The Best Sausage Balls

A square white plate with 6 baked sausage cheese balls on it.

Sausage balls are a delicious hot appetizer, but they are equally good at room temperature. My version uses no Bisquick, but if that's what you have, I'll tell you how to substitute. With sage-forward seasoning and depth from Worcestershire, these will soon become your favorite sausage cheese balls. I promise.

Course Appetizers

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Optional Freezer Time 30

Total Time 1 5

Servings -4 dozen, depending on size

Calories 110kcal

Author Jennifer Field

Ingredients

6 oz all-purpose flour 168 grams or a scant 1 1/2 cups
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/4-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste
⅜ teaspoon cayenne pepper more or less, to taste
1.25 ounces butter 35 grams, 2 Tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded on a box grater 224 grams or 1/2 pound
8 oz your favorite bulk sausage (I use country sausage with extra sage) 224 grams or 1/2 pound
3 oz Worcestershire sauce 85 grams or 1/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350F (convection or conventional).
If making 1 oz balls, line one half-sheet pan with parchment. If making 1/2 oz balls, line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment. Set aside.
Shred the cheese, and break up the sausage into a few smaller pieces. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, poultry seasoning, black pepper, and cayenne pepper until well combined.
Cut the butter into little pieces and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture is mealy with no large, visible pieces of butter. (NOTE: you can also substitute 1 1/2 cups or 6 oz of Bisquick for the flour/baking powder/butter). If substituting Bisquick or similar, just whisk it together with the seasonings.
Toss all the ingredients together lightly, then pour the Worcestershire evenly over the mixture.
Using your clean hands or in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, mix until evenly moistened and combined. The sausage ball mix should hold together in a ball.
Scale out at 1/2 oz (about 1 Tablespoon) or 1 oz (about 2 Tablespoons). Roll into balls and place 25-26 per tray.
To keep the sausage balls as round as possible, freeze the trays for 30-45 minutes.
Bake on the center rack for 25 minutes, rotating the pans after 15 minutes.
Sausage balls are done when they are a bit crisp on the bottoms, the tops are golden brown and firm, and the internal temperature reads 195-200F.
Let cool for a couple of minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Notes

Note About the Amount of Flour (or Bisquick)

I call for 6 oz of flour, which assumes 4 oz per cup. That's a very "light cup," so if all you have is measuring cups, spoon them full very lightly and gently sweep off the excess.

Whatever you do, do NOT pack the flour or Bisquick into the measuring cups.

The best way for you to get the results you want from a recipe that promises moist, not dry, sausage balls, is to weigh the ingredients as outlined in the recipe. If you use measuring cups, be sure you're measuring out what I would call a *scant* 1 1/2 cups of flour (or Bisquick, if that's what you're using).

Variations

Vary the flavor by swapping out seasonings, cheese, and sausage. This is a very customizable recipe.

Optional Step for Patient People

To help your sausage balls hold their shape, put trays of unbaked balls in the freezer for 30-45 minutes before baking.

Can I make them gluten-free?

Yes, you can. Substitute a gluten-free baking mix for the flour. In that case, you may want to let the finished dough rest in the fridge for a couple of hours before shaping to soften up any bits that could otherwise make your sausage balls a little gritty.

Can I bake them from frozen?

Absolutely. Form into balls and freeze on sheet-pans until solid. Then store in zip-top freezer bags for up to a month. Bake according to the recipe directions. You may need to bake them an additional 2-3 minutes when baking from frozen.

Storing

Store sausage balls in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze them in zip-top freezer bags, pressing out as much air as possible.

To get the most air out of the bag, seal almost all the way, and then stick a straw inside and suck out as much air as you can before sealing.

Freeze them for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and then reheat in the oven for 5-10 minutes or in the microwave for a few seconds each.

They will lose their crispiness if you microwave them, but they’ll still be tasty.

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