Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Yield: 60
Ingredients: 2 cups flour; 3 teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons butter (cold); 1 lb. sausage; 8 ounces cheddar cheese (grated)

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Sausage Balls are a classic favorite at our house. Here’s a recipe that does not require Bisquick. Less greasy and no added chemicals. Super easy to make, and perfect for game days or holiday get togethers.

Sausage balls have always been a treat in our house around the holidays. Everyone loves them for breakfast but they are just as delicious for parties or get togethers. The original recipe was on the back of the box of Biscuick when I was growing up. My mom used Bisquick for everything.

I don’t really like the idea of using processed foods so I thought I would try to recreate sausage balls without Bisquick. If you read the box, it’s flour and shortening and some chemicals. I decided that I should be able to use flour with a little butter and baking powder to get the same results.

I gave it a try this weekend and we were thrilled with the results. Using flour with a little butter instead of shortening made the same sausage balls less greasy. I baked them on a wire rack on a cookie sheet but didn’t need to since there was hardly any grease that dripped through. Not only were they not as greasy but the texture was so much better. They were almost biscuit like.

Ingredients for SAUSAGE BALLS

Flour
Baking Powder
Butter
Breakfast sausage
Cheddar cheese

How do you make sausage balls

The worst thing about making sausage balls has always been getting all the ingredients combined. The only way I knew to do this was to use your hands. But this time, I was making the flour butter mixture in the food processor and just dumped the cheese and sausage in and OMG, it was perfectly blended and I didn’t even have to get my hands dirty. I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of the food processor before. If you don’t have one, then you will need to use your hands to combine the ingredients. Put this on your Christmas list if you don’t own one, this is my second one which I have had for at least 20 years. I had to replace one of the parts, that I broke, but it’s still going strong.

How can you use a FOOD PROCESSOR

I could not live without my food processor. I use it to make biscuits, pie crusts, Energy bites, Gruyere Crackers, Macaroni & Cheese, and Oreo Truffles to list just a few. It’s great for slicing potatoes for au Gratin Potatoes, or making the topping for Pecan Sandy Peach Crumble. Of course it’s ideal for grating cheese or making pesto. I could go on and on. It is one of just a couple of appliances I could not live without. It makes a great wedding or graduation gift and of course is perfect for Christmas.

Once the ingredients are combined, you can roll them into balls, but it’s quicker and you will get prettier shaped sausage balls if you use a small ice cream scoop like this one.

Can you make these ahead of time

What’s nice about sausage balls is that you can make them in advance and freeze them. You can also freeze them after they’ve cooked and warm them up, but they taste best right after they’ve been cooked.

Can you MICROWAVE sausage balls

NO!! Don’t microwave them, you will get rubbery sausage balls. That doesn’t mean I haven’t done it in a pinch, but they are so much better if you can warm them in the toaster oven. I have an old toaster oven that I’ve had for about 10 years and I use it ALL the time. I don’t think they sell it anymore but it’s similar to this one.

If you have been deprived all your life and don’t know what I’m talking about in this post, then you MUST give these a try. I’ve never known anyone who doesn’t love sausage balls. Take these to your next game day or brunch and you’ll be the hit of the party. If you are gluten-free or watching your carbs, try my version of Sausage Balls with Almond Flour.

Need more GAME DAY recipes

Make a pot of Short Rib Chili
Try some Mini Potato Skins
You can never go wrong with Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Don’t forget something sweet like Cookie Dough Brownies

If you make Sausage Balls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! I would love to see your creation.

I might receive income from links that you click on. Please know that I only provide links to things that I use on a regular basis and think you might find helpful.

Sausage Balls

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: sausage

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Servings:

Calories: 57kcal

Ingredients

2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter cold
1 lb. sausage
8 ounces cheddar cheese grated

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400º. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add flour, baking powder, salt and butter to a food processor and process until butter is incorporated. Add grated cheese and pulse 1-2 times. Add sausage and pulse until it comes together.
Using a 1 tablespoon ice cream scoop, form into balls and place on prepared rack.
Bake for 15 minutes until slightly browned on the outside. Serve warm.

Notes

If you want a low carb version, try Sausage Balls with Almond Flour

Nutrition

Comments

Linda W Flood says
December 31, 2018 at 3:07 pm
I am wondering if you brown the sausage first or put it in raw?
- Barbara Curry says
  January 31, 2019 at 7:41 pm
  Linda,
  You put the sausage in raw and it cooks in the oven.
Barbara Curry says
December 31, 2018 at 8:15 pm
You put it in raw, how easy is that!
Nancy Turner says
April 4, 2019 at 5:10 pm
Great…lighter than the old Bisquik version! If serving at breakfast or as a part of “breakfast for dinner,” set out a little pitcher of warm maple syrup to drizzle over the balls!! YUM!
- Barbara Curry says
  April 4, 2019 at 9:19 pm
  The syrup is a great idea, thanks Nancy.
Nancy Turner says
October 7, 2019 at 9:13 pm
I made sausage balls again for a fall party. I added chopped dates for a sweet note in the savory mix.
- Barbara Curry says
  October 13, 2019 at 7:45 am
  Sweet and savory sounds delicious!
Emily says
December 21, 2019 at 5:05 am

I will be making these for Xmas morning … But wonder … Can I make these without the sausage? Would I need to adjust some other ingredients?
- Barbara Curry says
  December 21, 2019 at 5:56 pm
  I don’t think they would stay together without the sausage. If you just want a cheese biscuit, then try these with or without the caramelized onions.
Vonda says
December 28, 2019 at 11:28 pm
Can you just use self rising flour instead of the flour, baking soda and salt
- Barbara Curry says
  December 30, 2019 at 4:51 am
  Yes, I just never have self-rising flour around.