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.
Pages: 1 2
