If you grew up in the South, you’ve probably enjoyed your fair share of sausage balls. Made with shredded cheddar and savory sausage, these bite-sized appetizers are a classic. This version skips the boxed baking mix and focuses on bright, savory flavor, tender texture, and good results even at room temperature.
Sausage Balls At A Glance
✔️ Skill Level: Beginner
✔️ Skills: Grating, Mixing
✔️ Type: Individual appetizers
✔️ Number of Ingredients: 9
✔️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
✔️ Cook Time: 25 minutes
✔️ Yield: 24–48, depending on size
Jump Straight to the Recipe
“…It’s dark and cloudy outside but these certainly brightened my day…Seriously, these things are full of flavor and will be my go to for sausage balls from now on. They are not dry like I’ve had before, not one little bit, thank you again.”
Reader and Sausage Ball Lover Sherrie
What Makes These The Best Sausage Balls?
I tested many recipes and read lots of feedback. The most common complaint was that sausage balls get hard once they cool. These stay moist and tender at room temperature because the ratio of cheese, sausage, and a light baking mix keeps them soft without being bready. Worcestershire sauce adds a deep, savory note that elevates the overall flavor. The recipe is easy to scale, can be made with a homemade flour/baking powder/butter mix, or swapped for Bisquick if you prefer, and freezes well before or after baking.
How to Make Sausage Balls
There are three main components: the baking mix (flour + leavening + butter or Bisquick), grated cheese, and bulk uncooked sausage. The amounts in this recipe hold the balls together while leaving them full of sausage and cheddar flavor with a subtle biscuit-like crumb. You can adjust cheese, sausage, or seasonings to suit your taste.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour: All-purpose is best. If you don’t have a scale, measure a scant 1 1/2 cups. Bread flour will be too chewy; cake flour won’t hold together.
- Baking powder: Gives a little lift so the balls aren’t heavy.
- Poultry seasoning: Works well with sage-forward country sausage. If using Italian sausage, substitute Italian seasoning or a mix of thyme and oregano.
- Cayenne pepper: Optional; adjust for spice level. With mild sausage, 3/8 teaspoon gives a pleasant bite.
- Black pepper: Freshly ground to taste.
- Butter: Adds missing fat when not using Bisquick.
- Worcestershire sauce: Key flavor booster. Start with 4 tablespoons and add more only if the dough won’t hold together; fatty sausage may require less.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar is recommended. Do not use pre-shredded—grate from a block for best texture and moisture.
- Uncooked sausage: Any bulk (no casing) sausage works. If your sausage is in casings, remove them first.
Why There is No Salt in This Recipe
The recipe contains salty ingredients—cheese, sausage, and Worcestershire—so no added salt is needed. Tests showed it seasons perfectly without extra salt.
Procedure
- Preheat oven to 350°F (convection or conventional).
- Line half-sheet pan(s) with parchment. One pan for 1 oz balls, two pans for 1/2 oz balls.
- Shred cheese and break up the sausage into smaller pieces.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, poultry seasoning, black pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl.
- Cut cold butter into small pieces and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture is mealy and there are no large butter pieces. (Or substitute 1 1/2 cups / 6 oz Bisquick and whisk in the seasonings.)
- Add grated cheese and sausage. Pour Worcestershire sauce evenly over the mixture.
- Mix with clean hands, a stand mixer, or hand mixer until the mixture holds together in a ball.
- Divide into 24–26 one-ounce pieces or 48–52 half-ounce pieces. Roll into smooth balls and place on the parchment-lined pans (about 25–26 per tray).
- Optional: freeze the trays 30–45 minutes to help them keep a round shape.
- Bake on the center rack about 25 minutes, rotating pans after 15 minutes. They’re done when bottoms are slightly crisp, tops are golden and firm, and internal temperature reaches 195–200°F.
- Let cool a few minutes and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Variations
Change flavor by swapping seasonings, sausage, or cheese.
- Mexican: Cumin and Mexican oregano, fresh chorizo, and pepper jack.
- Italian: Italian seasoning and smoked paprika, sweet or hot Italian sausage, and a blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan (total 8 oz).
Equipment You May Need
No special tools required. A large mixing bowl, half-sheet pans, parchment, and a kitchen scale are useful. A stand mixer or clean hands work well for mixing.
Tips and Tricks for Success
Weigh ingredients for best results. If using cups, measure a scant 1 1/2 cups of flour (lightly spoon into the cup and sweep off the excess). Start with the recommended Worcestershire and add more only if the dough won’t hold together. Always grate cheese from a block—pre-shredded cheese can make the mix dry. Freezing unbaked balls for 30–45 minutes helps them keep a round shape in the oven.
Sausage Ball Q & A
Can I make them gluten-free? Yes. Substitute a gluten-free baking mix for the flour. Chill the dough for a couple of hours before shaping if the mix has a coarser texture.
Can I bake them from frozen? Yes. Freeze shaped balls on sheet pans until solid, store in freezer bags up to a month, and bake per recipe—add 2–3 minutes if baking from frozen.
How should I store them? Keep in a sealed container in the fridge up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze in zip-top bags for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven for 5–10 minutes or briefly in the microwave (they’ll lose crispness in the microwave).
Serving Suggestions
These sausage balls are great served plain, warm or at room temperature. If you like dips, honey mustard, spicy ketchup, cranberry ketchup, or pepper jelly are all tasty options. They also pair nicely with other party appetizers for a holiday spread.
Questions?
If you have questions about the recipe, leave a comment below or email Jenni at [email protected].
A Note About Measurements
Recipes are written by weight whenever possible. For consistent results, use a kitchen scale. If measuring by volume, use a scant 1 1/2 cups flour and avoid packing the cup.
Love These Sausage Balls? Please Rate and Review!
Your star rating and comments help other readers and help improve recipes. Thank you for taking a moment to share your feedback.
The Best Sausage Balls
Sausage balls are delicious hot or at room temperature. This version uses no Bisquick (though a Bisquick substitution is included) and relies on Worcestershire and sage-forward seasoning for deep flavor.
Prep Time: 10 mins • Cook Time: 25 mins • Total Time: about 1 hr 5 mins (with optional freeze)
Yield: 24–48 depending on size
Ingredients
- 6 oz (168 g) all-purpose flour (scant 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/4–1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3/8 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less)
- 1.25 oz (35 g) butter, cut into pieces (about 2 Tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp)
- 8 oz (224 g) sharp cheddar, shredded from a block
- 8 oz (224 g) bulk uncooked sausage
- 3 oz (85 g) Worcestershire sauce (about 1/4 cup + 4 tsp). Start with 4 Tbsp and add if needed.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (convection or conventional). Line half-sheet pan(s) with parchment.
- Shred the cheese and break the sausage into small pieces.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, poultry seasoning, black pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl.
- Cut cold butter into the dry mix and rub in with fingertips until mealy with no large butter pieces. (Or substitute 1 1/2 cups / 6 oz Bisquick and whisk with seasonings.)
- Add the cheese and sausage, then pour Worcestershire evenly over the mixture.
- Mix with hands or a mixer until evenly moistened and the mixture holds together in a ball.
- Scale to 1 oz or 1/2 oz pieces, roll into balls, and place 25–26 per tray for 1 oz size.
- Optional: freeze trays 30–45 minutes to help them keep their shape.
- Bake on the center rack about 25 minutes, rotating after 15 minutes. They’re done when bottoms are slightly crisp, tops are golden, and internal temp reads 195–200°F.
- Let cool a few minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Notes
Measure flour lightly for best texture. Weigh ingredients when possible. Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that dry the mix—always grate from a block. For gluten-free, use a gluten-free baking mix and chill the dough before shaping. To bake from frozen, add 2–3 minutes to the bake time. Store in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months.
Nutrition (per 1 oz sausage ball)
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 6.4 g
- Protein: 4.9 g
- Fat: 7 g (Saturated fat: 3.6 g)
- Cholesterol: 21 mg • Sodium: 176 mg
Hi, y’all! I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and learned something useful. If you like this style of recipes, consider subscribing to the newsletter for occasional updates and behind-the-scenes notes.
And there you have it—enjoy the sausage balls! Thanks for spending time here. Take care, y’all!