Pioneer Woman sausage balls from The Pioneer Woman site knead ground pork sausage with cream cheese, sharp cheddar, and seasoned flour into bite-sized balls baked at 350°F. And the recipe makes enough for 8 to 12 servings at approximately 280 calories each in about 40 minutes, since the balls bake hands-off for 20 to 25 of those.
Where the classic version uses Bisquick as the base, this recipe swaps in all-purpose flour with baking powder and Creole seasoning instead. So you control the salt and spice levels directly, and the Creole blend adds a warmth that plain pancake mix does not carry.
Kneading the raw sausage, cream cheese, cheddar, and flour mixture with your hands is the only way to distribute the ingredients evenly. And if you stir with a spoon, the cream cheese stays in clumps instead of binding the dough, so some balls hold together while others crumble apart on the baking sheet.
Source: The Pioneer Woman (thepioneerwoman.com)
Pioneer Woman Sausage Balls
Course: SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes25
minutes280
kcalWhisked flour, baking powder, and Creole seasoning combine with crumbled sausage, softened cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and green onion before hand-kneading into a dough. Then tablespoon-sized balls line parchment-covered sheets and bake golden in 20 to 25 minutes alongside a honey mustard dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- For the sausage balls:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
1 lb. ground pork sausage
1 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 green onions, finely chopped
- For the honey mustard dipping sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 teaspoons white vinegar
Directions
- Preheat and prep the sheets: Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: Then combine the flour, baking powder, and Creole seasoning in a medium bowl.
- Crumble the sausage: In a large bowl, break the raw sausage into small pieces.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Then add the cream cheese, cheddar, green onion, and flour mixture to the sausage.
- Knead by hand: Once everything is in the bowl, use clean hands to knead until the ingredients are evenly combined.
- Roll into balls: Then scoop and roll the mixture into 1-tablespoon-sized balls and place on the prepared sheets.
- Bake until golden: Once all the balls are rolled, bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Make the dipping sauce: While the balls bake, stir together the mayo, honey, both mustards, and vinegar until smooth.
- Serve: Then serve the sausage balls warm or at room temperature with the honey mustard sauce.
