A fun twist on the popular sausage cheese balls appetizer using crescent dough! With just five ingredients, including spicy sausage, shredded cheddar, and Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Rolls, this crowd-pleasing appetizer is as easy as it gets. You’ll have warm, cheesy bites ready for snacking in no time! These savory crescent roll sausage balls are great for game days, holiday platters, and potlucks. Even better, they’re a fun way to get the whole family involved. Kids can help shape the mixture into bite-sized balls, making this recipe a hands-on family activity that’s as fun to make as it is to eat.
Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make these cheesy, savory Sausage Crescent Cheese Balls. Just a few simple ingredients add up to big flavor in every bite!
Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Rolls: The dough is easy to handle and is just the right thickness for cutting into small pieces. It gives the meatballs a soft, tender texture, too!
Spicy Sausage: This adds tons of savory flavor! If you or your family wants less spice, you absolutely can use a sweeter/milder sausage.
Cheese: We use sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe, but a mild cheddar would work just as well. If you’re in the mood for extra spice, Pepper Jack would be a great option, too.
Other Ingredients: Dried rosemary adds a subtle, herby flavor that balances the richness of the sausage and cheese. All-purpose flour keeps the dough from sticking together.

How to Make Sausage Crescent Cheese Balls
This easy, family-friendly appetizer comes together with just a few steps. Check out this brief overview, then keep reading for the full recipe.
1. Prepare the Meat Mixture
In a large bowl, mix together the sausage, shredded cheddar, and rosemary. You can use a large wooden spoon for this—or just use clean hands!
2. Cut the Crescent Dough into Pieces
Lightly flour a cutting board, roll out the crescent dough on top of it, and then flour the top of the dough, too. This helps prevent the dough from sticking together. Then, cut the dough into small pieces using a sharp knife or pizza cutter. (Our kitchen team swears by the pizza cutter; it’s a game-changer!)
3. Make the Balls
Gradually mix the small dough pieces into the sausage mixture until evenly combined. Don’t dump everything in the bowl at once, or the dough pieces will stick together! Roll the mixture into bite-sized balls, and place them on a foil-lined baking sheet.
4. Bake, Serve, and Enjoy
Bake at 375°F until golden brown and cooked through. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce. We loved dipping them in ranch—so yummy!
Storing and Reheating Sausage Crescent Cheese Balls
If you happen to have a few sausage balls left over, good news: they store and reheat well. Here’s how to keep them fresh and enjoy them later.
Refrigerator
Store extras in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Reheating
- From the Fridge: Place on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and heat in a 350°F oven for 7 to 10 minutes. You could also microwave on a plate in 1-minute increments until warmed through.
- From the Freezer: Place on a baking sheet, cover with foil, and heat in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes. You could also microwave on a plate in 1-minute increments until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can prep the meat mixture ahead of time: combine the sausage, rosemary, and cheese in a bowl, then store overnight in an airtight container in the fridge. Right before you’re ready to cook, mix in the crescents and form the balls.
We wouldn’t recommend keeping them warm in a slow cooker. Since there is no sauce, your meatballs will dry out and potentially burn. However, you can keep them warm in a 250°F oven for 30 minutes. Or, try our no-fuss hack: just reheat them in the microwave before serving!
It’s actually better to freeze these before you bake. You can put the formed, uncooked balls in a single layer in an airtight container, separating layers with waxed paper if needed. To cook from frozen, remove from the container, discard the waxed paper, and follow the same recipe directions. You’ll just need a slightly longer bake time.
TIP FROM THEDoughboy
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Serve with toothpicks as an appetizer at your next party!
Sausage Crescent Cheese Balls
- Prep Time 20 min
- Total 40 min
- Ingredients 5
- Servings 42
Ingredients
- 1 lb bulk spicy sausage
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
- 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Rolls (8 Count)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
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Step1
Heat oven to 375°F. Line large baking sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.
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Step2
In large bowl, mix sausage, cheese, and rosemary; mix well using spoon or hands.
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Step3
Unroll crescent dough on work surface; coat each side of dough with 1 tablespoon flour.
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Step4
Using pizza cutter or knife, cut dough into about 1/4-inch pieces.
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Step5
Mix crescent dough pieces into bowl of sausage mixture in small amounts until well blended.
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Step6
Shape mixture into 42 (1 1/4-inch) balls. Place on baking sheet.
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Step7
Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 Cheese Ball
- Calories
- 60
- Calories from Fat
- 40
- Total Fat
- 4g
- 6%
- Saturated Fat
- 2g
- 10%
- Trans Fat
- 0g
- Cholesterol
- 10mg
- 3%
- Sodium
- 110mg
- 5%
- Potassium
- 20mg
- 1%
- Total Carbohydrate
- 3g
- 1%
- Dietary Fiber
- 0g
- 0%
- Sugars
- 0g
- Protein
- 2g
% Daily Value*:
- Vitamin A
- 0%
- 0%
- Vitamin C
- 0%
- 0%
- Calcium
- 2%
- 2%
- Iron
- 0%
- 0%
Exchanges:
0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;Carbohydrate Choice
0Recipe Tips