve them later, assemble them and cook later, or assemble and freeze them for later, we've got all the information you could possibly need!
DO COOKED SAUSAGE BALLS NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED?
Yes, because of the pork, cooked Cream Cheese Sausage Balls have a two-hour serving window and should either be kept in a warming vessel or refrigerated after that time is up. As mentioned above, crockpots are an excellent way to keep this dish warm!
You can keep cooked Sausage Balls in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
HOW TO REHEAT REFRIGERATED, COOKED SAUSAGE BALLS
You can heat cooked and refrigerated Sausage Balls by microwaving them, placing them in a crockpot on low for 30-40 minutes, or reheating them in the oven.
To reheat them in the oven, place them in a baking dish, and cover with aluminum foil to keep them from drying out. Bake at 350°F for about 15 to 20 minutes.
HOW TO FREEZE COOKED SAUSAGE BALLS
Cooked, Cream Cheese Sausage Balls freeze beautifully. To freeze them, first, allow them to cool to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight, freezer-safe container or a freezer-safe zip-top, gallon-sized bag.
However, if using a container, try to use one that houses them snugly, but not such a tight fit that they are crammed to the point of breaking. If using a zip-top bag, be sure to remove as much air as possible before sealing it.
HOW TO REHEAT COOKED SAUSAGE BALLS
To reheat frozen Cream Cheese Sausage Balls in the oven, place them in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. This will keep them from drying out. Bake at 350°F for about 20-25 minutes.
HOW TO STORE UNCOOKED SAUSAGE BALLS
If you'd like to make the Cream Cheese Sausage Balls in advance and bake them just before serving, you can assemble the Sausage Balls and keep them in an airtight container separated by sheets of wax paper (this keeps them from sticking together), in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Because your Sausage Balls will now be going into the oven cold, you'll need to add three to four minutes to the overall bake time.
HOW TO FREEZE RAW SAUSAGE BALLS
If you're freezing your Cream Cheese Sausage Balls pre-cooked, you'll want to roll them into balls and place them on a baking sheet (or a flat surface) small enough to fit in your freezer.
Place them on the baking sheet and take care to space them apart so they don't freeze and stick together. Once the Sausage Balls are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe, gallon-sized ziptop bag. Remove any excess air from the bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
HOW TO COOK FROZEN RAW SAUSAGE BALLS
Because the sausage balls are going to be frozen going into the oven, they will take longer to bake. You'll place them on the baking sheet to bake as directed with the only change being you'll need to add up to 5 or so additional minutes to the cooking time.
5 MORE PARTY APPETIZERS YOU’LL LOVE
- Texas Trash
- Meat and Cheese Tray
- Crockpot BBQ Meatballs
- Crockpot Swedish Meatballs
- Baked Lemon Pepper Wings
Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 pound pork breakfast sausage
- 1 ¾ cup freshly grated Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and have ready a rimmed baking sheet lined with nonstick aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder to a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add the room temperature cream cheese, pork sausage, and Cheddar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed just until combined. If you do not have a stand mixer, use a large bowl and a handheld mixer. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until it is evenly distributed throughout the cream cheese/pork mixture.
- Scoop out generous tablespoon-sized mounds of the mixture and roll into balls. It should be about the size of a golf ball. Place on the baking sheet, about 1" apart from one another.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes, until the sausage is fully cooked and the exterior is properly browned. Allow to cool slightly and enjoy!
Nutrition
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