No dipping sauce required,sausage ballsare a crowd-pleasing go-to for parties all on their own.

Youll need:

How To Make Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

Find the full recipe further below.

This is a brief outline before you get started:

What Do These Sausage Balls Taste Like?

Southern Living Cream Cheese Sausage Balls in a bowl to serve

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Cream cheese sausage balls are crispy, but still fluffyand filling.

Think of them like mini biscuits with meat mixed in.

Cream cheese is special in sausage balls because it makes for a softer texture.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Sausage Balls cooking the bell pepper in a small skillet

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That can result in a crumbly, dry sausage ball.

The bell pepper not only adds nice texture contrast, but flavor and color, too.

Theyre hearty all on their own, but serve with beer for the perfect casual pairing.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Sausage Balls sausage and cream cheese in the mixer

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Can You Make Cream Cheese Sausage Balls Ahead of Time?

Bake the sausage balls up to a day in advance.

Let them cool completely, and store them in an airtight container.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Sausage Balls adding the bell pepper and cheese to the sausage mixture

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Can you freeze sausage balls?

This dish is also freezer friendly.

Cook, cool, and pop the sausage balls into a freezer-safe zip-top plastic bag.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Sausage Balls whisking together dry ingredients

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Label the bag with the food’s name and date.

Store sausage balls in the freezer up to three months.

Instead of all-purpose baking mix, consider amping up the flavor profile by using a premade Cheddar biscuit mix.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Sausage Balls adding the dry ingredients to the sausage mixture

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Can You Form Cream Cheese Sausage Balls With a Scooper?

Even More Sausage Balls:

Ingredients

1Tbsp.olive oil

1/2cup(2.5 oz.

)finely chopped green bell pepper(from 1 small [5.5 oz.]

Southern Living Cream Cheese Sausage Balls sausage mixture scooped onto a pan before baking

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Heat oil in a medium-size nonstick skillet over medium-high.

Add bell pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat, and set aside.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Sausage Balls on a sheet pan after baking

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Add bell pepper and Cheddar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated, about 1 minute.

Chill in refrigerator 15 minutes.

Garnish and serve:

Transfer sausage balls to a platter; garnish with scallions.