Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

Appropriate for breakfast, brunch, dinnertime—any time of day, really—these crispy baked cream cheese sausage balls have a kick of heat (from hot sausage) and a fluffiness (thanks to cream cheese). No dipping sauce required, sausage balls are a crowd-pleasing go-to for parties all on their own.

Cream Cheese Sausage Balls Ingredients

Make sausage balls with cream cheese in just 20 minutes and with readily available ingredients. You’ll need:

• hot pork sausage as the base
• bell pepper and scallion from the produce section
• cream cheese and Cheddar cheese from the dairy aisle
• onion powder and garlic powder
• all-purpose baking mix
• olive oil for cooking the peppers

How To Make Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

Find the full recipe further below. This is a brief outline before you get started:

• Step 1: Cook the bell peppers: First preheat the oven to 350°F. In a skillet, heat oil, add bell pepper, and cook until tender. Then remove from heat and set aside.
• Step 2: Make sausage ball mixture: Next beat together the sausage and cream cheese, add bell pepper and Cheddar, and beat again. Whisk together the dry ingredients; gradually add the mixture to the mixer, and beat until well incorporated.
• Step 3: Chill the dough: Now roll the mixture into balls and place them on two baking sheets lined with parchment. Put them in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
• Step 4: Bake: Take them out and bake them in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes Transfer to a platter, and garnish with scallions for serving.

What Do These Sausage Balls Taste Like?

Cream cheese sausage balls are crispy, but still fluffy—and filling. Think of them like mini biscuits with meat mixed in.

Cream cheese is special in sausage balls because it makes for a softer texture. Some sausage balls don't use any liquid or lack a "moist" ingredient to hold the sausage balls together. That can result in a crumbly, dry sausage ball.

The hot pork sausage really adds a kick of heat that elevates the flavor profile of the whole sausage ball. The bell pepper not only adds nice texture contrast, but flavor and color, too.

How To Serve Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

Cream cheese sausage balls make a great finger food or for football season, church functions, or at any potluck or party. They’re hearty all on their own, but serve with beer for the perfect casual pairing.

And these work for events at any time of day: They’re even right for breakfast, with the appeal of a breakfast biscuit—in a bite-sized package.

Can You Make Cream Cheese Sausage Balls Ahead of Time?

Absolutely! Bake the sausage balls up to a day in advance. Let them cool completely, and store them in an airtight container. When you're ready to serve, you can warm them slightly in the oven to restore the just-from-the-oven warmth.

Can you freeze sausage balls?

This dish is also freezer friendly. Cook, cool, and pop the sausage balls into a freezer-safe zip-top plastic bag. Label the bag with the food's name and date. When you're ready to serve, thaw as many sausage balls as you need overnight in the fridge, and make them warm again by popping them in the oven before serving for a few minutes.

Store sausage balls in the freezer up to three months.

Cream Cheese Sausage Balls Variations

Try this recipe either with a mix of green and red pepper for added color and flavor diversity, or with green pepper alone if you prefer.

Instead of all-purpose baking mix, consider amping up the flavor profile by using a premade Cheddar biscuit mix. Similarly, mix up or layer the types of cheeses as you like: Pimiento cheese as a mix-in makes for a delicious variation on the ingredients.

Can You Form Cream Cheese Sausage Balls With a Scooper?

You could use a scooper to shape the balls in this recipe, but you’ll find the mixture is sticky and might get stuck even after spraying the scoop first. That’s why this recipe calls for shaping the balls with your hands instead; you can even spray the palms of your hands with a little cooking spray or oil to reduce the stickiness for easier prep.

Even More Sausage Balls:

• Pimiento Cheese Sausage Balls
• Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Balls
• Spicy Bisquick Sausage Balls
• Classic Sausage Balls

Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin.