These cheesy sausage balls without Bisquick are every bit as good as the original Bisquick sausage balls that I grew up eating and making! Sausage balls are a great holiday appetizer. But they are also commonly served as a breakfast or brunch item. You will also find them on party tables on game day and at baby showers throughout the year.
One Christmas Day, I found myself craving sausage balls the day of Christmas at my parents’ house. My parents had no Bisquick on hand, and the stores were closed for the holiday. But…flour. My mama always has a huge army supply of all-purpose flour on hand.
This is how I came to start making sausage balls with flour in place of Bisquick. This is now my go to sausage balls recipe with flour.
Making the Flour Mixture for Sausage Balls Without Bisquick
Bisquick already includes baking leavening agents. But when using plain flour for sausage balls without Bisquick, you need to add some baking powder.
To the flour and baking powder, I add in a little Cajun seasoning. Optionally, you can add in a little parsley to add some color to the mixture.
What Type of Sausage for Cheesy Sausage Balls with Flour
For pretty much any sausage recipe in life, I prefer to use Jimmy Dean ground sausage. This is simply because this is the sausage I grew up eating, and it is readily available at grocery stores here in Arkansas. My Jimmy Dean sausage balls could easily be changed out for any ground sausage of your choice.
In fact, at my parents’ house that first time I made this recipe, my parents didn’t have a roll of Jimmy Dean sausage. So I used their Old Folks pre-formed sausage patties (raw) instead. I thawed them and them just smashed them up to make them the same consistency as a roll of Jimmy Dean sausage. They worked perfectly!
What Type of Cheese to Use in Sausage Balls Without Bisquick
I’m a cheddar girl. I simply throw in three cups of shredded cheddar. I don’t bother shredding my own cheese – though you can certainly do that. But in this recipe, it is fine to use the pre-shredded cheese you buy at the grocery store. After all, sausage balls are meant to be a quick-make party appetizer or grab-and-go breakfast!
Use Your Hands to Mix
For this recipe, you pretty much have to get your hands messy! In a large bowl, combine the sausage, the cheese, and the flour mixture and mix away! Once I get the three components somewhat mixed together, I add a bit of milk to moisten the mixture and help everything hold together.
I like to roll the mixture into balls about two inches in diameter. This usually gives me about 30 sausage balls. If you make them much smaller, you risk overcooking them and drying them out.
Do Not Overcook
One sure way to make your sausage balls too dry with a hockey puck consistency is to leave them in the oven too long! I like to set my timer at about 18 minutes and check from that point forward.
There isn’t much more disappointing than arriving to a party and discovering a great big bowl of hard-as-a-rock sausage balls! So much potential…just down the drain.
Freezing Sausage Balls
Can you freeze sausage balls? Certainly, you can. Actually, you can freeze them before or after cooking.
How to Freeze Uncooked Sausage Balls
If you freeze them uncooked, you simply form the balls on a cookie sheet and freeze them in place. Once they are frozen and firm, you can move them to an airtight freezer container. This way, they do not stick together in the freezer.
Pull them out and let thaw. Then, bake according to instructions below.
How to Freeze Cooked Sausage Balls
To freeze these sausage balls with flour which have already been cooked, place them in a freezer safe container for up to 3-4 months. Personally, I prefer to thaw mine first and then reheat from there. But you can reheat them completely from frozen in the microwave or oven.
How to Reheat Sausage Balls Without Drying Them
I pop mine in a warm 350 degree oven and keep an eye on them. When they start to sizzle a bit, I check them.
In a microwave, I place either a glass of water or a very damp paper towel on top. The moisture from the water in the glass or the paper towel help to prevent over drying. Do not overheat! It’s best to heat the thawed sausage balls at 15 second intervals until they are warm to your liking.
Easy Sausage Balls without Bisquick
Ingredients
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 3 tsp Baking powder
- 3 tsp Cajun seasoning Or one tsp each – garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper
- 3 cups Cheddar Shredded
- 1 lb Pork sausage roll Uncooked
- ½ cup Milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°.
- In medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and seasoning.
- In large mixing bowl, crumble uncooked sausage.
- Add flour mixture and cheese to sausage and mix together – using hands.
- Add milk and mix again until mixture seems consistent.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased rimmed baking pan.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes (depending on oven) until golden brown. Do not allow to overcook as the sausage balls will dry out and become hard.
Nutrition
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Andrea Kirkland
Did half the seasoning because I have a toddler and they were perfect. So easy and a great consistency. Made soo many!