These 3-ingredient cream cheese sausage balls are exactly the kind of thing my aunt would walk in with at every family gathering in the Midwest—no matter the season. The plate hits the table, and within minutes it’s mysteriously empty. Warm, savory, and just rich enough from the cream cheese to keep everyone reaching for “just one more,” they’re a perfect back-pocket recipe for when people show up unexpectedly.
This is a simplified spin on the classic sausage ball that usually uses shredded cheese; here, cream cheese does double duty, adding moisture and a tender, almost biscuit-like interior without complicating the ingredient list.
Serve these sausage balls straight from the oven on a foil-lined sheet pan or a warm platter so they stay hot and crisp on the outside. They pair nicely with a simple dipping sauce—think a little Dijon mustard, honey mustard, or even a tangy barbecue sauce if you like contrast. I’ll often put them out with a bowl of grapes or apple slices and some cut raw vegetables to balance the richness.
For brunch, tuck them alongside scrambled eggs and a simple green salad; for game days or casual evenings, serve with cold beer, sparkling water, or a light, crisp white wine.
3-Ingredient Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
Servings: 24 sausage balls
Ingredients
1 pound (16 ounces) raw pork breakfast sausage, mild or hot
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 cups (about 8 ounces) baking mix (such as Bisquick or similar all-purpose baking mix)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, then lightly coat the foil with nonstick spray or a thin film of oil to help prevent sticking.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and raw pork sausage. Use clean hands or a sturdy spoon to work them together until the mixture looks mostly uniform; a few streaks are fine at this stage.
Sprinkle the baking mix over the sausage and cream cheese mixture. Use your hands to gently knead and fold the baking mix in until everything is thoroughly combined and no dry pockets of mix remain. The mixture will be thick and slightly tacky but should hold together when pressed.
Pinch off a small amount of the mixture and roll it between your palms into a ball about 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter (roughly 1 heaping tablespoon each). Place each sausage ball on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart to allow for even browning.
Once all the mixture is rolled, transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the sausage balls are golden brown on the outside, feel firm to the touch, and the sausage is cooked through. If you cut one open, the center should no longer be pink and should look set with melted cream cheese flecked throughout.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the sausage balls rest on the foil-lined sheet for about 3 to 5 minutes. This helps the centers finish setting while keeping the outsides crisp. Serve warm directly from the pan or transfer to a platter, and watch them disappear within minutes.
Variations & Tips
You can easily adapt these to your crowd and pantry. For more heat, use hot breakfast sausage or mix half hot and half mild; you can also add a pinch of crushed red pepper or a little smoked paprika to the mixture without changing the 3-ingredient core.
If you prefer a slightly lighter flavor, try a seasoned turkey breakfast sausage, but be sure it’s not too lean or the balls may dry out—if using leaner sausage, keep an eye on baking time and pull them as soon as they’re cooked through. To get a bit more texture and browning, bake on a wire rack set over the foil-lined sheet pan; this allows hot air to circulate and fat to drip away.
These freeze well: roll the raw mixture into balls, freeze on a tray until firm, then store in a freezer bag; bake from frozen at 375°F (190°C), adding a few extra minutes. For food safety, always use fully raw, fresh sausage within its use-by date, keep it refrigerated until mixing, and wash hands and surfaces thoroughly after handling.
Bake until the internal temperature of the sausage balls reaches at least 160°F (71°C) if you’re using a thermometer, and promptly refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours; reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot in the center to maintain their crisp exterior.