Spicy Cranberry Sausage Balls

Name: Spicy Cranberry Sausage Balls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: ['27', '27 sausage balls']
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; 0.5 teaspoon onion powder; 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder; 0.125 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1.5 cups buttermilk baking mix; 1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, or to taste

⏱ 50 mins 🍽 ['27', '27 sausage balls'] 🏷 Appetizer

These flavourful sausage balls combine hot Italian sausage with cream cheese, grated Cheddar and finely chopped dried cranberries. Seasoned with parsley, onion and garlic powder plus a hint of red pepper flakes, they are mixed with a buttermilk baking mix before being shaped and baked. They make an ideal party finger food, yielding 27 golden brown bites that are best served warm. The total preparation and cooking time is 50 minutes.

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
0.5 teaspoon onion powder
0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
0.125 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1.5 cups buttermilk baking mix
1 teaspoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, or to taste

Method

Set your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Prepare a sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper.
Place the softened cream cheese and grated Cheddar cheese into an electric mixer bowl. Blend them together on medium speed for about 1 minute. While the mixer runs, add the bulk Italian sausage in golf ball-size pieces and mix for a further 1 minute to combine. Incorporate the finely chopped cranberries, 2 tablespoons of parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes, mixing until well blended for about 2 minutes.
Turn off the mixer. Use a wooden spoon to stir the buttermilk baking mix into the sausage mixture until it is evenly distributed.
Using your hands or a meatball scoop, shape the mixture into 27 balls, each roughly the size of a golf ball. Arrange them on your prepared baking sheet with even spacing.
Bake in your preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until they are nicely browned and cooked through with no pink centres. If needed, drain them on paper towels. Serve the sausage balls warm, garnished with the remaining chopped parsley.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories125 kcal

Fat7 g

Sugars4 g

Protein5 g

Sodium286 mg

Recipe details

CategoryAppetizer

AuthorBibi