Breakfast Sausage Balls

Name: Breakfast Sausage Balls (Air Fryer)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: ~24 balls
Ingredients: 1 lb breakfast sausage (regular or hot, your call); 2 cups baking mix (Bisquick); 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Yield

Prep

Total

~24 balls

10m

20m

nut-freebreakfastsnackappertizerSpray SurfaceKid-FriendlyMeal-Prep

This recipe combines breakfast sausage, baking mix, and cheddar cheese into crowd-pleasing little bites. The air fryer gets them browned all over in a fraction of the time as baking. You'll find the ingredient list and step-by-step instructions on this page.

Ingredients

1 lb breakfast sausage (regular or hot, your call)
2 cups baking mix (Bisquick)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

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Season it upPairs with Simple Salt & Pepper, Maple Bacon, Smoky Mesquite, or Garlic ParmesanSee all seasonings →

Steps

01Let the sausage and cheese come to room temperature for 15 minutes. Cold ingredients don't mix evenly.
02Combine everything in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until the baking mix, sausage, and cheese are fully incorporated. It takes more mixing than you'd expect. Keep going until there are no dry spots.
03Roll into 1-inch balls. If the mixture is crumbly, squeeze it tighter. If it's too sticky, wet your hands.
04Place on a plate. Ready for the air fryer.

This is a 3-ingredient recipe that has been at every Southern brunch, church potluck, and holiday party for decades. The baking mix acts as both the binder and the carb. Sharp cheddar works better than mild because the flavor needs to punch through the sausage. Mild cheddar disappears.

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How to Air Fry It

Temp

Cook

Prep

Flip?

375°F

10m

01In a bowl, mix 1 lb ground breakfast sausage, 2 cups baking mix (like Bisquick), and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese until fully combined.
02Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls.
03Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
04Place the sausage balls in a single layer in the basket, leaving a little space between each.
05Air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp 165°F (74°C)).

Lightly spray the basket or tray before cooking.