Sausage Cheese Balls
Inside: The simple ingredient tweaks that boost flavor without veering too far from the classic.
If you’ve ever made sausage cheese balls, you already know the magic: they’re ridiculously easy to make, and the flavors are a juggernaut you can’t resist. Cheese + sausage + baking mix is a classic combination that hits the mark, whether you’re feeding a crowd or just trying to quiet a serious case of hangry. Trust me, your friends and family will hover over these snacks.
I didn’t reinvent the wheel here—I just nudged it in a better direction. Hot Italian sausage adds more flavor and a spicier kick than traditional breakfast sausage, sharp cheddar brings real bite, and a handful of fresh parsley keeps things from feeling heavy–adding just enough green to fool your senses. Same nostalgic vibe, just a little less greasy and more grown-up.
These sausage balls are soft, chewy and really flavorful. They’re perfect for munching on game day, for holiday parties and potlucks. If it’s crowd-pleasing party snacks you’re searching for, be sure to check out my Bacon Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls, Sour Cream and Onion Dip and Cheese Olive Balls.
Why this recipe works:
- Built-in seasoning – Garlic, fennel, and cayenne spice in hot Italian sausage mean more flavor in every bite without extra ingredients.
- Cheesy intensity – Sharp cheddar stands up to the sausage instead of disappearing, for flavor you can taste.
- Baking Mix keeps them tender and foolproof – Making sausage balls with Bisquick or another baking mix, such as Jiffy, provides enough structure to bind the ingredients and keep them soft and moist without being greasy.
Ingredients:
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese–I used extra-sharp cheddar, which contains less moisture than mild or regular cheddar cheese. Because of this, the sausage cheese balls don’t taste as fatty and are a tighter bite. Do not use pre-shredded cheese; it contains anti-caking agents that can prevent the dough from coming together cohesively.
- Hot Italian Sausage–with a distinctive blend of fennel, garlic and cayenne pepper, Italian sausage is more assertive than traditional breakfast sausage or other bulk sausage, though it has a similar fat content.
- Baking Mix–Traditionally, sausage balls with Bisquick, cheese, and sausage work together thanks to the blend of flour and leaveners, which create a cohesive dough that puffs as it bakes, absorbs the natural grease, and keeps them soft and biscuit-like.
- Italian Parsley–You won’t be able to taste the herb, but it does trick your eyes with a hint of green (for freshness), making it more appealing and less like a gut bomb.
Step-by-step instructions to make sausage cheese balls:
- Grate the cheese using the large holes on a box grater.
2. Remove the casings from the Italian sausage by using a sharp paring knife to make a slit down the length of each sausage; pull back the casing from the meat and remove it.
3. Chop the parsley.
4. Add the Bisquick and parsley to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
5. Add the shredded sharp cheddar cheese and toss to coat thoroughly with the baking mix.
6. Break the sausage links into smaller bits and add them to the Bisquick mixture. Use your clean hands to begin mixing and rubbing the sausage into the other ingredients to blend them.
7. Once the ingredients start to combine, begin kneading the Bisquick, sausage and cheese until it forms a cohesive dough.
8. Roll the dough into 2-inch balls, about the size of a golf ball. I use a medium cookie scoop to portion out the balls before rolling them. Pack them into compact rounds.
9. Arrange the cheese sausage balls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, about ½ to 1 inch apart.
10. Bake the sausage cheese balls at 375°F for 20-25 minutes (I’ve found that 22 minutes is optimal for my oven) or until they’re fragrant, puffed and golden brown, and the sausage is cooked through.
Pro-Tips:
- Avoid pre-shredded cheese–the anti-caking agents will prevent the dough from forming into a proper dough.
- There’s no need to add salt as both the cheddar and spicy Italian sausage contain ample sodium.
- These are best served warm, but can be enjoyed at room temperature.
Swaps and Variations:
- If you don’t like spicy sausage, use mild Italian sausage or a more traditional bulk sausage brand like Jimmy Dean, which offers a variety of flavors.
- Some sausage ball recipes include cream cheese for a softer, moister texture. To do this, reduce the grated cheddar to 1 cup and add an 8-ounce block of cream cheese. Use a dough hook on a stand mixer to form the dough; it will be less messy.
- For a deeper flavor, add ½ teaspoon each of onion and garlic powder.
- Add a dipping sauce such as Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, Jim Beam BBQ Sauce Recipe
FAQs
It’s important to use raw sausage when making sausage balls, otherwise the dough won’t come together properly.
Typically, either creamy or sweet/sour dipping sauces go with sausage cheese balls. They’re also great with beer, wine or other cocktails.
Make ahead:
- Make the dough for cheese sausage balls 1-2 days ahead, refrigerate it in an airtight container, and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble and bake.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating:
- Reheat refrigerated sausage balls in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes or until heated through.
- Reheat from frozen at 350°F for 12-15 minutes or until hot.
Freezing:
- Flash-freeze raw sausage cheese balls before baking. Assemble and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet or tray. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag or other air-tight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Flash-freeze baked sausage balls by arranging them on a parchment-lined tray and freezing until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
More easy snacks to try:
Sausage Cheese Balls
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups Bisquick or other baking mix (such as Jiffy)
- 8 ounces Cheddar Cheese grated (do not use pre-shredded cheese)
- 1 pound Hot Italian Sausage casings removed
- 1 tablespoon Italian Parsley
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, combine 2 cups Bisquick and 1 tablespoon Italian Parsley. Mix well and add 8 ounces Cheddar Cheese, grated. Toss the cheddar into the biscuit mix to coat.
- Break up 1 pound Hot Italian Sausage, adding it to the bowl, and use your clean hands to mix and knead the ingredients into a cohesive dough.
- Scoop the dough into golf-ball sized rounds and roll into balls. Transfer the sausage cheese balls to a parchment lined sheet pan, about ½" apart.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes until the sausage is cooked through and the balls have puffed. Transfer to a serving tray and enjoy.
RECIPE VIDEO:
NOTES:
Make ahead and storage tips:
- Make the dough for cheese sausage balls 1-2 days ahead, refrigerate it in an airtight container, and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble and bake.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheat refrigerated sausage balls in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes or until heated through.
- Reheat from frozen at 350°F for 12-15 minutes or until hot.
- Flash-freeze raw sausage cheese balls before baking. Assemble and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet or tray. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip-top freezer bag or other air-tight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Flash-freeze baked sausage balls by arranging them on a parchment-lined tray and freezing until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
NUTRITION:
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