Sausage Muffins with cheese are perfect for breakfast on-the-go, holiday brunches, or a satisfying savory snack. These fluffy sausage cheddar muffins are take on a southern favorite, sausage balls, but as a complete breakfast in one package!
easy Cheddar sausage muffins
Enjoy a comforting, filling grab-and-go breakfast all in one powerhouse muffin package! This sausage muffins has the savory goodness of gluten-free cheese scones with lots of cheddar and flavor packed in each finger-licking bite!
An easy basic muffin recipe replaces Bisquick, traditionally used in another southern favorite – sausage balls. While you could still use Bisquick as a short cut, sausage muffins recipe is still a breeze to throw together. I’ll show you how!
Ingredients Notes
The recipe uses a mixture of flour, baking powder, milk, and butter so it may easily be adpated to gluten-free sausage muffins. To substitute Bisquick for the flour, use 1 cup Bisquick, 4 eggs, and cheese with the sausage, omitting the other ingredients.
To make a flourless sausage egg muffins, follow this Breakfast Egg Muffin recipe.
- Ground pork breakfast sausage – Cook, crumbled, and excess grease drained on paper towels.
- Flour – Use regular all-purpose or substitute gluten-free flour for gluten-free sausage muffins.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – Substitute any preferred cheese, pepper jack for a spicier flavor or mild cheddar for a more subdued cheese taste.
- Pure maple syrup or sugar adds a tiny hint of sweetness.
- For an extra hint of spice, add 1/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper or use spicy breakfast sausage.
How To Make Sausage Muffins Recipe
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
- First cook the sausage in a skillet. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain any excess grease.
- Next whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in the shredded cheese and cooked sausage.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, egg, and maple syrup. Stir the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture with the melted butter.
- Pour into greased muffin pan (or line muffin cups with paper liners) and bake at 400ºF for 18-20 minutes.
storing and freezing
After they have cooled completely refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 days. If storing longer than 2 days, I recommend freezing so they don’t dry out.
To freeze, wrap the muffins individually in plastic wrap and transfer to an airtight container or ziplock freezer bag. Freeze up to three months.
Thaw at room temperature for one hour and then wrap in a paper towel to warm in the microwave for 20 seconds.
additions and modifications
- Instead of pork sausage, use turkey breakfast sausage to reduce calories.
- Add fresh or frozen blueberries, chopped apples, raisins, or dried cranberries to make a sweet and savory treat.
- Increase the sweetness by adding up to 1/4 cup sugar or maple syrup
- For a garlic cheddar flavor add 1 tsp garlic powder
- Saute onions, bell pepper, or any other preferred veggies with the sausage and stir into the muffin batter.
- For spicy sausage muffins add 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or use spicy breakfast sausage.
substituting bisquick
To substitute Bisquick for the flour, use 1 cup Bisquick (regular or gluten-free), 4 eggs, and cheese with the cooked sausage, omitting the other ingredients.
gluten-free sausage muffins
I have made these with traditional all purpose flour and a gluten-free flour blend. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten-free flour, and no adjustments are needed for the recipe.
make them healthier
To make a healthier version of sausage muffins, substitute turkey breakfast sausage for the pork. You can also use less cheese, or low fat grated cheese, and skim milk.
Click here to see the
step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Crispy Grit Cakes
- Fluffy Gluten Free Waffles
- Banana Baked Oatmeal
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Potato Frittata
- Gluten-Free Sausage Gravy
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Sausage Muffins with Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground breakfast sausage, cooked and crumbled
- 2 cups all purpose flour, regular or gluten-free (Cup4Cup gluten-free flour recommended)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or sugar
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- (optional) additional cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Begin by cooking the sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Grease the muffin tins liberally with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar (if not using maple syrup). Stir in the cooked sausage and cheddar cheese.
- In a small bowl whisk together the milk, egg, and maple syrup (if using). Pour into flour mixture then add the melted butter. Stir to combine until flour is incorporated.
- Spoon into muffin tins, filling to the top of each tin. Sprinkle additional cheese on top, if desired.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes clean and tops are golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve warm.
- DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?? DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE FEEDBACK AND RATE BELOW!
Equipment Needed
Recipe Notes
storing and freezing
After they have cooled completely refrigerate in an airtight container up to 2 days. If storing longer than 2 days, I recommend freezing so they don’t dry out. To freeze, wrap the muffins individually in plastic wrap and transfer to an airtight container or ziplock freezer bag. Freeze up to three months. Thaw at room temperature for one hour and then wrap in a paper towel to warm in the microwave for 20 seconds.additions and modifications
- Instead of pork sausage, use turkey breakfast sausage to reduce calories.
- Add fresh or frozen blueberries, chopped apples, raisins, or dried cranberries to make a sweet and savory treat.
- Increase the sweetness by adding up to 1/4 cup sugar or maple syrup
- For a garlic cheddar flavor add 1 tsp garlic powder
- Saute onions, bell pepper, or any other preferred veggies with the sausage and stir into the muffin batter.
- For spicy sausage muffins add 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or use spicy breakfast sausage.
Nutrition
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Niki N. says
Made this for my boyfriend. These are more like biscuits instead of muffins. Definitely more dry than we expected. I wouldn’t say terribly dry just not as moist as I had hoped. I baked for 15 mins and removed from the oven and added shredded cheese while they cooled and it melted nicely. The flavors were good but I think this needed a touch more moisture to make it seem more like a muffin and less like a biscuit.
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Niki,
Sorry to hear this. Did you use regular wheat flour or GF flour?
Best,
Melissa
Elizabeth says
Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have any sausage do I made them with bacon instead. I think I might add more egg next time to make it more of a meal. Perfect tor my post partum meal prep!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thanks Elizabeth! Best wishes with the new baby!
Best,
Melissa
Dianne M Bailey says
I have made these sausage cheese bissscuits twice now and I am so thrilled how moist they are and freeze so well. I need to watch my protein intake, cholesterol and sugar intake so next time I make them I will write down how much of each are in them and divide it by 12. I do enjoy them so much and they are so easy to make. Next time I will try the turkey sausage and maybe add some garlic powder like someone suggested, but I went right by the recipe using king Arthur flour and both times they came out perfect. Thank you so much for such a perfect recipe. I have Celiac Disease, chrons, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol all inherited so have to watch everything I eat. I have been Gluten Free for 18 years.
Thank you
Dianne
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Dianne,
I’m so glad these muffins work with all your “setbacks.” I really appreciate you taking the time to write!
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
Delicious!!!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you!
Mrs DM Miller says
I am going to try this on Monday, but…since we aren’t traveling with them I was thinking about making it in an 8×8 pan instead. Do you have any thoughts on that, or suggestions on cooking time (I’m guessing maybe 30-35 minutes)?
Melissa Erdelac says
Oh, love this idea! That’s what I would guess. I would say at least 30 minutes and then you will just have to start checking with a toothpick once the top looks set.
Best,
Melissa
jane says
hello, These look so good that I want to make them tomorrow with my granddaughter..I was wondering why the Bisquick substitution used 4 eggs while the all purpose flour calls for 1 egg? Thank you
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Jane,
I was basing this substitution off of Bisquick sausage muffins, which contain 1 pound cooked sausage, 4 eggs, 1 cup Bisquick and cheese. These will have a different texture than what is written above, more of like a southern sausage ball / fritter than a muffin texture. Hope this helps!
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
Thank you so much for replying so quickly! We will enjoy making, and eating them, tomorrow.
Laura says
School starts tomorrow, and I just made this for grab-and-go breakfasts next week. I’m eating one right now that is still warm from the oven, and it is delicious– sausage is definitely the star here, which is what I was hoping for. I added @ 1/4 tsp each of sage, garlic powder and black pepper to the flour before adding the wet ingredients. Thanks so much, this is definitely a keeper!
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Laura,
Love the spice additions. Thanks so much for taking the time to share!
Best,
Melissa
lillE says
Gonna give it a whirl! Could I leave off the salt and use salted butter? I don’t have any unsalted and would like to make today. Thanks!
Melissa Erdelac says
Sure, that wouldn’t be a problem! I would still add a bit of salt, though. 1/4 tsp should be good.
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
These were a hit!
Melissa Erdelac says
So glad to hear!
Best,
Melissa
Meredith says
I made this and it is now one of my favorite breakfasts. I’m eager to try it with garlic powder next!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you, Meredith! I’m so glad to hear!
Best,
Melissa
May says
What a fun and tasty recipe. I used blueberry sausage, oat milk, GF flour (Bob’s 1:1), and a mishmash of cheese. I will sharp cheddar next time and maybe a touch of black pepper.
Melissa Erdelac says
So glad to hear, May! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
Excited to try these, they look delicious! But the ads on your page almost made me leave. Just wanted to give you that feedback. It’s pretty awful. Sorry.
Melissa Erdelac says
Hello,
Thanks for taking the time to write! I hope you aren’t discouraged enough to try it! If you ever want to skip the ads or content on my recipe posts, there is a “jump to recipe” button right at the top.
Just for a little background, although ads can be frustrating, they are how I get compensated for my job. I spend about 20-30 hours on every recipe posted from testing, photographing, writing, and promoting. While these are free for people who are searching for recipes, as opposed to a cookbook you’d buy, the ads are my compensation and how I support my family. I hope this makes sense!
I never want to turn people away from the site, though, which is why I have the “jump” button at the top or you can print it too.
Best regards,
Melissa
Lola G says
This looks so good! It doesn’t say but I am assuming this is using a full-size muffin tin? Any suggestions for cooking time using a mini muffin pan? Thanks for your thoughts!
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Lola,
I would start with half the baking time. Also, some people have just dolloped the batter onto parchment paper lined (or greased) baking sheets to make biscuit / scones.
Best,
Melissa
Roz says
I have made this recipe multiple times now! it’s so delicious and moist. Thank you!
Melissa Erdelac says
So great to hear, Roz! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Best,
Melissa
Jen says
Made this today, with turkey sausage. Overall good, would definitely make again using turkey sausage however add a bit more seasoning. Maybe more maple syrup? Or minced onion? Backed off on the salt based on other reviews so maybe just that simple of doing recommended salt? Easy to make, will for sure make again! Taking some over to my dad as it’s his 83rd bday today, (as well as cake of coarse lol) Thank you for sharing this. 🙂
Melissa Erdelac says
Thanks for sharing, Jen. Happy birthday to your Dad!
Best,
Melissa
Meredyth m says
I made mine with impossible sausage and they turned out fantastic. Be sure to cut down on the salt to maybe a pinch to 1/4 tsp as the impossible sausage is quite salty.
Melissa Erdelac says
Thanks for the tip about cutting down salt with vegan replacements, Meredyth!
Best,
Melissa
E says
Made this with my family this morning and it was delicious. Definitely reminds me of sausage balls. Muffins were light and fluffy. Followed the recipe as written
Melissa says
Thank you! Glad you all enjoyed!
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
I normally don’t try recipes with so few ratings but this one was definitely worth making. 10/10 will make again. Time to eat another one. 😋
Melissa says
Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
Best,
Melissa
Rhonda says
Made this today for a family get together. Couldn’t find muffin tin so made it as a casserole. Everyone loved it!
Melissa says
Fantastic idea, Rhonda! What size pan did you use and how long did it take? I’d love to try that next time!
Best,
Melissa
NELDA F. says
Not sure this is the place for a question, but this recipe looks just like what I’ve been looking for!!
Just wondering if leftovers should be refrigerated??
Thanks, Nelda F.
Melissa says
Hello Nelda,
Thank you for asking this because it is a very important question I totally forgot to write about! Yes, after they have cooled completely they can be refrigerated. However, they will dry out in the refrigerator if you aren’t eating them in a day or two. Ideally, I would freeze any leftovers and just thaw as needed. They will keep best that way!
Best,
Melissa
Nicole Rose says
As usual Melissa, you’re cracking us up! Your muffins look delish! Good luck!!
xo Devorah, Karmel & Nicole