Blue Cheese and Cranberry Sausage Balls

Blue Cheese and Cranberry Sausage Balls recipe

Whose Christmas doesn’t revolve around sausage based nibbles? Well other than vegetarians and those who don’t love sausages, that is. I love a sausage roll in all it’s forms but a sausage ball really wears the festive crown when it comes to quick and easy snacks. These have a seasonal twist with the beyond tasty inclusion of Blue Cheese and Cranberry and will be on heavy rotation in our house this December.

A sausage roll isn’t exactly taxing but a sausage ball is the height of laziness. These balls are one bowl affairs mixing flour with seasonings, plenty of crumbled blue cheese and just a hint of dried cranberries. The sausagemeat can be pre packaged or add a little bit of effort into the recipe by skinning well flavoured sausages of your choice. I used Stilton for mine, being a horder of the end of cheese boards in my freezer, but use whatever blue cheese you have to hand. Bake these christmassy balls until golden and filling your kitchen with seasonal smells.

If you’re feeling super organised *absolutely not me* freeze them once cooled for another day, or try desperately not to inhale the whole batch fresh from the oven.

What a lovely array of Christmassy bits and bobs. My dried cranberries were a little on the dry side, so I gave them a quick bath in boiling water to plumpen them up. My Stilton was plentiful and as I mentioned, came from my freezer which houses a lot of leftover cheese; it goes so well with the touch of sage and sausagemeat.

This is quick and only leaves one bowl to wash up, so make a start by pre heating your oven to 160 degrees and by lining two large baking sheets. Next take a large bowl and measure in the flour, baking powder, sage, salt and pepper. Give it a little mix.

Now, crumble in the blue cheese and dried cranberries (drained if you’ve given them a bit of a soak) and mix again before following in with the sausagemeat and melted butter.

Now unless you’re squeamish in which case use a spoon, go in with your hands and give the mixture a really good squish to combine.

Using a tablespoon or a small ice cream scoop, portion the mixture into generous walnut sized balls and place on the baking tray.

Bake your balls for 20 to 25 minutes in the hot oven until sizzling, golden and smelling so good.

Serve them piping hot, with cranberry sauce for dipping, if you like. Pre Christmas drinks to accompany, are essential.

No faffing around with pastry, only one bowl to wash up, no drama. Just festive balls of joy; share them with your friends and family, but only one or two, you won’t be keen to part with these.

Lucy x

Blue Cheese and Cranberry Sausage Balls recipe

Makes between 36 and 40 balls

You will just need a bowl and lined baking trays for these

150g plain flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried sage

100g blue cheese, crumbled, mine was Stilton

100g dried cranberries

500g sausagemeat, or skin sausages and use those

50g melted butter

Cranberry sauce for dipping, if you like

Pre heat your oven to 160 degrees fan assisted and line one or two baking trays with baking paper.

Take a large bowl and measure in the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and dried sage and give it a whisk to mix. Crumble in your chosen blue cheese and add the dried cranberries then stir again.

Add the sausagemeat and melted butter and go in with your hands or a wooden spoon and mix until the whole lot is completely well combined. Roll into walnut sized balls and place them on the lined trays. Bake for around 20 to 25 minutes or until sizzling, golden and piping hot.

Serve, hot, with a dipping sauce of your choice or just a big glass of fizz.

You can freeze these once cooked and cooled and defrost before reheating in a hot oven.