These Buffalo Chicken Sausage Balls combine the cheesy comfort of classic sausage balls with the spicy, tangy flavor of buffalo chicken.
Ground chicken sausage is mixed with sharp cheddar, cream cheese, buffalo-style hot sauce, ranch seasoning, garlic, and baking mix, then rolled into bite-size balls and baked until golden outside and juicy inside.
A final brush of buffalo sauce gives them even more flavor, while ranch or blue cheese dressing makes the perfect dip.
They’re ideal for game day, football parties, holiday appetizers, potlucks, family gatherings, meal prep, or an easy high-protein snack.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Bold buffalo flavor. Hot sauce, ranch seasoning, chicken, and cheese deliver the familiar buffalo-chicken combination.
Easy party food. Bite-size portions are simple to serve with toothpicks.
Protein-rich. Chicken sausage and cheese make them more filling than many party snacks.
Make-ahead friendly. Form the balls ahead and refrigerate until baking.
Freezer-friendly. They freeze well before or after cooking.
Air-fryer friendly. Smaller batches cook beautifully in an air fryer.
Easy to customize. Adjust the heat, change the cheese, add bacon, or use blue cheese.
Ingredients
Sausage Balls
- 1 pound raw chicken breakfast sausage or ground chicken sausage
- 2 cups baking mix
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup buffalo-style hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 green onions, finely sliced
Buffalo Finish
- ¼ cup buffalo sauce
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
For Serving
- Ranch dressing
- Blue cheese dressing
- Celery sticks
- Carrot sticks
- Extra buffalo sauce
- Sliced green onions
Ingredient Notes
Chicken Sausage
Use raw ground chicken sausage, preferably a mild breakfast-style chicken sausage.
Avoid fully cooked links unless you remove the casing and confirm the texture works for forming balls.
Ground turkey sausage can also be substituted.
Baking Mix
Baking mix gives traditional sausage balls their soft, lightly biscuit-like texture.
Add it gradually so the mixture does not become excessively dry.
Cheddar
Sharp cheddar gives the strongest cheese flavor.
Freshly shredded cheese generally incorporates more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
Cream Cheese
Cream cheese keeps the sausage balls moist and soft inside.
Let it soften before mixing.
Buffalo Sauce
Start with about ⅓ cup in the mixture.
Additional sauce is brushed over the cooked sausage balls so you get plenty of buffalo flavor without making the raw mixture too wet.
Ranch Seasoning
Ranch seasoning complements buffalo sauce particularly well.
Because both the sausage and seasoning may contain salt, avoid adding extra salt until you’ve tasted the finished recipe.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Sausage Balls
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to:
375°F
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Combine the Sausage and Cream Cheese
Place the chicken sausage and softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.
Mix until evenly combined.
Step 3: Add Buffalo Sauce
Add:
⅓ cup buffalo sauce.
Mix it throughout the sausage mixture.
Step 4: Add Seasonings
Stir in:
- Ranch seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Smoked paprika
- Green onions
Step 5: Add Cheddar
Add the shredded cheddar.
Mix until distributed evenly.
Step 6: Add Baking Mix
Gradually add the baking mix.
Mix just until everything holds together.
Avoid aggressively overmixing, which can make the finished sausage balls dense.
Step 7: Form the Balls
Scoop approximately:
1 to 1½ tablespoons
of mixture per sausage ball.
Roll gently between your hands.
Arrange on the prepared baking sheet with a little space between each one.
You should get approximately 24–30 sausage balls.
Step 8: Bake
Bake for approximately:
18–24 minutes,
or until golden and the center of the poultry sausage balls reaches 165°F.
Step 9: Make the Buffalo Butter
Mix together:
- ¼ cup buffalo sauce
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Step 10: Coat the Sausage Balls
While still warm, lightly brush or toss the cooked sausage balls with the buffalo butter.
Don’t completely soak them—you want the exterior to stay slightly crisp.
Step 11: Serve
Transfer to a serving platter.
Top with green onions if desired.
Serve warm with ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Expert Tips for the Best Buffalo Chicken Sausage Balls
Soften the cream cheese. Cold cream cheese is difficult to incorporate evenly.
Shred the cheddar fresh. It blends more easily and melts smoothly.
Add baking mix gradually. Too much can make the sausage balls dry.
Don’t overmix. Mix only until the ingredients are evenly combined.
Keep them similar in size. Evenly sized balls cook at the same rate.
Use a meat thermometer. Raw chicken sausage should reach 165°F in the center.
Add extra buffalo sauce after baking. This keeps the mixture from becoming too wet while still giving you strong buffalo flavor.
Delicious Variations
Bacon Buffalo Chicken Sausage Balls
Add ½ cup cooked crumbled bacon to the mixture.
Reserve additional bacon for serving.
Blue Cheese Buffalo Sausage Balls
Replace ½ cup cheddar with crumbled blue cheese.
Serve with blue cheese dressing.
Extra-Spicy Buffalo Sausage Balls
Add:
- Cayenne
- Jalapeños
- Pepper Jack
- Extra buffalo sauce
Ranch Cheddar Chicken Sausage Balls
Increase ranch seasoning slightly and reduce the buffalo sauce for a milder version.
Jalapeño Buffalo Chicken Sausage Balls
Add finely chopped jalapeños and use Pepper Jack cheese.
Garlic Parmesan Buffalo Balls
Add:
- Extra garlic
- ½ cup Parmesan
Brush with buffalo butter after baking.
Turkey Buffalo Sausage Balls
Replace chicken sausage with raw turkey sausage.
Cook to the same safe internal temperature for poultry.
High-Protein Buffalo Sausage Balls
Use a lean chicken sausage and slightly reduce the baking mix.
Serve with a Greek-yogurt ranch dip for additional protein.
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Sausage Balls
These also work very well in an air fryer.
Arrange the sausage balls in a single layer with space between them.
Air fry at approximately:
360–375°F for 10–14 minutes,
turning or shaking once if needed.
Check that the center reaches 165°F.
Cook in batches rather than overcrowding the basket.
Brush with buffalo butter after cooking.
What to Serve With Buffalo Chicken Sausage Balls
For a party platter, serve them with:
- Ranch dressing
- Blue cheese dressing
- Celery sticks
- Carrot sticks
- Pickles
- Pretzel bites
- Tortilla chips
- Cheese cubes
They also pair well with other game-day favorites such as buffalo chicken dip, sliders, potato wedges, or pizza pinwheels.
Make Ahead & Meal Prep
You can prepare and shape the sausage balls up to one day ahead.
Arrange them on a covered tray and refrigerate until ready to bake.
For party prep, make the ranch or blue cheese dip ahead and keep it chilled.
You can also bake the sausage balls earlier in the day and reheat them shortly before serving.
Storage, Freezing & Reheating
Refrigerator
Cool leftovers promptly.
Store in an airtight container for about 3–4 days.
Freezer
Buffalo Chicken Sausage Balls freeze very well.
You can freeze them either:
Before baking: Form the balls, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer-safe container.
After baking: Cool completely and freeze in portions.
Oven Reheating
Reheat at approximately:
350°F
until hot throughout.
Brush with a little fresh buffalo sauce before serving.
Air Fryer Reheating
Air frying for a few minutes restores the lightly crisp exterior particularly well.
Microwave
Microwave individual portions in short intervals.
The texture will be softer than oven or air-fryer reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular pork sausage?
Yes, but it becomes a Buffalo Sausage Ball rather than specifically a Buffalo Chicken Sausage Ball.
Can I use ground chicken?
Yes, although seasoned chicken sausage gives more flavor. If using plain ground chicken, increase the herbs and seasonings.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Not as a direct substitute for the raw sausage because cooked shredded chicken will not bind the same way.
Can I make these ahead?
Yes. Shape and refrigerate them before baking.
Can I freeze them?
Absolutely.
Can I make them in an air fryer?
Yes. They cook particularly well in small air-fryer batches.
Why are my sausage balls dry?
Too much baking mix or overbaking can dry them out.
Why did they spread?
The mixture may have been too warm or contained too much buffalo sauce.
Can I make them less spicy?
Use less buffalo sauce and serve additional sauce on the side.
What internal temperature should chicken sausage reach?
Cook poultry sausage balls until the center reaches 165°F.
Printable Buffalo Chicken Sausage Balls Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 18–24 minutes
Total Time: About 40 minutes
Servings: About 24–30 sausage balls
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw chicken sausage
- 2 cups baking mix
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup buffalo sauce
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 green onions, sliced
Buffalo Finish
- ¼ cup buffalo sauce
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Mix chicken sausage and softened cream cheese.
- Add buffalo sauce.
- Stir in ranch seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and green onions.
- Add cheddar.
- Gradually mix in baking mix.
- Scoop into 1- to 1½-tablespoon portions.
- Roll into balls.
- Arrange on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 18–24 minutes, until cooked through and 165°F in the center.
- Mix ¼ cup buffalo sauce with melted butter.
- Brush over the warm sausage balls.
- Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Final Thoughts
Buffalo Chicken Sausage Balls combine three crowd-friendly favorites—buffalo chicken, cheesy sausage balls, and easy finger food—into one simple appetizer.
Chicken sausage, cheddar, cream cheese, ranch seasoning, and buffalo sauce create a moist, cheesy center, while baking gives the outside lightly browned edges. Brushing them with buffalo butter after cooking adds another layer of spicy, tangy flavor without making the mixture soggy.
They work especially well for game day, football parties, potlucks, holiday gatherings, or any occasion where you need an appetizer that can be prepared ahead and served in individual portions.
For the best result, use softened cream cheese, add the baking mix gradually, avoid overmixing, keep the balls evenly sized, cook poultry sausage to 165°F, and add the strongest buffalo flavor after baking.