My mom made these sausage bites every Christmas morning, for as long as I can remember. She had her recipe scribbled on a raggedy old index card she kept in her recipe box. The card was so stained with grease spots you could barely read it! I typed it up a few years ago. Stuck a copy inside my pantry cabinet door. And now it lives forever on this blog!
She’d bring them to potluck dinners. Sometimes as hashbrown cups. Serve them for holiday breakfasts. Finger food for Super Bowl Sunday. Anytime she could find a reason to whip up a batch, she did it. I’m not gonna lie, I thought they were boring at first. Boy oh boy. The cheese was all stretchy, and the sausage has that peppery kick. There’s nothing dull about these bad boys.
I discovered this recipe again last winter when I was looking for something quick for a Super Bowl party. Five ingredients. That’s it. My daughter helped me roll them out, and she ate half the batter raw. Which yeah yeah, I know. But, trust me, she lived.
And don’t skip trying them for breakfast muffins. Your fam will gobble them up before you can even finish your first cup of coffee! Or for after school snacks. They pack well for work lunches, too. A minute or two in the microwave, and you’ll have the entire office coming to sample the cheesy sausage.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are tons of reasons to love these little nuggets of joy. Cheap. Tasty.
- Five ingredients, no fuss: Sausage, cheddar, Bisquick, cream cheese, and hash browns. You probably have most of this already. I did when I made them on a whim last Saturday.
- Grab and go breakfast on busy mornings: My kids grab two or three on the way out the door. Warm them up for about 30 seconds in the microwave, and they’re set.
- People always ask for the recipe: Brought these to my neighbor’s baby shower, and she texted me that night asking how I made them. Twice.
- Freezer-friendly: I make a double batch and freeze half. Future me always appreciates past me for that one.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Lots of ways to customize these sausage bites. Get as creative as you want.
- Ground breakfast sausage: I use regular pork sausage, the kind in the tube. Hot sausage works too if your family likes spice. My sister uses turkey sausage and says it’s just as good, but I haven’t tried it myself yet. Diced ham works too.
- Cheddar cheese: Sharp cheddar is what I go with. Shred it off the block if you can, because the bagged stuff has that coating, and it doesn’t blend in as well. Pepperjack is good too if you want a kick.
- Bisquick: Holds everything together. Some people use regular flour with baking powder, but I like the ease of Bisquick, and it’s what my mom always used, so that settles it for me.
- Cream cheese: Softened. Not cold, not melted. Leave it on the counter for about an hour before you start. It makes the sausage bites super tender on the inside.
- Frozen hash browns: Shredded kind, straight from the bag. No need to thaw them first. They add this crispy little bit of potato that makes these different from regular sausage balls.
Tips for Success
I’ve made these enough times to know what trips people up.
- Don’t skip the cream cheese: It’s what keeps these sausage bites from being dry and crumbly. I left it out once because I forgot to buy it, and the texture was totally off.
- Keep the hash browns frozen when you add them: If they thaw first, they get watery, and the mixture turns into a soggy mess. Just dump them in straight from the freezer bag.
- Make them the same size: Uneven balls means some burn while others are underdone. A cookie scoop works if you have one.
- Shred your own cheese: I know I already said this, but it matters. The pre-shredded bags don’t melt the same.
Storage and Reheating
Stick leftovers in a container with a lid and put them in the fridge. Good for up to 4 days in there.
Microwave works fine for reheating, maybe 30 seconds per ball. Or throw them back in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes if you want that outside to crisp up again.
Freezing is where these really shine. Cool them all the way down, put them in a freezer bag, and squeeze the air out. They’ll keep for 2 to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in the oven at 375 for about 15 minutes. No need to thaw first.
Serving Suggestions
We dip ours in ranch. That’s just our house rule at this point. My husband does hot sauce on his, which I tried and, turns out, it’s pretty good.
You can serve this for breakfast. Great alongside an egg dish like huevos rancheros. They go great with a platter loaded down with fresh fruit. Or set them out on a plate for game day. They work as breakfast muffins or party finger food.
FAQs
Can you make these ahead of time?
Oh yeah. Mix everything up the night before and keep it covered in the fridge. Roll and bake in the morning. I do this for holiday brunches because who wants to be mixing sausage at 7am. Not me.
Can I use a different cheese?
Yep. Colbyjack, Monterey, pepperjack. I’ve done a Mexican blend before, and it was real good. My mom sticks with sharp cheddar and acts like using anything else is a personal offense. She’ll get over it.
What if I don’t have Bisquick?
You can make a quick swap with all-purpose flour, a little baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Two cups flour, one tablespoon baking powder, half teaspoon salt. Same thing, just a couple extra steps.
Can I bake these in a muffin tin instead?
Funny enough, yes. Press the mixture into greased muffin cups, and you’ll get these cute little hashbrown cups. Cook time stays about the same. My neighbor does them this way. and they look fancier, which matters to her more than it does to me.
Notes
I added the hash browns to my mom’s original version because. I just thought it neededa little something extra. Mom’s not decided yet if she likes my version better than hers, but she never turns down seconds.
Cheesy Sausage Balls
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Ground pork breakfast sausage uncooked
- 1 ½ cups Bisquick or alternative dry biscuit baking mix
- 8 oz. Cream cheese room temperature and cubed
- 1 ½ cups Sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded from a block
- 4 cups Frozen shredded hashbrowns completely thawed and patted dry
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line two large, rimmed baking sheets with sheets of parchment paper or coat them generously with nonstick cooking spray.
- Transfer your thawed shredded hashbrowns onto a double layer of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Press down firmly to flash-evaporate and squeeze away any pooling surface water; removing this excess moisture prevents the raw starches from steaming the balls from the inside out, ensuring a crisp exterior.
- In an extra-large mixing bowl, combine the uncooked ground pork sausage, baking mix, cubed cream cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, and the dried hashbrowns.
- Use your clean hands or a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook to aggressively mix and knead the elements together until completely uniform. Work the dough until the white streaks of cream cheese and baking mix are integrated cleanly into a cohesive, sticky paste.
- Use a 1 ½-inch cookie dough scoop or your hands to portion out the mixture. Compress the dough firmly between your palms, rolling it into compact, uniform 1.5-inch balls so the structures do not fragment or leak cheese while baking.
- Arrange the sausage bites on your prepared sheet pans, leaving at least a 1-inch border of space between each ball to allow the hot ambient air to circulate uniformly around the surfaces.
- Place the pans on the middle oven racks and bake at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Watch closely and remove from the heat the exact moment the sausage is cooked completely through and the shaggy potato strands on the exterior turn a deep, beautiful golden brown. Let the bites cool flat on the pan for 5 minutes to allow the cheese lipids to stabilize and tighten before serving alongside warm maple syrup or hot sauce.
