Very Best Sausage Balls With Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Sausage balls are the perfect dish to serve for a brunch or potluck, and they’re great for the holidays as well. They’re quick and easy to make, and almost everyone loves them. These sausage balls are not the standard dry, bland variety. They include an additional ingredient which adds extra flavor and moisture: flavored cream cheese.
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You’ll still follow the basic idea of the original Bisquick Sausage Balls recipe, which is simply Bisquick, sausage, and cheese. But I think the addition of cream cheese makes a huge difference in taste and texture.
I’ve made sausage balls many times through the years for potlucks, and they’re always a hit. But I often found them a bit dry and floury. I decided to try adding something that would give them a bit of moisture while still allowing them to crisp up on the outside. I considered adding ingredients like milk or cream, but I was worried the liquid would make the sausage balls too moist. Then I thought of sour cream, but still felt it was too loose to work. Then I thought of adding more cheese, which immediately led me to think of cream cheese. This seemed perfect to me, but I was concerned about the mixture being too bland. So I decided to try flavored cream cheese, specifically Chive and Onion flavored.
How to Make Sausage Balls
Follow these easy steps to make the best sausage balls you’ve ever had.
Step 1. Combine sausage and cream cheese.
You’ll start by placing the sausage and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer. You could also use a hand mixer, or just a bowl and spoon. Mix the sausage and cream cheese together until combined thoroughly. I found that it’s helpful to let the sausage and cream cheese sit out at room temperature before mixing. This makes it easier to combine the ingredients without having to over mix.
Step 2. Add the Bisquick.
Then add the Bisquick to the sausage mixture. Stir on low until the Bisquick is mostly incorporated into the sausage. It’s ok if there are small pockets of flour at this point. You’ll continue to mix in the next step.
Step 3. Add the grated cheese.
Now add the grated cheese to the mixture. I prefer to use block cheese that I grate myself because I believe it’s superior in flavor and texture. Pre-shredded cheese includes an anti-caking agent that can make the cheese dry. We’re trying to avoid dry sausage balls here, so go grate your own cheese if you can. Mix on low until the cheese is combined and no more floury streaks remain. Try not to mix too long though, or the sausage balls might be too tough and dense.
Step 4. Form sausage balls.
Now it’s time to form the sausage balls. I find that the easiest way to get sausage balls that are equal in size is to use a small cookie scoop. This one holds about a tablespoon. Using this scoop I was able to make 40 sausage balls. Scoop the balls onto a baking tray or cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. When you first scoop them out, they’ll look like the picture below.
After you have scooped all of the balls onto your tray or trays, you’ll go back and roll them between your palms to smooth them out. You can try coating your hands in flour or Bisquick first, but I didn’t want to add more flour to them. So I used clean, bare hands. They didn’t stick too badly so it was a pretty quick and easy job.
Step 5. Chill sausage balls.
After you roll the sausage balls smooth, place them into the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to chill before baking them. This is an important step because if you don’t chill them first, they’ll spread instead of staying in a ball shape. You will use this time to pre-heat your oven to 350F/180C, and also to prepare the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce.
Step 6. Prepare Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce and bake sausage balls.
This sauce recipe is absolutely delicious! You can use it for dipping any number of things or even as a salad dressing. It includes the ingredients above: mayonnaise, yellow mustard, dijon mustard, spicy mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, and garlic salt or Adobo seasoning. Simply combine these ingredients in a small bowl and then chill in the fridge while you bake the sausage balls.
Recipe Variations
These are definitely the best sausage balls I’ve ever made. Here are some variations you could try:
- Different flavors of cream cheese, or even plain
- Add herbs and spices for more flavor: sage, thyme, and parsley for a more sausage-like taste, chives, and cayenne for a kick
- Try different kinds of cheese such as parmesan, pepper jack, or maybe even mozzarella
- Consider different types of dipping sauces such as ranch-style, barbecue, or maybe even a berry jam for a sweeter sauce
Have you tried this sausage balls recipe? Do you have any variations to share? Please let me know in the comments!
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Very Best Sausage Balls with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb sausage room temperature
- 8 oz grated cheddar cheese
- 2 cups Bisquick baking mix
- 8 oz Chive and Onion cream cheese spread room temperature
- milk, as needed optional
Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1-2 tbsp spicy mustard (to taste)
- 4 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp Adobo seasoning (or garlic salt)
Instructions
- Combine sausage and cream cheese in mixing bowl.
- Add Bisquick and stir until combined.
- Add cheese and stir until no streaks of flour remain. If the mixture feels too dry, splash a little milk into the bowl, a teaspoon at a time. Don't add too much.
- Scoop into tablespoon-sized balls and place on baking sheets covered in parchment paper.
- Place sausage balls in the refrigerator to chill before baking. Chill for at least 20 minutes.
- While sausage balls are chilling, preheat oven to 350F / 180C and prepare Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. (Instructions below.)
- Remove sausage balls from refrigerator and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and crisp on outside. Remove from baking tray and drain on paper towels. Allow to cool, then serve with prepared Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce.
Prepare Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
- Combine mayonnaise, mustards, honey, vinegar, and Adobo seasoning in a small bowl. Whisk until completely combined. Chill in refrigerator while sausage balls are baking.