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.
I’ve never made these with cream cheese before. I tried these and they are delicious. The cream cheese makes them a little softer. I much prefer these over any I have made before. Also the bottoms didn’t come out as dark as usual, maybe because of the refrigeration before baking. Overall I was very impressed with these. Thank you for the recipe.
The cream cheese takes these sausage balls to the next level!
So.so.good.
I’m new, please add me to your email list. Thank you. JERRIANN
These are excellent! The recipe is great and I actually made 64 sausage balls also out of the recipe. I had never used a mixer before when making sausage balls. However, now that I have made this recipe it will be my “go-to” for making sausage balls! (The cream cheese makes them moist!)
This recipe is life changing! The addition of cream cheese to this recipe makes these light and tender. We have been making sausage balls for decades, and the are the best we’ve ever had, and it’s not even close.
Perfect!!
These are very good. My only suggestion is to chill the dough before rolling into balls. Then bake without chilling again. The cold dough does not stick to your hands, and its easier to shape the balls.
made these last and they are soo good. can I freeze them after they are cooked to heat later?
These were perfect!! Made it exactly to your directions.
I made these today for the first time. They are very good. I did one thing different that saved time. I put the mixture in a disposable Pasty bag, cut the end off so mixture would come out to about 1 inch, squeezed the mixture out to the size the cut it off with scissors. Makes perfect size balls. Thought you may like this hint. I will be 85 in February so its never too late to learn something different.
Hi Ruth! That is a wonderful tip! Thank you so much for sharing! Also, happy (early) birthday!
My favorite! I add a touch more Bisquick, probably double the cheese using finely shredded cheddar, hot sausage and I add almost a cup of milk when mixing. It is so delicious!!!
Looks good!! Ever tried using venison sausage? Going to try that tonight
Just made them and can say they’re DELISH!! The only thing I did different was use mild sausage. This will definitely be my “go to” sausage ball recipe from this point further. Thanks for sharing it!!
Woo hoo!! Thank you so much Alecia! So thrilled you loved them!
These were great! I added diced jalapeno for a little kick, and they turned out great.
Have you ever made these and kept in a crockpot for warming at a potluck?
Do I have to chill them first before I cook them or can I just make it, put it straight in the oven?
I do recommend chilling them. It helps to keep them from spreading too much while baking.
how far in advance can i cook them?
Hi Connie, these can be made weeks in advance and frozen.
I have also been making these for years, only I have not used cream cheese until last Christmas. What a difference it made. They were awesome, and the first thing requested this year.
I made this recipe for a Christmas party yesterday. It was the first thing gone on the table! Wonderful instructions and yummy sausage balls…so moist. I will definitely make them again.
Absolutely delicious! Definitely use the “hot” sausage – they are really not spicy hot at all!
Awesome!! I used Jenny O turkey (couldn’t find hot) and can’t tell the difference in it and pork sausage balls! I also grated sharp cheddar cheese instead of using the preshredded. I made a sample batch because I couldn’t remember if I used turkey last year…my husband is very thrilled! Ha! The 2nd batch will go in the freezer to be baked on Christmas morning! Thank you!!
Love these, been making them for years 🙂 Only thing I do differently is cook my sausage before hand, allow to cool then mix. Balls keep they’re shape because the grease is already “cooked out” before baking. Same great taste!!
These are one of my favorite things to make. I am bad about eating breakfast so this is an easy way to get breakfast in.
I always use Jimmy Dean maple sausage when I make them.
I don’t use as much Bisquick because they get too dry even with the cream cheese.
Oh my … these are so much better than the ones I’ve been making for decades! Can’t wait to share them at church tomorrow! I doubled the recipe, using 1 lb of hot sausage and 1 lb of regular, and it was just right for us. My husband pulled out grape jelly as a dip, and made them his dinner tonight … ha! Thank you for perfecting the best baking surface and chilling time, too. They are quite lovely!
Has anyone tried adding peppers and/or onions to the recipe?
I make mine into “stuffing balls” by adding sautéed onions and celery plus sage and thyme or herbs de Provence. Soooo good!! I’m sure peppers and onions would also be delicious!
Wow not what I was expecting , I’ve had the cream cheese and sasage mixes for stuffed mushrooms. I was expecting something like this but so much better. I brushed the top with garlic butter and it was so good!!
Made and loved! Also, made your honey mustard dressing. It was AMAZING!!