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GET IT NOWMy Sausage Balls Recipe Is Cheesy And Tender, No Biscuit Mix Needed
The first time I made sausage balls back in 2019, I immediately understood why everyone likes them. Sausage and cheese turn into a rich, savory little bite that isn’t quite a meatball, despite its shape. Many versions use a pre-made biscuit mix, but I took a different approach with my sausage ball recipe. Here’s why I like these even more:
- Crispy and golden outside, soft and cheesy inside – Cream cheese blends into the savory sausage to keep the centers moist. But my favorite part is the sharp cheddar, which makes these sausage balls cheesy inside and leaves irresistible crispy bits on the outside. So much comfort food action here.
- No pancake or biscuit mix – I’ve seen many sausage ball recipes with Bisquick or other mixes. I used finely milled almond flour instead, which gives mine a richer, less bready texture and lets the sausage and cheddar stand out.
- Just 6 simple ingredients – Plus one optional add-in. The whole batch only takes me about half an hour start to finish, and you can even prep ahead.
I love these sausage balls for everything from breakfast and brunch to game day and even as a holiday appetizer. Make them with me!
“I have made this recipe three times. It is sooo good and easy to make. They are crispy and delicious while still warm. They are just as good after they are refrigerated.”
-Dorothy
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my sausage balls recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Ground Sausage – You need the kind without casings here. I usually choose pork breakfast sausage or Italian sausage (either mild or hot) for this recipe. Ground chicken or turkey sausage works, too, but will taste less rich.
- Almond Flour – Binds the sausage balls without pancake or biscuit mix. I chose it for its simplicity and more tender texture over a mix or white flour. I highly recommend Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour here, because its super-fine texture blends in smoothly. Coarse almond flour or almond meal can make the finished texture gritty or floury. I don’t recommend using all-purpose flour here, as it would be too dry.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese – For flavor, structure, and those little crispy bits on the outside. I prefer sharp Cheddar so it doesn’t get lost beside the sausage, but mild or medium Cheddar works. Other medium-firm cheeses can work as well. I don’t recommend a very hard cheese, such as Parmesan, as the main cheese.
- Cream Cheese – Keeps the centers moist and tender. Use plain, full-fat cream cheese at room temperature, cut into small chunks so it mixes evenly. If yours is still firm, warm it in 10-second intervals in the microwave, just until soft.
- Italian Seasoning & Garlic – You don’t need a lot because sausage is already seasoned, but I like these for extra flavor. The garlic is optional, and you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Or for a little heat, add 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Baking Powder – A small amount gives the sausage cheese balls a little lift. I use this non-GMO baking powder.
How To Make Sausage Balls
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, shredded cheese, Italian seasoning, and baking powder.
- Add the sausage, softened cream cheese, and minced garlic, if using. Mix until everything is evenly combined. I stop as soon as the white cream cheese streaks and dry flour pockets disappear.
- Form the balls. Use a small cookie scoop to portion 1-inch balls, then arrange them on a lined baking sheet.
- Bake until slightly undercooked. I twist (rotate) them halfway through baking to reduce sticking.
- Broil for color. Place the pan under the broiler for a couple of minutes at the end, until the sausage balls are golden brown and fully cooked.
My Recipe Tips
- Mix just enough, not too much. Overmixing can make the sausage balls dense and rubbery, so stop as soon as there are no cream cheese streaks or dry pockets. To help avoid mixing too much, I mix the dry ingredients first before adding the sausage.
- Freshly shredded cheese gives me the best texture. It’s not required and I’ve also made this sausage ball recipe with pre-shredded Cheddar, but shredding it yourself makes it extra melty.
- If very round balls are important to you, refrigerate them for 30-60 minutes first. This helps them hold their shape better during baking. I usually skip this step for a quicker craving fix, but when I can plan ahead, I roll the balls overnight and keep them in the fridge until right before baking.
- Make all the sausage balls the same size. That way they all finish cooking at the same time, without some over or undercooked. I use this small cookie scoop to make this quick!
- Greased foil gives me more browning, but parchment paper releases more easily (and they do stick with all that cheese!). If you use foil, grease it generously and the rotation step halfway through baking becomes extra important. I make them on my go-to baking sheet.
- Be careful not to overbake. The exact timing can vary with your oven, and even a small difference in size can make a difference. I pull them when they’re just barely cooked through or even slightly undercooked (155 degrees F measured with my meat thermometer), because the broiler adds more heat. Just make sure they reach 160 degrees F before serving, which is the ideal cooked temperature for ground sausage. If you’re using ground turkey or chicken, the targets are 160 before broiling and 165 after.
- Stay close during broiling. Cream cheese sausage balls can go from golden to too dark quickly.
- Want a surprise creamy center? I just tried this recently and it was such a nice addition! Freeze little cubes of cream cheese, then tuck one inside each sausage ball before baking.
Sausage Balls (Easy Recipe, No Mix)
My easy sausage balls are crispy outside, tender and cheesy inside, and ready in 30 minutes. Just 6 ingredients, no biscuit mix needed!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil and grease well.
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In a large bowl, stir together the almond flour, shredded cheddar, Italian seasoning, and baking powder.
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Add the sausage, cream cheese, and minced garlic, if using. Mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
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Use a small cookie scoop to form 1 inch balls (2.5 cm) and place onto the baking sheet.
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Bake for 8 minutes, then twist the balls in place to reduce sticking. Bake for another 7-8 minutes, until just barely cooked through.
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Place the pan under the broiler for another 2 minutes to brown more.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 4 sausage balls
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the most tender, evenly browned sausage balls, prevent sticking, and even a variation for a surprise creamy center.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
- Meal prep: I’ve included a few meal prep options below.
- Reheat: You can reheat these in the oven at 350 degrees F, in the microwave, or my personal favorite, the air fryer for just a minute.
- Freeze: I originally said to freeze the cooked sausage balls, but now prefer to freeze them raw instead. Both ways, I put them in the freezer on a baking sheet first to solidify, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. They cook more evenly if you thaw them before baking.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Sausage Balls
Make Ahead And Storage
Sausage balls are especially handy for parties and breakfast, because you can prep them ahead at several stages:
- Shape ahead: Form the raw balls, cover the baking sheet, and refrigerate overnight. Bake them fresh the next day.
- Mix ahead: I’ve also kept the raw mixture in the fridge for 2 days when I wrapped it tightly in a single ball.
- Freeze: I originally said to freeze the cooked sausage balls recipe, but now prefer to freeze it raw instead and bake fresh. Both ways, I put these in the freezer on a baking sheet first to solidify, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. They cook more evenly if you thaw them before baking.
- Store leftovers: They keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
- Reheat: You can reheat these in the oven at 350 degrees F, in the microwave, or my personal favorite, the air fryer for literally just a minute.
Dipping Sauces For Sausage Balls
I usually serve these warm with toothpicks and one creamy, tangy, or sweet dip:
- Honey Mustard – Definitely my favorite, pictured above! The sweet and tangy flavor goes perfectly with the savory sausage and cheddar. Try my 2-minute honey mustard!
- Ranch – My creamy ranch dressing cools down spicy sausage (if that’s what you use) and works especially well for game day.
- BBQ Or Marinara – Choose my BBQ sauce for smoky sweetness, or marinara sauce for a bright, garlicky tomato flavor that pairs especially well with Italian sausage.
- Cranberry Sauce – These cream cheese sausage balls paired surprisingly well with my cranberry sauce recipe when I tried them together over the holidays.
159 Comments
Healing Tomato
0We are huge fans of your keto recipes. This recipe was served at a New Year’s Party and it was loved by everyone! It’s so easy to make and much fun to get kids to help make the sausage balls.
Erin
0I love how full of cheese were balls were! They were perfect for our party and everyone loved them. Thanks!
Sandi
0These were absolutely delicious. I loved using your almond flour!
Vitali
0These delicious sausage balls with cream cheese were really a perfect fit 🙂 I served it as an appetizer for my friends and everyone loved it!
Karla
0Went against my better judgement and baked these on very well-greased foiled-lined baking trays, and about 95% of the meatballs stuck to the foil. It really sucked having to lose a good chunk of each meatball, especially with inflation the way it is. Would use parchment paper next time. Meatballs tasted great though.
julie richman
0Agree. Mine all stuck to foil, leaving the nice golden crust behind. I’m trying parchment paper next time.
Julia
0Love these. I’ve made them twice now. First time with 8oz cream cheese and second time with 4oz(cause that’s all I had) I liked 4oz better because the sausage flavor was more pronounced. Personal preference.
Debbie
0Can you make ahead of time and reheat?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Debbie, Yes, that would work.
Larry Box
0Very good and easy to make (even for a cooking novice like me).
Moop Brown
0I love this recipe because of how easy to make it is and because how it requires so few ingredients as well.
Ksenia
0My son loved these – and so did the rest of us. Perfectly seasoned and delectable, these bites leave you with a more-ish taste in your mouth!
veenaazmanov
0Almond Flour sounds unique. Your recipe looks simple and quick too. Baking sounds like a healthier option. Definitely yummy.
Marie
0I love meatballs, but I may love sausage meat even more! These bites were so flavorful, that they disappeared from the plate in record time. I’ll make a double batch next time!
Maggie
0Not gonna lie. I was a little hesitant trying this recipe, but I’m so glad I did! It was DELICIOUS!
Amy L
0It looks so easy and delicious. I am so excited to make this at home, yum!
Lauren Michael Harris
0What an easy, delicious recipe we made for game night this week. My husband loved them and he doesn’t usually care for cheese, so a definite win for us!
Bernice
0I’ve never made sausage balls and now I feel like I am missing out! Now that the NFL season has started, I’m always looking for fun and tasty snacking options so these are going on the list.
Kay
0To get even amount servings wouldn’t you need to make 16 balls instead of just 14?
Lynn
0If you read down in the recipe, 1 SERVING=4 meatballs. The recipe makes 14 servings. 14 servings × 4 meatballs = 56 meatballs total. If that still isn’t clear, read the recipe again with this in mind. Hope it helps.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Kay, the nutrition information will be the same regardless of how many sausage balls you scale up or down in the recipe card. You can absolutely scale to 16 if you prefer, just keep in mind the ingredient quantities will be harder to measure.
Stacy J Ross
0I made these. They tasted fantastic but didn’t stick together very well. I’m not sure what went wrong.
Shelby
0These made a great lunch app over the long weekend! Easy and not too filling for our meal later!
Christine
0Can I use coconut flour instead of almond flour?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Christine, Coconut flour and almond flour are not interchangeable.
AntKathy
0This recipe was my first outing with anything made with almond flour. I also used it to compare a favorite traditional version of sausage balls with a carb-friendly version of the treat. I did not have high hopes for it, especially when seeing how many cups of almond flour the recipe called for. Wow! What a great recipe! The sausage balls are super tasty and not significantly different in taste or texture from my usual recipe! Well done, Maya!! I tried it out on my family without telling them it was a different recipe with different ingredients and they were completely happy with the outcome. I look forward to trying more low carb recipes from this site and am no longer hesitant to cook with or eat something made with almond flour. Thanks!