Pizza Sausage Balls

I’ve been making these since last Tuesday and they’re still what I think about when I need something that works for people who just want pizza in ball form. The sausage cream cheese balls hold together better than I expected and the pepperoni sausage balls idea came from wanting more pizza flavor without adding sauce inside.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• You get 40 of these from one batch, which means leftovers or feeding a crowd without doubling anything
• The cream cheese keeps them from drying out the way some sausage balls do
• Chopping the pepperoni tiny instead of leaving it chunky means you don’t get one massive pepperoni piece in a random bite
• They reheat in the microwave for 20 seconds and taste like you just made them
• Baking mix does the work so you’re not measuring flour and leavening separately
• The outside gets this slight crunch while the inside stays soft and you can taste the Italian seasoning without it being obvious

The Story Behind This Recipe

I needed something for a get-together last Tuesday after work and I didn’t want to deal with multiple components or things that required constant attention. I had sausage and cream cheese already, grabbed pepperoni on the way home and figured I’d just combine the things I like about pizza into something I could bake and forget. The first time I made a version of this the pepperoni pieces were too big and it felt uneven. This time I pulsed them in the food processor until they were almost paste and it distributed way better. Now it’s just my default when I don’t feel like thinking but still want people to eat something that tastes intentional.

What You Need

You’re starting with 1 cup of chopped pepperoni, but you’ll pulse it in the food processor until it’s almost paste because leaving it chunky was my mistake last time. Then there’s 1 (16-ounce) package of sausage, and I just use the regular breakfast kind because it’s got enough fat to keep things from getting dry. The 1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese is what makes these sausage cream cheese balls hold together without turning into dense hockey pucks, so don’t skip it or try to use less.

For seasoning you need 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, which sounds like nothing but it’s enough that you taste it without the balls screaming “I’m trying to be pizza.” Then 2 cups of baking mix, and I mean the kind in the yellow box because I’m not measuring out flour and baking powder separately when I’m tired. Finally 1 cup of shredded cheese, and I usually grab mozzarella but cheddar works if that’s what you have open.

Oh and you’ll want pizza sauce for dipping but that’s not in the dough itself. I just heat up whatever jar I’ve got.

How to Make Pizza Sausage Balls

Set your oven to 350°F and line your sheet pans with parchment or silicone mats now so you’re not scrambling later when your hands are covered in sausage. Grab your pepperoni and pulse it in the food processor until the pieces are tiny and almost paste-like, not just roughly chopped. This is where the pepperoni sausage balls idea really works because you get flavor distributed everywhere instead of one huge pepperoni disk in a single bite.

Throw the cream cheese, that chopped pepperoni, the sausage, garlic powder and Italian seasoning into your stand mixer or use a hand mixer if that’s what you’ve got. Blend it until everything’s combined and it looks kind of uniform and sticky. It’s not going to be smooth like frosting but it shouldn’t have big chunks of separate cream cheese either.

Add your 2 cups of baking mix and mix just until it’s incorporated, then fold in the shredded cheese with a quick mix. Don’t overdo this part or the texture gets weird and dense. The dough should feel sticky but rollable, and if it’s sticking to your hands too much you can wet them slightly but I didn’t need to.

Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls using a cookie scoop if you have one because it keeps them consistent and saves time. Space them about 2 inches apart on your pans because they do spread a little bit, not a ton but enough that you don’t want them touching.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes and you’ll start hearing this faint sizzle as the fat renders out and the edges crisp up. The smell shifts from raw sausage to toasty and garlicky around the 18-minute mark. You’re looking for the outside to turn golden brown and feel slightly firm when you press on one, and the internal temp should hit 165°F if you’re checking.

Pull them out and let them cool for a few minutes but serve them while they’re still warm with heated pizza sauce on the side. I just microwave the sauce for 30 seconds because I’m not putting a pan on the stove for this.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I left the pepperoni in bigger pieces thinking it would give you these nice pockets of flavor but instead you’d bite into one ball that was basically all pepperoni and another that had almost none. It made the whole batch feel uneven and kind of annoying to eat. When I pulsed it down to almost a paste this time the flavor spread into every single ball and you could actually taste the pepperoni in each bite instead of playing roulette. Also I didn’t space them far enough apart the first time and a few of them merged into Siamese twin sausage balls which wasn’t the end of the world but it looked sloppy.

Pizza Sausage Balls

By Emma

Prep:

20 min

Cook:

25 min

Total:

45 min

Servings:

40 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped pepperoni
• 1 (16-ounce) package sausage
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 2 cups baking mix
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Method

1. 1 Set the oven to 350°F and prepare sheet pans by lining them with parchment paper or silicone mats.
2. 2 Pulse the pepperoni in a food processor or small chopper until the pieces are tiny and evenly chopped.
3. 3 In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, blend the cream cheese, chopped pepperoni, sausage, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning until combined.
4. 4 Add the baking mix and mix again just until incorporated, then fold in the shredded cheese with a brief mix.
5. 5 Scoop out the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls, spacing them about 2 inches apart on the prepared pans. A cookie scoop helps keep sizes consistent.
6. 6 Bake the balls for 20 to 25 minutes. You’ll hear a faint sizzle as they cook and smell them turn savory and toasty. The exterior should become golden brown and slightly firm to the touch.
7. 7 Remove from the oven and let cool briefly. Serve while warm with heated pizza sauce for dipping.

Nutritional information

Calories

140

Protein

8g

Carbs

3g

Fat

10g

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Tips for the Best Pizza Sausage Balls

Don’t soften your cream cheese beforehand or you’ll end up with a soupy mess that won’t hold its shape. I just cube it cold and let the mixer break it down with the sausage, which takes maybe 30 seconds longer but keeps the texture where it needs to be.

If you’re making these ahead, roll them and stick the whole pan in the fridge for up to 6 hours before baking. They actually bake up a little rounder when they start cold because the outside sets before the inside has a chance to slump.

The baking mix absorbs moisture as it sits, so if you’re not baking right away the dough gets stiffer and harder to roll after about 20 minutes. Just add a tablespoon of water and mix it back to workable if that happens.

Your oven’s probably hotter in the back so rotate your pans halfway through or you’ll get some that are pale and some that are dark. I learned this when half my batch looked anemic and the other half was approaching burnt.

When you’re scooping them out, pack the dough into the scoop firmly so they don’t fall apart on the pan. Loose balls spread weird and end up flat instead of round.

Serving Ideas

I put these out with ranch and pizza sauce because some people are weird about marinara and the ranch gives them an option that still works. The combo of both dips on one ball is actually better than either alone if you’re into that.

They’re really good on a sheet pan next to raw veggies and crackers for a casual thing where people can graze without you hovering. I did that last Thursday and nobody touched the vegetables but whatever.

If you’ve got leftover balls the next day, split them in half and toast them cut-side down in a skillet with a little butter. The edges get crispy and the inside warms through and it’s like a completely different thing.

Variations

You can swap the breakfast sausage for Italian sausage if you want more fennel flavor, but know that it’s already seasoned aggressively so you might want to cut the Italian seasoning down to half a teaspoon or it gets too herbaceous. I tried this once and it was fine but not better.

Using turkey sausage works but you need to add a tablespoon of olive oil to the mix because there’s not enough fat to keep things moist. They come out drier otherwise and reheating them is a disappointment.

If you leave out the pepperoni entirely and add a half cup of cooked crumbled bacon instead, you get something closer to a breakfast sausage ball situation. It’s not pizza anymore but it’s still worth making.

Cheddar instead of mozzarella makes them taste more sharp and less mild, which I actually prefer when I’m eating them plain without sauce. Mozzarella’s better for the pizza vibe though.

FAQ

Can I freeze pizza sausage balls before baking? Yeah, freeze them on a sheet pan until solid then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F but add 5 to 7 minutes to the time and check that they hit 165°F inside.

How do I store leftover sausage cream cheese balls? Put them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They stay soft because of the cream cheese so they don’t turn into rocks like some sausage balls do.

Can I make the dough the night before? You can mix everything and keep it covered in the fridge overnight, but roll them into balls right before baking or they stick together in the container. The dough gets firmer when it’s cold so let it sit out for 10 minutes before you try to scoop it.

What if I don’t have a food processor for the pepperoni? Chop it as fine as you can with a knife or kitchen shears, just keep going until the pieces are tiny. It takes longer but it works and you don’t end up with those uneven chunks that mess up the texture.

Do these need to be served hot? They’re best warm but they’re still good at room temperature, which is why they work for parties where food sits out. I wouldn’t serve them cold from the fridge though because the fat solidifies and they taste greasy.

Can I use homemade baking mix instead of store-bought? Technically yes, but make sure your ratio of flour to leavening is right or they won’t puff up the same way. I just use the boxed kind because I don’t want to do math when I’m making a snack.

Why are my pepperoni sausage balls falling apart? You probably didn’t pack the dough tight enough when you scooped them or you overmixed after adding the baking mix, which makes them crumbly. Press firmly when you’re shaping them and don’t mix more than you have to once the dry stuff goes in.

How do I know when they’re done if I don’t have a thermometer? Cut one open and check that the center’s cooked through with no raw-looking sausage. The outside should be golden and feel firm when you press it, not squishy.

Can I make these in an air fryer? I haven’t tried it but I’d start at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes and check them. They might brown faster on the outside so watch them closely.

What kind of shredded cheese works best? Mozzarella’s the most pizza-like but cheddar, Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend all work fine. Just don’t use pre-shredded Parmesan because it’s too dry and doesn’t melt right.

Do I have to use pizza sauce for dipping? No, ranch, marinara, garlic butter or even honey mustard all work depending on what you’re into. I just like pizza sauce because it ties the whole thing together.

Can I add vegetables to this pizza sausage balls recipe? You could finely dice some bell pepper or onion but you’d need to sauté them first to get the moisture out or the dough gets too wet. I wouldn’t add more than a quarter cup total.

Why did mine spread flat instead of staying round? Either your dough was too warm or you didn’t use enough baking mix. If the kitchen’s hot the butter in the sausage melts before the outside sets, so try chilling the formed balls for 15 minutes before baking.

How far apart should I space them on the pan? Two inches is enough because they only spread slightly, maybe a quarter inch on each side. I can fit 20 on a standard sheet pan without them touching.

Can I double this recipe? Yeah, just use two mixing bowls or make one batch, bake it, then make the second. The dough doesn’t sit well for long once it’s mixed so don’t try to make a giant batch and let half of it wait.

What’s the texture supposed to be like? The outside gets slightly crisp with a bit of chew, and the inside stays soft and moist but not mushy. If they’re dense and dry you overmixed or baked them too long.

Can I use turkey pepperoni? Sure, but it’s got less fat so the flavor won’t be as strong. You might want to add an extra quarter cup to make up for it.

Do these reheat well? Microwave for 20 seconds and they taste like you just made them. Oven reheating at 300°F for 8 minutes works too if you’re doing a bunch at once.

Why do some of mine have more pepperoni flavor than others? You didn’t chop the pepperoni fine enough so it’s clumping in some balls and missing in others. Pulse it until it’s almost paste and it’ll distribute evenly every time, which is the whole point.