Ingredients
Method
- Place 8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese in a large mixing bowl, cut into small pieces and leave at room temperature for about 30 minutes, until easily mashed with a spoon. Keep the sausage refrigerated during this time. Line both baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add 1 pound raw bulk pork breakfast sausage to the softened cream cheese. Mix thoroughly with a sturdy spoon, clean hands or a paddle mixer on low speed until the cream cheese is evenly distributed and no large white pieces remain.
- Add 2 cups all-purpose biscuit baking mix and 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Work the mixture together, scraping the bottom of the bowl, until it holds together and no dry pockets remain. Do not taste the raw mixture.
- Use a tablespoon-size scoop to portion the mixture, then roll each portion gently into a ball. Aim for evenly sized balls about 1¼ inches across; expect approximately 48. Divide between the prepared sheets, leaving at least 1 inch between balls.
- Refrigerate the shaped balls for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash hands and clean tools and work surfaces that contacted the raw mixture.
- Bake both sheets for 20–25 minutes, swapping their rack positions and rotating them front to back halfway through. The balls should be set with lightly browned tops and golden bottoms. Insert a thin-tip thermometer from the side into the center of several balls on each sheet; pork sausage must reach at least 160°F. Continue baking if necessary, regardless of exterior color.
- Transfer the cooked sausage balls to a clean serving platter using clean utensils. Serve warm. For extended hot service, keep them at 140°F or above.
Notes
Allow 30 minutes to soften the cream cheese and 15 minutes to chill the shaped balls. Oven preheating overlaps with chilling. Baking time assumes both sheets bake together; allow longer if needed to reach the safe internal temperature. Makes approximately 48 balls, or about 4 per serving.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours of baking or removal from hot holding, or within 1 hour if the surrounding temperature exceeds 90°F. Keep at 40°F or below and use within 3–4 days.
For make-ahead preparation, cover and refrigerate the shaped, unbaked balls for up to 24 hours, without exceeding the raw sausage's total refrigerated storage window of 1–2 days. Bake directly from the refrigerator and verify the center temperature; additional baking time may be needed.
Reheat cooked leftovers in a 350°F oven, loosely covered if they begin browning too much, until their centers reach 165°F. Reheating time depends on portion size, quantity and starting temperature.
The mixture contains raw pork and uncooked baking mix. Do not taste it before baking, and keep it away from ready-to-eat foods.
Browning does not establish doneness. Check several balls on both sheets with a food thermometer and cook pork sausage to at least 160°F.
Wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling the raw mixture. Use a clean platter and utensils for cooked sausage balls.