Easy Cheesy Sausage Balls
These little bites of heaven are ridiculously easy to make, incredibly flavorful, and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser at your next gathering – or even just a cozy night in!
Equipment
- Baking sheet Line with parchment paper
- Large bowl
- Cookie scoop Optional, but helpful for uniform size
- Meat thermometer Optional, for checking doneness
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground breakfast sausage I prefer a spicy Italian sausage for extra flavor!
- 1.5 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese the sharper, the better!
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder this helps them get nice and fluffy
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.25 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
- 0.5 cup cream cheese softened (makes them extra tender and delicious)
- 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional, but adds a nice kick!
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine all your ingredients: sausage, cheese, flour, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, softened cream cheese, and red pepper flakes if you're feeling spicy. Mix everything together until it forms a dough. Don't overmix; you just want everything combined. Now, roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Place the balls onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Keep an eye on them towards the end, as ovens can vary. Once they're done, let them cool slightly on the baking sheet before serving.
Notes
Feel free to experiment! You can use different types of sausage, like mild Italian or even chorizo. Try different cheeses, like pepper jack or Monterey Jack. Adding some chopped chives or green onions before baking would be a delicious twist. For a heartier ball, you could incorporate some finely chopped pecans or walnuts. Don't overmix the dough. Just combine the ingredients until they're incorporated. Make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature for easy mixing. Use a cookie scoop for perfectly sized and uniform sausage balls. For ahead-of-time prep, you can make the dough a day in advance and store it, covered, in the refrigerator. Just allow it to come to room temperature before rolling and baking. Store leftover sausage balls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them! Place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply bake them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.