Cream Cheese Sausage Balls (+Video)
Cream Cheese Sausage Balls are not your ordinary sausage balls. Made with Bisquick, pork sausage, cheddar cheese and cream cheese. The perfect appetizer!
YOUR MOMMA’S SAUSAGE BALLS (BUT BETTER!)
The sausage ball has evolved some over the years but the basic recipe is almost always the same. Sausage. Bisquick. Cheese. This particular recipe adds cream cheese to the mix to amp up the creaminess and flavor of the original Bisquick sausage ball recipe. Trust me, make a double batch because they will go fast!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
When I first made this recipe, the sausage balls spread quite a bit and got a little too well-done on the bottoms. So, I decided to chill the formed sausage balls before baking. I also decided to use parchment paper on the metal baking sheets because it not only helps with sticking but with clean up as well. They turned out perfectly cooked after they had been chilled.
This is totally a taste preference. I like hot sausage (especially since its not that hot) but you could use breakfast sausage, sage sausage and even Italian ground sausage.
Yes, you sure can! Before you cook them, you’ll need to stick them on a baking tray and flash-freeze them before packing them up. That way they don’t stick together in the bag you pack them up. Place them an inch apart on a wax paper-lined baking tray and stick in the freezer for an hour or two. Then remove and place them in a freezer-safe ziploc bag. When ready to eat, follow baking directions below (adding on a few minutes since you are cooking from frozen.)
Absolutely! You can make cream cheese sausage balls with the Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix you can buy in stores. You would use the the entire box of the mix. Don’t forget to add the seasoning packet in too.
Yes! Check out my Air Fryer Sausage Balls recipe on how to do that!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- ground pork sausage – we prefer a hot sausage. I’ll be honest, I don’t think it’s actually that hot and I am pretty sensitive to spice so if you want it to really have a kick of heat, add in about 1/2-1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- cream cheese – you need to make sure this is softened enough so that it will mix in properly with the other ingredients. See my post on How to Soften Cream Cheese Quickly.
- Bisquick baking mix – if you prefer, you can even make Bisquick Mix from scratch.
- shredded cheddar cheese – you can have a lot of fun with the cheese. Try switching it up with Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or even Pepper Jack for some spice.
HOW TO MAKE CREAM CHEESE SAUSAGE BALLS:
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together sausage and cream cheese. Note: This is easiest combined with an electric mixer. If you don’t have one, you can always get in there with your hands because you want this combined well. Your hands may get messy but they will do a good job. Add in baking mix and stir until combined. Then add in cheese. Feel free to be generous with your cheese measurements if you love cheese like I do. Stir until combined.
Scoop up meat mixture and form into 1-inch balls. I like to use my small spring-release cookie scooper. But you can eyeball these as you make them. The cookie scooper just helps keep them a more uniform size. But use whatever works for you here.
I like to roll them up with my hands to make sure they get more smooth and circular but it’s not absolutely necessary.
Line them up on the baking sheet. Then pop the baking sheet in the fridge for 10 minutes. Once they are chilled, bake for about 25 minutes. They should be firm to the touch and golden brown on the outside.
I thought they were delicious with some Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Originally published: March 2012
Updated & republished: Mar 2020
Cream Cheese Sausage Balls (+Video)
Ingredients
- 1 pound hot pork sausage
- 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups Bisquick baking mix
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together 1 pound hot pork sausage and 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened (note this can be done in a bowl with a hand mixer or by hand as well.)
- Add in 2 cups Bisquick baking mix and stir until combined.
- Then add in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Feel free to be generous with your cheese measurements. Add more if you like more. Stir until combined.
- Scoop up meat mixture and form into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet. I find this easiest with a spring loaded cookie scoop. If they don't come out round enough, you can just roll them around in your hand a bit.
- Then pop the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to chill (this will help keep them from spreading out while baking.)
- Once they are chilled, bake for about 25 minutes. Then serve!
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- This is easiest combined with an electric mixer. If you don’t have one, you can always get in there with your hands because you want this combined well. Your hands may get messy but they will do a good job.
- Once cooked, they should be firm to the touch and golden brown on the outside.
- I was able to get about 64 sausage balls from this recipe.
- To freeze: Stick them about an inch apart on a wax-paper lined baking tray and flash-freeze them for a couple of hours before packing them up. That way they don’t stick together in the bag. Then remove from tray and place them in a freezer-safe ziploc bag. Then, when ready to eat, follow baking directions above (adding on a few minutes since you are cooking from frozen.)
- Want a fun switch up? Try using Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit mix instead of Bisquick. And instead of shredded cheddar cheese, try switching it out for pimento cheese spread or other favorite flavors of cheese.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
We make sausage balls but with regular pork sausage, low-fat cream cheese, bread crumbs, and sauerkraut. They are very good too and we layer the mixture into a 13x9x2 inch pan and serve it out of there to save time. Could I reduce the cheddar cheese or leave it out?
You could try reducing the cheese if you like, although I have never done so. I feel it does need the cheese though.
These were the hit of the neighborhood cookie exchange; people finding me for the recipe! I used a dijon-mayo dipping sauce. I’m making another batch now for NYE!
Happy New Year GG! Thanks so much for stopping by!
Always make these every year. Only thing I change is I use half a cup of sharp cheddar and a half cup of pepper jack. In the summer I make BlackBerry habanero jam, which is the perfect dipping sauce.
This was so good. I did add a little bit of milk to the mixture. Between the cream cheese and the milk it made it so much more moist. Thank you for sharing.
I use sage sausage. Little bit of herb flavor. I like the addition of cream cheese. They’re not so dry. To keep warm at a party, I put in a crockpot on warm.
Made these with red lobster cheddar bay biscuit mix instead of bisquick – soooooo good!
Tina, that is an awesome idea!! I will try that next time 🙂
Just an idea, without changing the Bisquic ratio, couldn’t you use a mini-muffin pan? If you are taking them to a party, use the muffin cups too in place of the parchment paper and it will be a sanitary serving. This would solve the spreading issue and they would still be moist.
Roll the balls in a bowl of bisquick, coating well before baking them. They will keep their shape.
Bisquick comes in gluten free for those who want this treat for your family that needs to be gluten free. 3 cups is too much of the gluten free. Go with two then slowly with the last cup until it is still a bit sticky but holds together. My gluten free grandson said just yesterday, Nana, I’m hungry for sausage balls. Guess what I’m doing today?
Do these have to be served warm? I want to take them as an appetizer to Thanksgiving dinner but don’t know if the microwave will be available!!
My family cooks these every thanksgiving and Christmas, like enough to feed a small army, we cook them in the morning for breakfast and we all end up snacking on them throughout the day. I know, I know, they shouldn’t be left out but generally after they’ve cooled off and we’re done with breakfast, they usually get put in a big Ziploc bag for ppl to snack on. Yes, eventually we put them in the refrigerator and some ppl eat them chilled but most like them room temp or warmed a few seconds in a microwave if they’re straight from the fridge
Can I make the mixture ahead of time and refrigerate over night?
Hi Taylor! You sure could! 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! I served it with a few dips (including your honey mustard – yum!) Huge hit with my co-workers!
I also used a little less bisquick and used one cup of sharp cheese and one cup of Mexmix cheese. I also added a forth of a packet of ranch dip mix to the cream cheese. While they were bubbling hot and fresh out of the oven I sprinkled them with a tiny sprinkle of garlic salt (at my sons request) and suprisingly they were to die for. Nevertheless, they were delicious either way!
I made these last night. I used half the amount of baking mix. So moist and not so bready. Brought them with me to work this morning and everyone has raved over them!
I have these baking in the oven right now, but I have made them several times before. People love them ! This is the best sausage ball recipe that I have ever made. We use whatever dipping sauce we have on hand, usually ranch dressing. Today we’re also using a homemade thousand island dip. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Lisa – you are SO sweet! Thank you! It means so much that you came back here to leave a comment!
We make something similar only putting the sausage mixture into a wonton wrapper and then in a muffin tin. They are so good!!! I’m going to try them again with your filling. YUM.
These looks soooooo good, thanks for sharing! And your tips will help beforehand as well 🙂
When you state 1 cup shredded cheese, does this mean 8oz? Otherwise, how much would you pack it down?
Hi Elnita – you want to measure out one cup. Don’t go by weight. Hope that helps!
It says can be warmed up in oven, can they be warmed in microwave for a few seconds? Want to take to a party
Hi Betty! Yes, once they have been thoroughly cooked, you can safely re-heat them in the microwave. 🙂
I made a cream cheese version last night and mine also browned too quickly on the bottoms on non stick foil. Think I’m going to test today with parchment and move the rack higher. Also, Jimmy Dean makes a lower fat sausage if you want to use that.
One more thing-pepper jelly as a dip for these is outstanding.
I can’t wait to try that – thanks for the idea!
Use Reynolds non-stick foil. Sausage balls slide right off and easy clean up!
Can I use self rising flour instead of bisquick?
I love air bake pans. It is almost impossible to burn anything with these pans. They are fairly inexpensive and I have several and use them for everything. They are put out by Tfal.
Great tip! I’ll have to try those!
Would you use a dipping sauce with these? Or just eat plain? They’re so good!
Shannon – you don’t have to but I LOVE to dip it into honey mustard!
Do you cook the sausage first? Or put it i raw??
It’s raw in the batter but then it cooks in the oven. If you cook it first, it will dry out as it cooks further in the oven.