These easy Bisquick Sausage Balls are moist and full of flavor. They are a staple at my house during the holidays and on game day. Serve them at breakfast, happy hour, or as an appetizer. A total crowd pleaser.
Bisquick baking mix is a great shortcut ingredient that can be doctored up in so many different ways. It is the perfect dry ingredient for these old fashioned sausage balls.
These pair perfectly for brunch with my Homemade Pancakes Recipe, Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting, or Sourdough French Toast.
They also go great with these finger foods and appetizers: Air Fryer Potato Skins, Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms, or Frozen Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer.
If you want to use bacon instead of sausage, try my Bacon & Cheddar Cheese Muffins.
Table of Contents
What Are Bisquick Sausage Balls?
These are a classic holiday party potluck appetizer. They are primarily made of Bisquick baking mix, ground sausage, and cheese. The ingredients are rolls into bite size balls and then baked. They can also be served at breakfast or brunch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is way better than the traditional 3 ingredient bisquick sausage balls. The addition of the sauce, spices, and two kinds of cheese take these to the next level.
- These are a cross between a cheddar biscuit and a meatball.
- The bottoms get nice and crispy, while the inside stays soft and moist.
- These can be served as an appetizer or a side dish for breakfast/brunch. They are perfect for holidays, potlucks, and football season. Total party food!
- This recipe is quick and easy to make and can be prepped in advance.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Bisquick: I have only tested this recipe with the regular version but I imagine gluten free Bisquick will work just fine too.
- Hot Pepper Sauce: This does not add much heat, just some tanginess.
- Breakfast Sausage: Use any type of sausage you like. I use Jimmy Dean hot breakfast sausage. Italian sausage is also delicious. You can also use turkey sausage.
- Cheese: I like the combination of orange cheddar and white. White is a more pungent sharp cheddar and adds so much flavor. Use whatever cheese you prefer, like pepper jack, colby jack, or parmesan.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Bisquick Sausage Balls
Quick Overview
- Preheat oven.
- Whisk the dry ingredients.
- Add sausage & cheese.
- Form gold ball size balls.
- Bake & serve warm!
Step by Step Instructions
Be sure all the bisquick is absorbed before adding the cheese.
Step 1: Place the oven racks so that one is in the upper third position and one is in the lower third position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), whisk together the bisquick, Italian seasoning, garlic, and onion powder.
Step 2: Add the water, hot sauce, worcestershire, and sausage to the dry ingredients.
Step 3: Using the dough hook or paddle attachment, an electric mixer, or a large spoon, mix on low speed until the sausage is completely incorporated.
They should be about the size of a golf ball.
Step 4: Add all of the cheese and mix again on low until combined.
Step 5: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the mixture into a 2 Tablespoon ball (golf ball size). Roll into a ball.
Step 6: Line each baking sheet with about 20 balls. These do not spread so they can be close together.
Step 7: Bake for 23-26 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until golden brown. The internal temperature should be at least 170 degrees.
Expert Tips & Variations
- Use freshly grated cheese. This melts and tastes way better than pre-shredded bagged cheese. Buy a block and grate it at home.
- Do not add too much bisquick. The dough should be moist and sticky. Too much bisquick will cause the balls to dry out. I recommend measuring it with a kitchen scale to ensure an accurate measurement.
- Add the sausage first. Mix in the sausage before adding the cheese. Adding the ingredients separately helps them mix better. This also prevents the cheese from getting mashed.
- Mix well. I prefer to use a stand mixer for this recipe to ensure all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Use a cookie scoop. This ensures all of the cheesy sausage balls are the same size and cook evenly.
- If the dough is sticking to your hands, use oil or gloves. I prefer to use gloves, but you can also lightly spray your hands with cooking spray oil or rub a little oil on your palms.
- Serve warm. If you are not serving these right away, they will stay super hot and delicious in a crockpot on “warm” for a couple hours.
- Serve with dipping sauces. Honey mustard, ranch, or barbecue are some of my favorites.
- Prepare in advance. The balls can be prepared through Step 6, then refrigerated overnight, and baked the next. I do not recommend preparing these more than one day in advance because they contain raw ground pork.
Recipe FAQs
There are a few reasons why they might have dried out. You may have added too much bisquick, overbaked them, or not added enough cheese. Be sure to follow the recipe exactly. The fat from the sausage and cheese should add lots of moisture to the dough.
Most recipes do not use egg. The bisquick balls are supposed to be the texture of a biscuit. I find they stay together great without any egg.
Yes. Since there is meat in them, they should not be at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator. They stay good for about 3-4 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. The unbaked balls can be frozen as well. If baking from frozen, be sure to add about 5 minutes to the cook time.
More Appetizer Recipes
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Bisquick Sausage Balls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) bisquick
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 Tablespoon hot pepper sauce*
- 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- 1 pound breakfast ground pork sausage*
- 8 ounces (2 cups) medium orange cheddar cheese, shredded
- 8 ounces (2 cups) sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Place the oven racks so that one is in the upper third position and one is in the lower third position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl), whisk together the bisquick, Italian seasoning, garlic, and onion powder.
- Add the water, hot sauce, worcestershire, and sausage to the dry ingredients.
- Using the dough hook or paddle attachment, an electric mixer, or a large spoon, mix on low speed until the sausage is completely incorporated.
- Add all of the cheese and mix again on low until combined.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the mixture into a 2 Tablespoon ball (golf ball size). Roll into a ball.
- Line each baking sheet with about 20 balls. These do not spread so they can be close together.
- Bake for 23-26 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until golden brown. The internal temperature should be at least 170 degrees.
Notes
- Bisquick: I have only tested this recipe with the regular version but I imagine gluten free Bisquick will work just fine too.
- Hot Pepper Sauce: This does not add much heat, just some tanginess.
- Breakfast Sausage: Use any type of sausage you like. I use Jimmy Dean hot breakfast sausage. Italian sausage is also delicious. You can also use turkey sausage.
- Cheese: I like the combination of orange cheddar and white. White is a more pungent sharp cheddar and adds so much flavor. Use whatever cheese you prefer, like pepper jack, colby jack, or parmesan.
- Mix well. I prefer to use a stand mixer for this recipe to ensure all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
- If the dough is sticking to your hands, use oil or gloves. I prefer to use gloves, but you can also lightly spray your hands with cooking spray oil or rub a little oil on your palms.
- Prepare in advance. The balls can be prepared through Step 6, then refrigerated overnight, and baked the next. I do not recommend preparing these more than one day in advance because they contain raw ground pork.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I LOVE this recipe, but I replaced the water with picante sauce. ?
Love your take on these sausage balls. The extra seasonings give them tons of flavor. It’s one of my husband’s favorites!!