Sweet Potato Chorizo Sausage Cheese Balls

By Becky Hardin

Updated Aug 4, 2026

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This Sausage Cheese Balls recipe gives a classic party appetizer a sweet and spicy upgrade. I make them with savory chorizo, sharp cheddar, and naturally sweet mashed sweet potato for a flavor combination that’s out of this world. These cheese balls are so tasty that I always sneak one or two before they even make it to the serving platter. Served with a spicy marmalade dipping sauce, I find they are the perfect appetizer for game days, holiday gatherings, and parties.

Sweet and Spicy Cheese Balls

I love classic sausage balls just as much as anyone, but I’m always looking for ways to make a favorite even better. Traditional sausage balls get their signature bready texture from biscuit mix, making them irresistibly delicious and perfect for dipping. This easy sausage ball recipe puts a fun twist on the classic with even more flavor in every bite.

I add cheese, sweet potato, and chorizo sausage to take the flavor to a whole new level. I love serving these as a snack for game day and holiday parties. They’re easy to pop in your mouth and definitely dip-worthy. The marmalade dipping sauce just adds the final kick of flavor, but feel free to use your favorite sauce.

Tips for Beginners

• Fresh sweet potato is best. It may be tempting to use canned, but a freshly cooked sweet potato will taste best.
• Don’t overmix. Mix just until everything is evenly combined. Overworking the mixture can make the cheese balls dense.
• Use a cookie scoop. A cookie scoop makes portioning the sausage mixture quick and easy while ensuring all of your sausage balls are the same size. Uniformly sized sausage balls will cook more evenly, so you’ll get perfectly golden bites with the ideal texture every time.
• Use a meat thermometer. When checking for doneness, use a meat thermometer to confirm the internal temperature is 160°F.

Recipe Card

Sweet Potato Sausage Cheese Balls with Chorizo

Difficulty: Easy

4.58 from 47 votes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Author: Becky Hardin

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This Sausage Cheese Balls recipe puts a sweet and spicy twist on a classic appetizer, made with cheese, sweet potato, and chorizo; they taste amazing. The spicy marmalade sauce adds the finishing touch.

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Sausage Balls

• ▢ ½ cup sweet potato about 1 large, mashed
• ▢ 1 lb. chorizo sausage casings removed
• ▢ 2½ cups all-purpose baking mix such as Bisquick
• ▢ 1 8 oz. package shredded cheddar cheese extra sharp
• ▢ ⅛ tsp ground pie spice or ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ tsp kosher salt

For the Marmalade Sauce

• ▢ 2 tbsp orange marmalade
• ▢ ¼ cup pepper jelly or Captain Rodney’s Boucan Pepper Sauce
• ▢ 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Instructions 

For the Sausage Balls

• Heat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with foil sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
• Wash the sweet potato. Microwave until cooked throughout, cut in half, and scoop out the soft middle of both halves. Mash in a small bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  ½ cup sweet potato
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the sausage, baking mix, cheese, mashed sweet potato, pie spice (or cinnamon) and salt. Mix until well blended.
  1 lb. chorizo sausage, 2½ cups all-purpose baking mix, 1 8 oz. package shredded cheddar cheese, ⅛ tsp ground pie spice or ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp kosher salt
• Roll into 1-inch balls and place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until sausage balls are cooked through and just beginning to darken.
• Remove sausage balls from the oven and place on a wire rack.
• Serve while the sausage balls are hot with a side bowl of Orange Marmalade Sauce or a sauce of your choice.

For the Orange Marmalade Sauce

• Combine orange marmalade, pepper jelly (or Captain Rodney’s) and Dijon mustard. Stir well to combine. Enjoy!
  2 tbsp orange marmalade, ¼ cup pepper jelly or Captain Rodney’s Boucan Pepper Sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Becky’s Tips

• Don’t use canned sweet potato; fresh will taste best.
• Mix just until everything is evenly combined so the balls don’t turn out dense.
• A cookie scoop will ensure the balls are the same size and will cook at the same pace.
• The internal temperature should be 160°F to confirm doneness. 
• Store leftovers for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. 

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 577kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 23gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 1447mgPotassium: 342mgFiber: 1gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1465IUVitamin C: 1.1mgCalcium: 284mgIron: 2.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Store

The sausage cheese balls will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days. The marmalade sauce will keep refrigerated, in an airtight container, up to 1 month.

Reheat

Reheat in the oven until warmed through.

Make Ahead

You can make everything a couple of days before, as outlined in the recipe card, then just heat them before serving.

If you want to make them even further ahead of time (great option for big parties or to keep on hand for unexpected gatherings), you can prepare the sausage balls; do not bake, but freeze them on a baking tray until they are solid, then transfer them into a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to serve them, bake them for 25-35 minutes at 350°F.

Serving Suggestions

Though I find the marmalade sauce adds the perfect balance of flavor, I’ll also serve theses with honey mustard sauce or a creamy ranch dressing. To add a touch more spice, homemade Buffalo sauce is perfect. I like to make these cheese balls for game days, holiday celebrations, or any get together as this recipe feeds a small crowd.

More Cheese Ball Recipes To Try

• For these Fried Mac and Cheese Balls, I take cheesy bites of macaroni and cheese, coat them in crunchy panko breading, and deep-fry them to perfection.
• To make this Pumpkin Cheese Ball, I shape a savory cream cheese ball like a pumpkin, then coat it with bacon and pecans. 
• Mini Cheese Ball Bites are made with dried fruit and cream cheese, rolled in bacon or nuts, and served on a pretzel stick.

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