Sausage Balls
2024 is the year of the dinner party. Celebrating with friends, living in the moment, appreciating the small things — those are my new year's resolutions and I’ve noticed a trend among my friends and family.
When looking for the perfect party appetizer or small bite I think there are a few essential qualifications. Most importantly, a successful small bite needs to be flavorful and easy to eat in a party setting. No dripping, spilling, or dropping allowed! The reason why sausage balls are the perfect recipe for a party is because they’re essentially sausage biscuits created into an easy, handheld form. They’re also substantial (I admit when I was recipe testing there were a few days where these became my lunch, and I didn’t want anything else).
Last but not least, these stand the test of time. This recipe has been in my life for as long as I can remember, with my grandmother originally discovering it. The original recipe is included below. All we’ve done to change the recipes over the years is add cream cheese, an addition that increases both flavor and moisture — a win-win.
Do I have to use Italian sausage when a recipe calls for it? Usually, I like a versatile recipe that is flexible and possible to create using whatever you might have in the fridge. That means when I insist on an ingredient I really mean it. In this case, I highly recommend utilizing an Italian sausage and not substituting any plain ground meat or plain sausage. If you must use a plain sausage without Italian seasoning, I recommend increasing the amount of spices (chili powder, salt, garlic powder) immensely to compensate for the loss of flavor.
Can I make sausage balls ahead of time for a party? Yes! This is a great appetizer to prepare in advance for a party. Because of the cream cheese these sausage balls will stay nicely hydrated and won’t dry out if making them in advance. When ready to serve, take the sausage balls out of the fridge and warm them gently in the oven.
What type of cheese should you use for sausage balls? There is a lot of flexibility with what types of cheeses work well for this recipe, as long as it’s a hard, gratable cheese. Consider Monterey Jack, cheddar, Gouda or Gruyère. My preference and recommendation here is to stick to some kind of cheddar for this recipe as it packs a punch and adds great flavor to the final product.
What should I serve with sausage balls? Sausage balls are a very substantial appetizer or small plate, so I recommend diversifying the rest of the menu additions to more fresh options. Think — a dressed crudité with a yogurt dip, crostini, even a cheese board with an assortment of fruit. Truth be told, I think sausage balls would make a fantastic brunch addition since they’re essentially a sausage biscuit all in one.
Sausage Balls
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 ½ tbsp of baking powder
- 8 oz of shredded cheddar
- ½ tsp of garlic powder
- 2 tsp of chili powder
- ½ tsp of salt
- 1 lb Italian sausage — mild or spicy
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt) in a small bowl until well incorporated. In a separate, large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients (shredded cheddar cheese, sausage, cream cheese) and the dry ingredient mixture. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, pressing the sausage and cream cheese into the dry ingredients similar to how you would when making biscuits.
- Scoop out the mixture into roughly 1 inch diameter balls and place on a baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve right away or make in advance for a party.
