Homemade Sausage Balls Without Bisquick

Gari McMellon

Traditional sausage balls made from scratch with breakfast sausage, sharp cheddar, and a simple homemade biscuit mixture. Soft, tender, and moist, they’re an easy appetizer for holiday gatherings, game days, and sharing with friends.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine American, southern

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked bulk pork breakfast sausage
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
1½ cups 180 g unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed
¼ cup milk plus more as needed, 1 teaspoon at a time

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, fork, or your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs with small bits of butter throughout.
Add the uncooked sausage, freshly shredded cheddar, and ¼ cup milk. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until no pockets of dry flour remain.
Squeeze a small portion of the mixture in your hand. It should hold together and roll easily. If it still feels dry or crumbly, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing after each addition, just until it holds together.
Roll into approximately 1-inch balls and arrange on the prepared baking sheet with a little space between them.
Bake for 15–20 minutes, checking at 15 minutes, until lightly browned and the centers reach 160°F. Let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Use mild or hot pork breakfast sausage according to your preference.
The salt measurement is for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher salt or table salt, use ¼ teaspoon.
Serve on their own or with maple-Dijon dipping sauce.
Storage
To freeze before baking, arrange the shaped sausage balls on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container. Bake from frozen at 400°F, allowing additional time, until the centers reach 160°F.
To freeze after baking, cool promptly and freeze on a tray before transferring to a freezer bag or airtight container. For best quality, use frozen sausage balls within 2–3 months.
Reheat cooked sausage balls at 350°F until the centers reach 165°F, covering loosely to help retain moisture.

Keyword baked, homemade, party food, savory

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