This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy for additional information.
Why You’ll Love My Recipe
These cheesy Sausage Balls are a perfect appetizer to whip up for a Superbowl Party or holiday gathering. They’re easy to make and ready in under half an hour! Try adding them to your finger food line up this holiday season.
Try making your own Homemade Bisquick™ to use in this recipe. Add some Fried Pickles or Party Pinwheels to your appetizer buffet. For more ideas, check out these 10 Easy Holiday Appetizers Everyone Will Love.
Reader Review
I’ve made this recipe, as written, several times and they are so good.
Karlynn’s Recipe Notes
- Skill Level: This recipe is incredibly easy, especially if you make use of a stand mixer. Bonus: You don’t have to get many dishes dirty, so cleaning up afterward will be easy too.
- Total Time: These sausage balls will take you approximately 25 minutes to prep and bake. That’s almost as quick as frozen appetizers that you could find at the store.
- Variations: You can use a different type of ground meat, like ground chicken or turkey. Add some Italian Seasoning. Try a mild mozzarella, a zingy aged cheddar, or a Monterey Jack with hot peppers instead of regular cheddar cheese. There are so many options here. Try pairing these meatballs with a Chili Cheese Dip or some Sweet Chili Sauce if you like spice. Or make some Homemade Ranch Dressing if you like a mellower sauce for dipping.
- Tools Needed: For this recipe, you’ll need a baking sheet, and a mixing bowl or stand mixer. Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat would be handy for keeping the balls from sticking to the pan. You might also like to have a cookie scoop on hand to make perfectly round meatballs.
What You’ll Need For Ingredients
Ground Pork Sausage: Plain, spicy, or seasoned. Use whatever you like best.
Bisquick: You can use brand name, generic, or homemade biscuit mix.
Shredded Cheese: A sharp, aged cheddar will give the most flavour, but you can use whatever you like best.
Chives: These are optional but delicious.
How To Make Sausage Balls
This is a brief overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
- Mix the ingredients together and roll the mixture into 24 golf ball-sized balls. Space evenly on baking sheet.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for making Sausage Balls
Make it Easier: If you have a stand mixer, try mixing your ingredients up in there. You’ll save yourself some work and get an evenly-mixed meatball mixture.
Make Your Own: Do you know how easy it is to make your own biscuit mix? Try this recipe for Homemade Bisquick™ and find out all the different ways you can use the mix.
Pairing Suggestions: Make some Tzatziki Sauce or Beer Cheese Sauce to dip these meatballs in. Try Cranberry Jalapeno Dip if you like a bit of heat. Serve these sausage balls with an assortment of other appetizers, or make with your favourite side dish for a whole meal.
Storage Instructions
Fridge: Cooked meatballs will be fine in the fridge for 3-4 days in a sealed container.
Freezer: Freeze uncooked meatballs spread out on a layer of parchment paper and then put in a freezer safe bag or container once firm. Defrost and cook as needed. Cooked meatballs can be frozen and reheated later on as well. They will probably hold together fine without freezing separately.
Safe Cooking Temperatures
Both Health Canada and the USDA recommend an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F). Use a meat thermometer to be sure.
More Delicious Bisquick Recipes
Biscuit mix is great for so many different things!
Try Bisquick™ Waffles , Blueberry Muffins, or Cinnamon Rolls for an easy breakfast.
Make some Bisquick Dumplings to add to your favourite soup.
For an easy dessert, check out this recipe for Bisquick™ Strawberry Shortcake.
Meat, cheese, and biscuit mix in ball form. How can you go wrong? Try making these sausage balls for your next party and let me know how they turn out.
Happy Cooking!
Karlynn
Sausage Balls Recipe (Classic Bisquick Sausage Balls)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 2 cups biscuit baking mix, (Bisquick)
- 1 tablespoon freeze dried chives, ( optional)
- ¼ cup milk, (if needed)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F.
- In a large bowl (or in your standing mixer bowl), combine the ground sausage, biscuit baking mix and shredded cheese and chives.
- Form into 24 golf ball sized balls and place on baking sheets.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and the sausage is cooked through entirely.
- Remove and serve hot!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Lynn boyden says
need the dip recipe. planning to make this soon
Sue Cartlidge says
What could I use instead of the biscuit mix please? I’m in the UK…many thanks x
Daniel O'Connell says
I’ve been making these for over 20 years, I have never ever had one person who didn’t love them, I use 2 cups of Bisquik, 2 cups of shredded Cheddar Cheese and one pound or Jimmy Dean bulk sausage, I have to add a bit of water to the mix and keep my hands wet to stop the balls from sticking to my hands, I have used spicy sausage a time or two and I bake at 425 until I see them starting to brown, easy peasy
Zach says
I’ve made this recipe, as written, several times and they are so good.
Kenneth Van Derveer says
I saw the photo of your backyard, and it reminded me of why I left Alberta. 2 feet of snow dumped on us IN THE MIDDLE OF JULY. In Red Deer we had no power for 2 weeks. Then in the winter I turned my radio on for the weather reports, and the broadcaster was giving a warning…DO NOT SLAM YOUR CAR DOORS, BECAUSE THEY CAN SHATTER LIKE GLASS AT -50.
Snow in July and -50 in winter = a one way trip back to Ontario (for me).
Those darn Chinooks confused the heck out of me, too. I would be outdoors on Christmas day in shorts and a t-shirt, and on Boxing Day it would be -30.
Sharon says
can I use ground ham for the balls?
Vicki says
I love your recipes! Keep them coming, please 😋
Merry Christmas to you and yours! ☺️
Kathy-Anne Carr says
I have saved the recipe to try as an appetizer for Christmas. I did find a package of pork sausage meat at No Frills. It’s Maple Leaf in one of those plastic tubes, for anyone in Ontario.
I’m going to attempt to make it gluten free for my sister-in-law. I’ll let you know how that works out.
Have a lovely festive season and keep the recipes coming.
Frankie says
Thanks for telling about finding the meat in a tube that’s what I prefer ( usually Jimmy Dean in the USA)
Alison says
I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I must say this has been the most entertained I’ve ever been reading comments! All together now: “if you don’t have anything nice to say…”
Karlynn Johnston says
Hahaha imagine how much fun I, as the website owner, have while I read the comments! I’ve been doing this so long that I have almost 30,000 comments on this website and some have been real doozies! The ones I delete are quite….interesting….
Pat says
Where is the recipe for the dip ? I’m all set to make the sausages balls and dip tomorrow. Thank You
Pat
Susi Willis says
Agreed! AND the sausage balls are baking in the oven right now
Faith Laughlin says
Made this tonight just like the recipe was wrote. No extras. Turned out fantastic!
Barbara Roman says
Recipe is chewy. Wasted good sausage and cheese. You should check the official Bisquick recipe for Sausage-Cheese Balls to get it right, “3” cups Bisquick to 1 lb sausage, with 1/2 cup milk and 1 lb grated cheddar, plus 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2t rosemary, 1 1/2t fresh parsley or 1/2t parsley flakes. Thanks for wasting my time and money. Wish I had checked Bisquick first!
Faith Laughlin says
Made this tonight just like the recipe was wrote. No extras. Turned out fantastic!
Sue Minton says
I found Karlynn’s recipe exceptionally delicious and SUPER EASY!! I think you were in a compromising mood when you wrote your comment to the author of several cookbooks! How many have you written and published?
My precious mother said if you can’t say something nice DON’T say anything at all!!
Sally says
Cool down Barbara
Laura Hancock says
Wow. So unnecessarily nasty.
I have made this exact recipe and had no issue with it. Perhaps it’s operator error.
Heather says
Hello Karen:
gross….rosemary in sausage balls? No thanks. Maybe you should try to bake you some balls of respectfulness, or grace, or anything that involves not being a jerk.
Donna Fleming says
I have made this recipe for over 40 years, but here in Texas, we always add salsa instead of milk. I use sage sausage, when I can find it – usually Jimmy Dean.
Susan Alexander says
It is much better with sage sausage!!!!
Maria Deaangelis says
Do you grease the cookie sheets or use parchment paper?
Heather says
Really enjoyed it. Used Spicy Italian Sausage removed from casing. Very nice flavour & simple to make. I’m sure the Bisquick recipe is nice too but, I’m pleased with the results of your recipe – and that’s all that counts. 😊 Thanks.
Karlynn Johnston says
You are so welcome! The spicy sausage would make these amazing for sure!
Jerry Zappa Carroll says
Can you make ahead of time?
How long do they keep.?
Thanks,
Jerry
Merry Christmas
God bless!
Joeleen says
Hey Karlynn,
You can find the sausage at Sobey’s in the freezer section. So far since I have moved it Canada, it is the only place I have found that has it.
Cindy S says
This one is my favorite recipe of all the ones I’ve tried! I do use a mixer to blend in the bisquick into the sausage really well, then I blend the cheese. I have found that the thick shredded cheese is best vs the thin shreds.
I would like to know, on the estimated nutritional values, is that per sausage ball or for a serving of two-three? Thanks!
Barbara Summers says
I loved the chives added!! I used only half the amount of Bisquick so it was not so bready and tasted more like sausage. Then we all loved them!!
MrM says
I didn’t like. Too much bread.
Cynthia says
what’s the best way to freeze the sausage balls?
Debbie Lively says
You can cook them and freeze them take out what u want bake 350 like 10-15 minutes
Debbie Lively says
I use 2 hot Owen sausage and 2 sage makes it so good
Donna Fleming says
I am a native Texan. This recipe started in Texas many decades ago. This is similar, except we use 3/4 the amount of Bisquick and add in 1/2 cup of Salsa instead of milk. I like the mild version, but a lot of people prefer hot. Without Salsa, it would be rather bland. I always use Sage pork sausage. I agree that it is better to grate the cheese instead of using packaged cheese.
Brian says
Put them in the freezer.
Camille says
Did you add any milk at all?
Deborah says
Do not use much bisquick , just enough to hold them together do sausage and cheese first mix well then add Bisquick a little at a time then roll up they are so much better with out milk bake 350 for 45 minutes at least
Deborah Martin says
Just out of curiosity, why do you not answer anybody’s questions? I myself was curious about the dip
Kindness is Free says
Sweet lady
Raven says
Preheat the oven to what I didn’t see it I could of misread
Camille says
It’s on the recipe
Kimberly says
350° F. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Debbie Lively says
350
Lauren says
don’t go to a blog and buy a cookbook then
Kimberly says
There’s a simple fix to your complaint. Use the “Jump to Recipe” link included at the top of every recipe shared if you prefer not to read the story.
Direct highlighted link to the Dip recipe was provided under “Tips & Tricks”. Easily found by scrolling past the story you didn’t want to read. Maybe that’s how you missed it.
Caroline says
These were delicious and I’m glad the author called out people that were too lazy to read 60 seconds into the recipe to find the link to the dip recipe ❤️
Phyl Kurysh says
Totally agree with you. If people are that darn lazy that they can’t look for themselves, then how in gods name are these people going to even make them? Geez settle down to the Karen’s and actually look and read the post! It’s all there. And I found the recipe for the dip easily. Click on it in the post and walla you got it! Does not take a rocket scientist!! Geez!!! Who are the rude ones here???
Sara says
Ranch dressing is the dip I am also going to put out hot honey
Peg Pahti says
If you take the time to actually read the post, you’ll find the link for the dip
Debbie says
Can you make the sauage balls the night before and cook them the next morning?
Deborah says
Yes u can
Brian says
Absolutely not
Cynthia O'Donnell says
These are so good. I add a little cayenne to the sausage balls and serve them with your sweet chili mayo and sour cream dipping sauce.
Don’t know if you are still looking for the 1 pound chub of sausage, but I did find it at Walmart in Calgary. It was in one of the center aisle freezers and was Maple Leaf brand.
Ashley says
I make these a lot. I never thought about the bagged cheese making them dryer. Now I know why sometimes they are dry and sometimes they are not 😊 Thanks! But sometimes if my mixture seems dry, or even just because I want to, I add a bit of cream cheese to it. I use regular breakfast sausage (very available here in Alabama) & season w a sprinkle of garlic powder & a generous shake of parsley.
LAS says
I want to use these at a brunch If I wanted to make ahead and freeze these would you bake first freeze then reheat in the oven or would you freeze them uncooked thaw and bake?
Melissa says
I’ve done it both ways. I just cook the ones I’m freezing a tad less so they don’t dry out when reheating if you choose to cook.
Brian says
I would freeze all the ingredients separately then thaw when ready, mix it all and bake.
Lillian Bas says
Wondering if you could cook these in the air fryer. I do meatballs (using 1/4 cup measure to make them) all the time in my air fryer and they come out beautifully in six minutes at 200C. I don’t even have to flip them.
Lori L Rhodes says
What is the dip you have in the picture with the Sausage Balls? Or what do you suggest?
Kimberly says
https://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/how-to-make-creamy-sweet-chili-sauce-dipping-sauce-fry-sauce/
The direct link is included in the post and is found under “Tips and Tricks” if you scroll down.
Hope this helps.
Cookie says
Lori, I found when I made them in the air fryer they turned out overcooked and dry, not good at all. I don’t remember the details about temperature and time, but I followed a recipe made for the air fryer for sausage balls. I went back to oven baked sausage balls!
Robin says
Karlynn, I’d use Johnsonville Ground Mild (or hot) loose Italian Sausage. It comes in 375 gram packages, which is almost, not quite a pound. It’s available in Canada. I often buy it. While it is in most stores, the loose meat is sometimes put in the frozen section to keep longer.
Anyway, these sound so good. Thank you.
Camille says
I loved the recipe! I added the milk and they were delicious.
Donna Fleming says
In my Mom’s recipe, she added 1/4 cup of Salsa instead of milk. Most of the Texans use Salsa.
adwoodard says
great idea! thanks for sharing!
Diane says
I made the sausage cheese balls using packaged shredded cheese and instead of milk I used about 4 heaping tablespoons of Ricotta cheese which added a sweetness to the recipe and I also took chives out of my garden and cut them in small rings about 4 tablespoons. These sausage balls were absolutely delicious, crusty brown on outside and soft and moist inside. Absolutely delicious.
Andrea says
I substituted diced bacon for the sausage, fresh diced chives and smoked paprika. Hands down one of the best things I’ve ever eaten! Perfect to make ahead and have as a quick breakfast throughout the week!
Michael says
My ex made these all the time. I haven’t had any in some years so I looked up a few recipes online and went with this one. I too used hot sausage so no need to add spices to get the heat. I don’t have a stand mixer, so I added a handful at a time of the grated cheese to the dry Bisquick and mixed until the cheese was well coated. Then added the sausage and mixed by hand. I’ll let the sausage come to room temperature next time. I did use the 1/4 cup of milk but will try the Worcestershire sauce next time. I wanted to cook them all (I got 30) at the same time so I lined a big pizza pan with foil. DON”T do that. They stuck to the foil and it was a pain to get the foil off the bottoms. The ones I cooked in a sheet pan turned out perfect with crispy bottoms. I wanted something I could take to work and reheat for breakfast so I froze a bunch.
Karlynn Johnston says
Awesome tips! Thank you for sharing!
Sandra Stanton-Parker says
Try using non stick foil. I believe in this stuff and also cookie baking sheets. Clean up is a snap and no problem with product cooking time.