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These biscuit mix cheesy sausage balls are a holiday staple as an appetizer and grace many a table for holiday breakfasts! Only three ingredients are needed to have a delicious snack or side dish. Can you tell that I have a box of Bisquick® to use up? These Bisquick® Sausage Balls are a classic recipe and are so easy and delicious to make! If you are looking for another recipe, try my Bisquick® Quiche Recipe; it’s another classic!
Quick & Easy Sausage Balls Recipe
OK, I’m not grown up at all. I keep snickering over the name of this recipe, I admit. I have the mind of a 14-year-old boy – my son is probably more mature than I am, let’s face it. That said, while I may snort over the name of this recipe, sausage balls are delicious.
After that last sentence, I give up. I can’t even write seriously about this recipe. Mike and I spent the whole day making dirty jokes while I was making these sausage balls.That’s what happens when you are stuck together working as a team; you feed off each other, even when it means you’re acting immature.
Let’s get serious about those sausage balls now.
This is a classic Bisquick® recipe that is extremely popular around the holidays. With the holidays coming up, I thought it was high time I gave these a try, not to mention I have a box of Bisquick® that I was supposed to take out to the trailer at the lake – and I need to use it up before it goes stale. We totally were screwed out of a decent August here in Alberta, between the fires in BC smoking up the air Calgary and Edmonton and the weather generally being weirdly hot and cold, we made it out to the lake ONCE – and we stayed inside the trailer the entire time. It was so smoky we couldn’t see the lake.
This is also my backyard on September 13th. I am NOT making this up, my friends. I feel totally ripped off this summer between the smoke and the snow (it’s actually still summer until September 22nd).
I live where it snows in the summer. I swear I’m moving to Vancouver Island. I can’t take this anymore.
I went on to the baking that I did when it was snowing in summer. These sausage balls are the kind of food that one should start baking in the winter: rich, decadent, comforting, carb-loaded goodness. The recipe makes a perfect 24 golf ball-sized sausage balls, and they will fit on a large baking sheet together perfectly, as you can see below. I like a good recipe that a) uses only one bowl and b) fits onto one baking sheet. That’s my kinda recipe!
What kind of pork sausage do I use?
You are going to need raw, ground pork sausage for the traditional sausage balls recipe; however, the sky is really the limit. You can use a mild Italian sausage, a maple syrup-sweet breakfast sausage, or even a hot spiced sausage. The only caveat is that it HAS to be a ground sausage. It cannot be a cooked smoked sausage.
My kitchen hack?
Use your stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Using your mixer to make these sausage balls made this recipe SO EASY that I can see it being doubled and you having four dozen sausage ball snacks in no time at all! I also think it does a better job of working the ingredients together than mixing them by hand would. You then simply get a tablespoon and get your golf ball-sized dough balls ready to rock!
The other secret to these is not dropping them onto the sheet; you can roll them into nice uniform balls. I don’t guarantee that they will stay that shape, as the pork fat and cheese fat will melt and change the shape of these, but mine came out pretty darn uniform.
Karlynn’s Tips & Tricks for Making Sausage Balls
- Don’t use bagged shredded cheese in these. You need the moisture that comes with freshly shredded block cheese. The cheese shreds in the bag are dry and you will end up with a dry product.
- You can definitely change up the type of cheese to whatever flavor you prefer, but a sharp old cheddar is delicious!
- If the batter seems dry, add in a 1/4 cup of milk.
- If your sausage isn’t that greasy, you might also have to add milk.
- Here in Canada, we don’t usually get the 1lb packs of spiced ground pork sausage (if we do, please let me know where I have been looking!), and I simply took breakfast sausages out of their casings and used that instead. That seemed to be a little dryer than it should be, so I added in 2 tbsp of milk to help. I would add in the 1/4 cup next time for sure.
- Add in some spices like cayenne if you want – I LOVED mine with the chives! I would use fresh minced green onion in my next batch for sure.These are easy to customize.
And that dip? It’s my new Creamy Sweet Chili Sauce and it is my new favorite dip! You can literally use that on anything, chicken wings, salad, veggies and more. It was awesome with these sausage balls!
If you want a good side to go with this recipe, why not try my favourite, excellent Brown Sugar Bacon Wrapped Smokies?
Stay tuned for more Bisquick® recipes in the next week or two, I still have a ton left that I need to use up! And that’s before the one at the trailer comes home this weekend, since we have to pack up the trailer at the lake way early this year. Sigh. Maybe we will get an early nice spring?
Happy Baking!
Love,
Karlynn
Sausage Balls Recipe (Classic Bisquick Sausage Balls)
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 20 minutes
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Course
- Appetizer
- Cuisine
- American
- Servings
- 24 sausage balls
- Calories
- 176
- Author
- Karlynn Johnston
Ingredients
- 1 pound sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 pound ground pork sausage
- 2 cups biscuit baking mix (Bisquick)
- 1 tablespoon freeze dried chives ( optional)
- 1/4 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!
Recipe Video
Nutrition Information
All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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Shelly says
I am trying this recipe out tomorrow morning, so thank you for the wonderful idea. As for the 1 lb sausage, I get mine at Metro, Safeway and sometimes Walmart. I live in Ontario , but I do not know if this is recent or not as I also shop across the border sometimes. But now I do go to those three stores to get it here in town.
Thank you again.
RCSGuy says
If you want to make these sausage balls healthier, replace typical biscuit flour with CarbQuik low carb flour. Then use hot turkey sausage instead of pork sausage. Also, as suggested only use cheddar cheese that you shred yourself. The shredded bagged cheese is waxy and lacks flavor.
Abby Thornton says
I’d like to have the dip for the cheese sausage balls please. Thank you.
Martha Hinkle says
Can these be mixed up and refrigerated and cooked the next day?
Carolyn Gibson says
I have made these at Christmas time or New Years for many years. I pulverize an onion and add some garlic powder to the ingredient list. The liquid from the onion is all the liquid I need, but if you need more, you could just add a tablespoon or two of water. The baked sausage balls will keep in the fridge for a few days, and they freeze very well. Just pop them into the microwave to reheat.
WitchyPoo says
I married a Canadian and lived in Toronto from 1999-2005. During that time you could buy Jimmy Dean pound chubs at Loblaws and NO Frills. I prefer Tennessee Pride sausage, but Jimmy Dean will do in a pinch. Also, here in the South (Tennessee) we brown the sausage before adding it to the mix. Keeps the balls from being too “greasy” tasting.
Stephanie Ryckman says
Are the nutrition facts per ball?
Renee says
Not sure what happened with mine but they did not stay in a ball shape but rather spread out. Who knows what I did!?!
Jan Holloway says
I had that problem the first time I made them years ago. Bottom line, you Probably had too much moisture. The mixture should be super dry before you bake it. It should barely come together, be very stiff, and may even have a few flakes of loose flour in the bottom of the bowl. Roll the balls very tightly, and basically the flour will soak up the moisture as they bake and not fall apart. Good luck!
Beth McGowan says
What is the dip??
Kenneth Hunter says
Please, just the recipe, not the crude jokes.
kimberly e hixson says
A favorite recipe of mine – to make it even easier I use sharp cheddar blocks melted in a double boiler, and added in with the other ingredients to my stand mixer. Makes this a virtually no prep recipe.
Wayne Tidd says
I’m curious about the 1 jar of cheese whiz. 1 whole jar with listed ingredient amounts or did they have to be increased? Has anyone added garlic powder to this recipe and if so, approx how much.
Elizabeth English says
Here’s my famous dip for almost anything, raw veggie platter, chips, shrimps, etc. : in a bowl mix half mayonnaise and half sour cream. Add a few shakes of white pepper, plenty of powdered curry, some celery seeds, chopped parsley, stir it all together, and it’s ready to go. Easy Peasy!
Lydia says
Just made a batch. Did 1.5 times the ingredient list as I wanted 36 sausage balls. I have just rolled up ball # 70. It’s true that I made them more like ping pong balls than golf balls, but I still consider them HUGE. Delicious otherwise as the first batch is now out of the oven, but I think you definitely need to change how many this recipe produces.
Jane says
Hey Karolyn, plan to make them for book club Sunday. I’m in Edmonton and I just bought a tube of frozen raw pork sausage at Safeway. (And my sister just abandoned ship here and moved to an ocean-front just north of Qualicum on Vancouver Island…. if this winter turns out like last one I may move in with her!?)
Taryn Sims says
I made these using 1/2 container of pimento cheese and 1/2 bag of cheddar cheese and a few green onions with the second batch
Elizabeth Ward says
Oh Tara!!!! I was so glad to see your comment. We were just sitting here wondering how they would be with pimento cheese!!! We have some in the fridge that needs to be used so will be trying that tomorrow. Thanks again for the suggestion. I made these on a regular basis “back in the day”. We always cooked for birthdays where I worked. For the men’s birthdays especially we would do breakfast. Sausage Balls were always a huge hit (along with breakfast casseroles and biscuits and gravy lol).
Betty Gorman says
Thank you for the tip to use the mixer to combine the ingredients? what a
Time saver!! We look forward to exploring your site for other tips and receipes?
Richard King says
What a about the dip Recipe?
amanda says
what about making them ahead of time for a party and popping them in the oven day of to reheat them ?
Sandi Reed says
Oh it’s been years since I made these. Making for New Years eve. Quick and easy. Using sage sausage and feta for the sharpness with mozzarella for the creamy-ness. I’ll let you know. Also adding g some Savory. Need something green in them. Suggestions?
Ron says
If I wanted to add frozen spinach into the batter, how much thawed & squeezed should I add?
sherrie stirsman says
I just made these and I added a package of dry ranch and a pinch of red pepper flakes and OMG! they are delicious too! thanks for the hint of adding milk, mine are not dried out!
Karlynn Johnston says
OH that sounds amazing! I am so glad that they worked out!
Posley says
If I mix up my ingredients for the sausage balls, can I cook some now and refrigerate the rest until later tonight?
Thank you
Daniel says
Cooked sausage balls freeze well. Also, shredded cheese is fine, just add more milk. Add the 1/4 cup first, mix, then add an extra half cup and finish mixing.
Sara says
You are absolutely hilarious. I thought I was just looking for a recipe that I wanted to cook on a Saturday morning. I read your facts about yourself and literally laughed to myself when I read ” I would rather burn my house down than have to clean it”. And I too have never met a cocktail that I didn’t like.
Karlynn Johnston says
Haha I am glad that you liked the facts! Cheers and Merry Christmas!
Kathleen Jory says
Thank you very much Karlynne and for your excellent suggestions using fresh grated cheese and little more milk. I will make these tomorrow for Friday gathering. I am going to try feta cheese in a batch for fun… although Feta is more dry….. Love your idea to move to Vancouver Island! We lived there and loved it. We now live in Salmon Arm and experienced the same summer~
Daisy says
I had these years ago and they were amazing so yesterday I told my guy about them and of course anything with sausage and cheese he’s all over it!!!!…..
as looking for dip recipes this morning I was thinking of a good breakfast gravy if you’re making these for your family on a Sunday morning
Sounds good to me…. any thoughts on that
Telisa Dyer says
If you’d like to have fresh smoked country sausage. You can order online at Rice’s country hams in Mt Juliet TN. Their sausage is to die for.
Tell them Telisa Dyer sent you ?
Doris Brenneman says
Woke up in the middle of the night, thinking I need one more item to serve at our Christmas get together. Sausage balls made with Bisquick and cheese popped into my head. Being years since I made them, I wasn’t sure if I still had the recipe. Thanks to your site, l found the recipe!
Dana M Joyner says
Your first paragraph had me cracking up! I’m glad I’m not the only one who giggles a bit on the inside when this recipe is mentioned. Thank you!
Karlynn Johnston says
Haha thanks!!
Jody Davis says
I have always done mine with cheeze whiz. It will help with the dryness. It had been to many years since I made mine that I had to look for a recipe to remember how much of everything. I came across yours, which now I remember mine, it is the same but with the cheese whiz. I use one jar of the cheese. Thank you.
Joe Hall says
First time making these with Cheese Whiz… I think we have a winner! Thanks again for the suggestion. I also chop some fresh chives into the mixture before rolling up the balls.
Suzin says
These look delicious. I’ve been looking for a Christmas Day appetizer. Thanks!
Kim says
Hi. Read your recipe here few weeks ago and it made me remember eating these long ago. I decided to buy some bisquick and make some. I looked up the original bisquick recipe and thought I’d let you know that it calls for 1/2c of milk. I thought this may be why you are having ‘dryness’ issues. But it also calls for 3c of bisquick where you use 2. They also claim they should be 1” balls which is kind of small. Anyway I thought you may want to consider adding more milk it would be justified.
Earlyne Wiebe says
Love your recipes. Will try these sausage balls next time friends come over. BTW, don’t move to Vancouver. Or Victoria. It snows there too seriously.
Karlynn Johnston says
Thanks Earlyne! I’d love to move by the ocean one day, snow or not….. I love the ocean!
Dana M Joyner says
Here in NC it’s going to be in the 70s tomorrow (December 2nd). Doesn’t feel wintery at all! I loved being up north but I know snow can be a hassle. XOXO STAY WARM! : )
Steve Willocks says
These are excellent dipped in Siracha.
Kevin Sean Casement says
Great timing. Have almost a whole box of Bisquick to use up from the trailer too. These sound delicious. I make my own ground pork sausage (different varieties but all variations on pizza style Italian sausage) so will likely use that. The creamy Thai chili dip sounds great as well. Will give it a try.