How to Make Spicy Cranberry Sausage Balls - A Step-by-Step Guide

Spicy Cranberry Sausage Balls are a delicious and festive appetizer that are perfect for holiday gatherings, parties, and potlucks. These little sausage balls are packed full of flavor, with a hint of heat from the spicy sausage and a sweet and tangy kick from the cranberries.

Made with just a handful of simple ingredients, including spicy sausage, sharp cheddar cheese, dried cranberries, and a few pantry staples, these sausage balls are super easy to make and always a hit with a crowd...

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Ingredients

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 4 ounces mild Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
  • 6 ounces dried cranberries, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley (Optional)
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (Optional)
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk baking mix
  • 1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, or to taste (Optional)

Information

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 50 mins
  • Servings: 27
  • Yield: 27 sausage balls

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
  • Combine cream cheese and Cheddar cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium speed until blended, about 1 minute. Add sausage in golf ball-size pieces while mixer is running and continue to mix until combined with the cheeses, about 1 minute. Add cranberries, 2 tablespoons parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes; continue to mix until well blended, about 2 minutes.
  • Stop the mixer and stir in baking mix with a wooden spoon until it is distributed throughout.
  • Form 27 golf ball-size sausage balls with your hands or a meatball scoop. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until nicely browned and no longer pink in the centers, about 30 minutes. Drain on paper towels if necessary. Serve warm garnished with remaining parsley.
  • Nutrition

    125 cal.

    • Total Fat: 7g
    • Saturated Fat: 4g
    • Cholesterol: 23mg
    • Sodium: 286mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 11g
    • Dietary Fiber: 0g
    • Total Sugars: 4g
    • Protein: 5g
    • Vitamin C: 1mg
    • Calcium: 42mg
    • Iron: 1mg
    • Potassium: 61mg