Discover a delicious twist on delicious sausage balls without Bisquick! This easy recipe offers a homemade alternative for savory, melt-in-your-mouth sausage cheese balls.
They're perfect for breakfast or as a party appetizer.
Why you'll love this recipe
If you’ve been to a football tailgating party you know making foods like hot taco dip and these sausage balls is part of game day. And you know that it’s really hard to quit popping these sausage balls in your mouth. They're the perfect little bite!
They’re the most amazing perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving, too!
I love these sausage balls because they have a blend of amazing seasonings that are already in your pantry.
And we’re combining spices along with tender, juicy ground pork sausage and cream cheese, which basically makes everything in life that much better.
Unlike some recipes, these sausage balls don’t use Bisquick. Instead, these sausage balls are made with flour, which you already have. Woo-hoo!
Ingredients
ground pork sausage: regular or hot sausage - your choice if you want mild or spicy sausage balls. I used an unseasoned blend because we have the spices going on. If you have extra, you can use it in one of these recipes using ground pork.
cream cheese: adding cream cheese makes sure that everything holds these delectable sausage bites together. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature so it blends easily. If you forget to set it out ahead of time, there’s a cream cheese shortcut here.
all-purpose flour: for binding. I used unbleached all purpose, but to make these gluten free, you can use a gluten-free all purpose flour.
baking powder: to keep these sausage balls lighter
Substitutions
If you can’t find white cheddar cheese, any sharp cheddar cheese or any cup shredded cheddar cheese can work. Some pepper jack is fun if your friends can stand the heat!
Pro Tip: About the cheese: I will say the results are best when you shred your own cheese, because the cheese is in its purest form.
How to make sausage balls without Bisquick
Before we begin, get your supplies ready. This means you preheat your oven, get out your ingredients, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remember, we want the cream cheese to be softened, so take it out of the package and give it a start now.
Also, be sure to use a rimmed baking pan for this recipe. We need sides to contain any drippings of goodness.
Step 1: Grab your favorite large mixing bowl. We all have our favorite, don’t we?
Use a spoon or your very clean hands to combine the pork sausage and cream cheese.
Step 2: In a separate mixing bow, combine your dry ingredients like the flour, baking powder and spices.
Step 3: Cut the butter into the seasoned flour by using a pastry blender or fork. Basically, you’ll work the butter into the dry ingredients.
You don’t need to use a food processor or stand mixer for this. One less dish to wash!
Step 4: Add your flour mixture and your cheddar cheese to the sausage mixture. You know the drill by now - mix well!
Step 5: Grab your favorite cookie scoop (mine is the medium OXO cookie scoop and it makes about 1 ½ inch balls).
Scoop the pork mixture, shape into meatball shapes, and place them on the baking sheet.
Step 6: Pop these into the oven for 18-20 minutes until the sausage balls are golden brown.
Check to make sure they’re done all the way through by using a meat thermometer. They should be at a temp of 160°F.
How good do these look???
Variations
Okay, for all you cooks who like to go rouge...Here are some recipe variations for you!
Mix-Ins: Incorporate ingredients like diced jalapeños, chopped spinach, or roasted red peppers for added flavor and color.
Mini Muffin Tin: Instead of forming balls, use a mini muffin tin to create bite-sized sausage ball cups. They'll have a slightly different shape but still taste delicious.
For a fun recipe variation, you can also try sausage breakfast bombs, too! - they're delish!
How to freeze sausage balls
Simply place the uncooked sausage balls on a parchment lined baking sheet and place them in the freezer for about an hour, or until they’re frozen solid.
Place the frozen sausage balls in a freezer safe container (like a ziplock bag or other container) and store in the freezer until you are ready to bake and serve them.
To cook your homemade sausage balls from frozen, just add a few minutes to the bake time to allow them to cook all the way through.
The sausage balls without bisquick will last up to 6 months in the freezer.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! One of my favorite entertaining secrets is the make ahead appetizer! You can cook them ahead of time and reheat when you’re ready to serve.
I like to make the sausage balls, then pop them into a slow cooker set on low. They'll keep without drying out for several hours.
If you're just reheating a few sausage balls, you can add the cooked sausage balls to the microwave and give them about a 30 second reheat.
If reheating a batch, you can reheat them in the oven. Set the temperature to 325 and baked until warmed through.
What should I serve with sausage balls?
These are great as is, or you can serve them with a side of honey mustard or ranch dressing for dipping.
Other delicious appetizer recipes
If you make this sausage balls recipe without bisquick,If you tried this sausage balls recipe without Bisquick, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments.
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Sausage Balls without Bisquick
Ingredients
- 16 ounces ground pork sausage
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork sausage and cream cheese until well-combined. You can use a spoon or impeccably clean hands - your choice!
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, smoked paprika, thyme, black pepper, onion powder, and salt. Cut in the butter using a fork or a pastry blender.
- Add the flour mixture and the shredded cheddar cheese to the sausage mixture and mix well.
- Use a cookie scoop to form evenly sized 1-inch balls and place them on your cookie sheet.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the sausage balls are browned and cooked through to 160° F° when measured with a meat thermometer. Serve warm.
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