These easy Biscuits and Gravy Sausage Balls are the perfect bite size appetizer served with white pepper gravy for dipping! Perfect for an easy Christmas breakfast or a fun holiday appetizer for a party!
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A Fun Twist On Classic Sausage Balls Recipe
Sausage balls are truly impossible to resist! We always make a triple batch every year at our annual Christmas cookie exchange, and they are the first to go every year. Your guests will absolutely love this classic holiday appetizer and you will love how easy they are to make. You can even prep them the day before, making them the perfect easy appetizer!
If you haven’t had the pleasure of eating these before, sausage balls are made with ground pork and Pioneer baking mix all rolled together with shredded cheese, milk, herbs, and spices! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, you will be addicted after your first bite. Don’t forget to whisk together some comforting Pioneer peppered white gravy for dipping!
Ingredients Needed
You will only need a handful of ingredients to whip together these easy sausage balls and white pepper gravy.
- Pioneer Buttermilk Biscuit Mix: Perfect for giving your sausage balls to have the best texture!
- Seasonings: You will need Onion Powder, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Salt and Pepper.
- Ground Sausage: I like to use ground pork sausage, but you can use any kind of uncooked loose ground sausage that you enjoy. If you want your sausage balls spicy, you can use spicy ground pork.
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk, or evaporated milk, to make your sausage balls nice and rich.
- Cheese: I like to use a combination of shredded cheddar cheese and shredded pepper jack cheese. However, you can use just one type of cheese if you prefer.
- Pioneer Peppered Gravy Mix: You can also use their Country Gravy Mix, but I like the extra pepper!
PIONEER – TURNING MEALS INTO MEMORIES SINCE 1871
I am so excited to share about my new partnership with Pioneer! Growing up in Texas, Pioneer is a brand I grew up enjoying and one I still love and use today. Pioneer mixes are an essential – and fool proof – staple for every pantry. Created with premium ingredients, Pioneer makes it simple to serve scratch made quality with a personal touch.
Pioneer products have been served every where from kitchen tables, to Presidential dining rooms, since 1851. Inside every bag, box and package is a long and proud Texas family heritage, manufacturing expertise, a devotion to quality and superior taste.
If you aren’t quite sure where to find Pioneer baking and gravy mixes, check out their handy Pioneer Product Locator. You can also grab a Pioneer Coupon!
How To Make Sausage Balls
In just a few easy steps, you will be enjoying these sausage balls! Let’s get started!
- Prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix: In a large bowl, whisk to combine the biscuit mix, onion powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Add in the sausage, milk, and cheeses. Use hands to mix all ingredients together, until well combined.
- Form: Form two tablespoons of the sausage mixture into balls. I do this by scooping them with a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop so they are all the same size and then I use my hands to form the filling into a ball.
- Cookie Sheet: Place the formed balls onto the prepared cookie sheet. Space them appropriately 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake for 20-22 minutes or until sausage balls are golden brown.
- Gravy: While the balls are baking, make the Peppered Gravy according to the package directions. Salt and cracked black pepper, if needed, to taste.
- Serve: Serve hot sausage balls on a platter with a bowl of warm gravy for dipping!
Tips For Success
These sausage balls are pretty much fool proof, but here are a few tips for best results:
- Avoid Pre-Shredded Cheese: Bagged shredded cheese is dry as it has been coated in preservatives, and this recipe calls for the moisture that only comes from freshly grated cheese! It really will make a difference to the final taste/texture!
- Add Extra Milk to Dry Batter: Depending on the leanness of the pork you choose and other factors, you may need to add an extra splash or two of milk to batter that looks a bit dry.
- Don’t Over Bake: If you over bake your sausage balls, they can dry out. Watch closely for them to be done, but you can also use an instant read kitchen thermometer to check for doneness. Sausage balls will be fully cooked once they reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Make Them The Same Size: It’s important to keep your sausage balls the same size to ensure even cooking. You don’t want to accidentally have some sausage balls raw in the center or some over cooked! To keep them the same size, I use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! I included directions in the printable recipe (at the bottom of the post) for how to use a stand mixer or hand mixer to mix together the sausage ball mixture.
Yes! You can use any shredded cheese that you enjoy. Smoked gouda would be delicious.
You can use hot ground sausage in place of the traditional ground sausage! Or, if you only have regular sausage, you can add hot sauce or cayenne pepper, to taste.
Sausage balls are a fantastic party appetizer to make ahead! For extra convenience, you can place the unbaked balls onto cookie sheets and then store them in the fridge covered with plastic wrap for up to 24 hours before baking. Pop them into the oven, and bake according to recipe directions, when your guests arrive for easy, fresh baked sausage balls!
They are also delicious dipped into ranch dressing, Homemade Honey Mustard or this Creamy Sweet Chili Sauce!
How To Store and Reheat Leftovers
If you happen to have any leftovers, you can store leftover cooked sausage balls wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds, or back into the oven for 10-15 minutes, until heated through. I also love to reheat them in the air fryer at 400°F for 3 to 4 minutes. The air fryer really helps to re-crisp them up on the outside.
Can I Freeze Sausage Balls?
Yes! You can freeze uncooked sausage balls in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
Place the formed balls onto a baking sheet and place it in the freezer. Once the balls are frozen, transfer them to a ziplock freezer bag to store for up to 4 months.
When you are ready to bake them, let the balls thaw for 20 to 30 minutes and then bake as directed in the recipe below.
Biscuits And Gravy Sausage Balls
Ingredients
- 3 cups Pioneer Buttermilk Biscuit & Baking Mix
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pound uncooked pork sausage, rough chopped
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese
- 1 package, 2.75 oz Pioneer Peppered Gravy Mix, prepared per package directions
- Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Stand Mixer: In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, add biscuit mix, onion powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Quickly whisk together on low until spices are incorporated into biscuit mix. Switch whisk attachment out for paddle attachment. Then, add in the sausage, milk, and cheeses. Beat on low speed until well combined.
- By Hand: In a large bowl, whisk to combine the biscuit mix, onion powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Add in the sausage, milk, and cheeses. Use hands to mix all ingredients together, until well combined.
- Gather two tablespoons of the sausage mixture using a cookie scoop and then roll into balls. Place balls on cookie sheet spaced appropriately 2 inches apart. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until sausage balls are golden brown.
- While the sausage balls are baking, make the Peppered Gravy according to the package directions. Salt and cracked black pepper, if needed, to taste.
Serve hot sausage balls on a platter with a bowl of warm gravy for dipping!
Video
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- You can reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds, or back into the oven for 10-15 minutes, until heated through. I also love to reheat them in the air fryer at 400°F for 3 to 4 minutes. The air fryer really helps to re-crisp them up on the outside.
- Place the un-baked sausage balls onto cookie sheets and then store them in the fridge covered with plastic wrap up to 24 hours before. Pop them into the oven, when your guests arrive, and bake according to the recipe directions
- Place the formed sausage balls onto a baking sheet and place it in the freezer. Once the sausage balls are frozen, transfer them to a ziplock freezer bag to store for up to 4 months.
- When you are ready to bake them, let the balls thaw for 20 to 30 minutes and then bake as directed in the recipe below.
Nutrition
Categories:
More Festive Holiday Appetizers
- Cheesy Turkey Sliders
- Dill Pickle Cheese Ball
- Holiday Cheese Ball Wreath
- Christmas Charcuterie Board
- Easy Bisquick Sausage Balls
- Easy Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Chicken Pinwheel Crescent Wreath
- Pinecone Cheese Ball
- Cranberry Brie Bites
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I love making these for parties, potlucks, or especially when we have guests. They’re super simple and everyone raves over them! I keep this recipe in my back pocket!
How do you think they’d be if I mixed the cooked sausage balls and gravy, and kept them in a crock pot on low?
I think they would get soggy over time, but delicious until they got soggy! haha! If you try it, let me know how it turns out!