Cheddar Sausage Balls with Hot Honey Mustard

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The Southern potluck workhorse: savory pork-and-sharp-cheddar bites held together with baking mix and a little cream cheese so they stay tender even after they cool. They bake in one shot on two sheet pans, pile into a container without falling apart, and taste just as good at room temperature two hours later. The stir-together hot honey mustard takes two minutes and turns them into a proper party plate.

Ingredients

• 1 lb bulk pork breakfast sausage
• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded (about 2 cups)
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups all-purpose baking mix
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp honey
• 2 tsp hot sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mash the softened cream cheese with the sausage, shredded cheddar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and cayenne using a sturdy spoon or clean hands until evenly combined.
3. Add the baking mix and milk and work the mixture just until no dry pockets remain, about 1 minute. It should feel like stiff, slightly tacky cookie dough; if it crumbles, add another tablespoon of milk.
4. Roll into 1 1/4-inch balls (about 40 total) and space them 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets.
5. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom halfway through, until deep golden and firm; an instant-read thermometer in the center should reach 165°F.
6. While they bake, whisk the mayonnaise, Dijon, honey, hot sauce, and cider vinegar in a small bowl until smooth. Refrigerate until serving.
7. Let the sausage balls cool on the pans for 10 minutes, then pile them into a serving dish or lidded container. Serve warm or at room temperature with the hot honey mustard alongside.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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