Name: Classic Bisquick Sausage Balls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups baking mix; 1 lb ground sausage; 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese; ½ cup milk; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp black pepper

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Bisquick Sausage Balls are the quick, yummy appetizer that’s both the perfect party food and bite-sized snack. With just 4 ingredients, you’ll love how quickly you can whip up a batch!

image shows cooked sausage balls on a sheet

There are a few party appetizers more recognizable than sausage balls. These cute little bite size balls are a hit with both adults and kids alike!

This tasty finger food has long been a staple for when we host parties and are the perfect appetizer. My friend Scott was the first person to introduce me to this easy dish, and I was hooked.

They’re one of those finger foods you just can’t seem to stop eating, and I love how crazy simple they are to make, too.

Bisquick Sausage Balls come together in just minutes, and are the perfect way to easily feed a crowd. I love making a big batch of these as a party appetizer, but have also discovered that my kids love them as a fun snack on college game days too!

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What are Sausage Balls?

These cute little snacks are made with sausage, cheese, Bisquick mix and milk. Traditionally an appetizer, they’re a great dish to bring to your next holiday party, baby shower, family reunion, brunch or tailgate.

Sausage cheese balls also make a great breakfast! You can cook up a batch and eat these delicious sausage bites as you’re running out the door on busy mornings.

Ingredients Needed for Bisquick Sausage Balls

To make Bisquick sausage cheese balls, you’ll need a few simple ingredients. You can scroll to the full recipe card for all of the measurements, too.

Pork breakfast sausage
Milk
Shredded cheddar cheese
Bisquick baking mix
Garlic powder
Black pepper

You’ll also need:

A large mixing bowl
Wooden spoon
Large cookie sheet
Parchment paper
Optional: cookie scoop

For my sausage balls recipe, I prefer to use milk. However, you can absolutely make a three ingredient sausage ball without it! I just find that adding milk makes the cooked sausage balls more moist.

Any kind of ground breakfast sausage works for this recipe, like Jimmy Dean or Tennessee Pride. I usually will use mild pork sausage, but spicy sausage or hot pork sausage is also delicious.

If you’re planning to use this sausage ball recipe for breakfast, try maple flavored breakfast sausage. If you don’t eat pork, you can also use chicken or turkey sausage.

This recipe calls for pre-shredded cheddar cheese, but you can experiment with whatever you preferred flavor is. Colby jack cheese, pepper jack cheese and sharp cheddar cheese are other yummy options.

Bisquick makes these sausage balls come together quickly and easily. You don’t have to use the name brand! I’ve used the store brand pancake mix before and they still turn out great.

If you don’t have any baking mix, you can substitute 3 cups of flour, 3 tsp of baking powder and ½ tsp of salt to make your own.

How to Make Classic Sausage Balls

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

sausage ball ingredients in a mixing bowl

In a large bowl, mix together the baking mix, sausage, cheese, seasonings and milk until well incorporated. You might find that using your hands does this best!

Shape the sausage mixture into 1 inch to 2 inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet, depending on your preference of size. A small cookie scoop like this works great if you would prefer to keep your hands clean.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm!

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Tips for the Best Sausage Balls

Sausage balls taste best when they’re served warm. You can keep them from getting cold by covering a dish with aluminum foil, but the Crockpot also does a great job! Just set it to “warm” and add your cooked sausage balls.

If you’re reheating leftover sausage balls, I’ve found they taste best reheated in the air fryer! You can also pop them into the microwave for a few minutes if you prefer.

Raw pork can be tricky to tell if it’s done, as the sausage balls brown quickly. Also check the temperature of your sausage balls using a thermometer like this. They should be should be 160° F.

Your party guests will love this tasty appetizer. Sausage balls are a great finger food and many people enjoy dipping sauces with them! Ranch dressing, honey mustard dipping sauce, BBQ sauce and ketchup are great choices to serve with them. Try your own favorite dipping sauce!

Jimmy Dean sausage balls are a great breakfast! Just heat up a few for a filling (and easy) meal. For a firmer texture, add more biscuit mix OR less milk.

These sausage balls freeze really well! You can make them ahead and freeze the raw, uncooked sausage balls by placing the balls on a cookie sheet and popping into the freezer for a few hours. Transfer them to a freezer bag and store in the freezer until you’re ready to bake from frozen.

You can also choose to cook the sausage balls and freeze them. Allow them to cool to room temperature before wrapping freezing in a freezer-safe container. Frozen sausage balls will last about 3-4 months.

To cook from frozen, first allow the frozen sausage balls to thaw on a baking sheet while your oven preheats to 375 degrees F. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and your thermometer reads at least 160 degrees F.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Biscuits and Gravy Casserole Recipe

Easy Sheet Pan Pancakes (Oven Baked Pancakes)