Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
Published 11/26/2021 • Updated 6/22/2022
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Looking for a fanciful appetizer that’s actually oh so easy to make? These Cream Cheese Sausage Balls ARE IT. Dip them in a perfectly zesty creamy garlic sauce, and enjoy!
These are the best sausage balls on the internet, with a creamy dipping sauce to boot. Try pairing them with some of other delicious appetizers for the perfect appetizer table– Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms, Cheeseburger Dip, and Pizza Dip with Focaccia are some of our favorite recipes.
Cream Cheese Sausage Ball Ingredients
These cream cheese sausage balls come together with 9 easy ingredients from the cheese (duh), meat, and seasoning departments:
Cheese
- Full-fat cream cheese: adds creamy, cheesy deliciousness
- Shredded yellow cheddar cheese: makes these sausage balls gooey and flavorful
Meat
- Ground Italian pork sausage: brings meaty, savory flavor
Seasonings
- Plain bread crumbs: Add structure and texture
- Fresh chives: A bit of green can change the game!
- Maple syrup: To add delicious sweetness.
- Garlic powder: Because garlic makes everything better.
- All-purpose flour: To make the sausage buildable
The Perfect Dipping Sauce
While these cream cheese sausage balls are oh so savory and delicious on their own, this dipping sauce truly is the perfect complement. Equal parts creamy and tangy with just a little heat. You’ll need:
- 2% Greek yogurt: provides a creamy base
- Hot sauce: turns up the temperature
- Garlic paste: rounds out the flavor
- Fresh lemon juice: brings brightness
- Salt: adds a backbone to the dip
Looking for different flavors or options in a dipping sauce? Try dipping these delicious meat balls in honey mustard, barbecue sauce, or ranch dressing.
How to Make Cream Cheese Sausage Balls (step by step)
Preheat and Prep
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
Make Sausage Balls
Place the softened cream cheese into a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer (we suggest using a stand mixer) to cream the cream cheese until it’s smooth.
Then, add the rest of the sausage ball ingredients (except for the flour) to the bowl, and use the electric mixer to combine all the ingredients.
Next, slowly add the flour to the sausage mixture until combined.
Form little balls by scooping 2 tablespoons of the sausage mixture with a cookie scoop and roll the balls between your palms. Place sausage balls on the baking sheet and repeat, repeat, repeat til all the balls are made.
Time to Bake + Whip up garlic sauce
Place the sausage balls into the preheated oven and bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes.
While the sausage balls are baking, prepare the garlic sauce by placing all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium bowl and mix until combined.
Remove the sausage balls from the oven after 25 minutes, and sprinkle each ball with shredded cheddar cheese and place the sausage balls back into the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melty and delicious.
Dip & Enjoy!
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chives, and serve with the garlic sauce. We like to put a toothpick in each ball for easy dipping. ENJOY, CHEESE LOVERS.
How to Serve Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
These cheesy, meaty morsels go best with other party recipes. Serve them alongside Homemade Pizza, Baked Mac and Cheese Cups, Cheeseburger Sliders, or Pimento Cheese Pinwheels.
FAQ
Yes! This is a great recipe to make a double batch of if you’re looking to serve apps to a larger group of people.
Yes, but to freeze these meatballs, we recommend freezing them already cooked. Let them cool completely and then place them in a freezer safe bag. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ingredient Modifications
- Sometimes people opt out of flour and go with Bisquick instead.
- You can use sharp cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, or colby jack cheese in place of mild yellow cheddar, according to your flavor preferences.
- Feel free to combine or swap pork sausage with turkey or chicken sausage.
Storage
To store these cream cheese meatballs, let them cool completely and then place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How to Reheat Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
These meatballs reheat incredibly well! Remove the meatballs from the refrigerator.
Simply place sausage balls in a baking pan, and cover with tin foil. Reheat at 350°F for 10-12 minutes, or until the cream cheese sausage balls are heated through. Top with chives and serve immediately!
From Frozen
Place the frozen meatballs in a casserole dish and drizzle them with olive oil. Cover them with tin foil and bake them at 350ºF and bake for 20-30 minutes.
Add the meatballs to a slow cooker and add 1-2 tablespoons of broth to the slow cooker. Cook them on low for 2-3 hours.
Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
Ingredients
Sausage Balls
- 4 oz. full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage
- 1 cup shredded yellow cheddar cheese, + more for topping
- 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup chives, finely minced (+more for topping)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Garlic Sauce
- 2/3 cup 2% Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1.5 teaspoons garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place the softened cream cheese into a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to cream the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the rest of the sausage ball ingredients (except for the flour) to the bowl and use the electric mixer to combine all the ingredients.
- Slowly add the flour to the sausage mixture until combined.
- Form little balls by scooping 2 tablespoons of the sausage mixture and rolling the balls between your palms. Place sausage balls on the baking sheet and repeat.
- Place the sausage balls into the oven and bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes.
- While the sausage balls are baking, prepare the garlic sauce by placing all the ingredients for the sauce in a medium bowl and mix until combined. Set aside.
- Remove sausage balls from the oven and sprinkle each ball with shredded cheddar cheese and place the sausage balls back into the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with chives, and serve with the garlic sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This sounds amazing! But I vehemently hate all yogurt. Anything I can use instead for the sauce?
Hey Sarah! You can use sour cream instead 😀
Ricky see. Ricky eat.
Love that you used the full fat cream cheese. If you’re going to have cream cheese sausage balls just go all in.
We agree with you Ricky!!