Smoked Sausage Cranberry Cheddar Bites

Just 4-simple ingredients! Smoked Sausage Cranberry Cheddar Bites make the easiest appetizer when you’re entertaining for the holidays. These will disappear in minutes!

Recipe inspired by Must Love Home

What You’ll Love About Smoked Sausage Cranberry Cheddar Bites:

I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest looking for simple, one-bite appetizers for the upcoming holidays. These Smoked Sausage Cranberry Cheddar Bites looked like so much fun and I loved the display and simple ingredients.

This recipe was tweaked just a tad using a smoked turkey sausage rope, along with extra sharp white cheddar, and rosemary for an earthy taste. I have also included some additional ideas and tips in this post to make these bites exceptional and customizable. The original recipe can be found here!

Making appetizers for the holidays should be fun and this one certainly delivers in ease and taste. Who doesn’t love a party pick snack?!

If you really want to wow your guests and your taste buds try my Cranberry Brie and White Cheddar Pull Apart Bread at your next party.

4-Simple Ingredients:

• Smoked sausage- We love using the smoked turkey sausage because it’s a little lighter and less fatty than traditional smoked sausage ropes. However, use the brand and flavor you enjoy.
• White cheddar- Using white cheddar makes these look a little more elegant plus the cranberry stands out better against the white cheese. I went for the gusto and used extra sharp white cheddar. My favorite brand is Old Croc.
• Cranberry sauce- You want to use whole cranberry sauce because you’ll actually pull out the individual berries from the can. This step is easy and you can even put one of your experienced kiddos to work on this part while you take care of the other ingredients.
• Rosemary- I love rosemary and nothing says the holiday like the scent of pine. If you don’t like the flavor of rosemary, use fresh parsley or thyme.

Substitutions and Variations:

How To Make Smoked Sausage Cranberry Cheddar Bites:

See full instructions in recipe card below

Step One. Heat oven to 400℉. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper for easy clean-up.

Step Two. Place smoked sausage pieces on prepared sheet pan and roast in the oven for 15-18 minutes. The bottom should be browned and sausage warmed through.

Step Three. While the sausage is in the oven prepare the cheese by cutting into small cubes, and remove the whole cranberries from the can and transfer them to a bowl. Leave the jelly sauce behind.

Step Four. When sausage is cooked, allow to cool for 10 minutes, then top each sausage slice with a piece of cheddar and one whole cranberry. Take your party pick and pierce down the middle through the berry, cheese, and sausage. Garnish the top with chopped fresh rosemary and serve with additional cranberry sauce.

Recipe Tips:

Common Questions:

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

• Whipped Cream Cheese Pepper Jelly Dip
• Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts
• Cocktail Sweet and Sour Meatballs
• Cranberry Pecan Cheeseball
• Easy Homemade French Onion Dip

Smoked Sausage Cranberry Cheddar Bites

Just 4-simple ingredients- Smoked Sausage Cranberry Cheddar Bites make the easiest appetizer when you're entertaining for the holidays. These will disappear in minutes!

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings: 31 Bites

Calories: 76kcal

Equipment

• 1 large half sheet pan
• 1 serving platter
• 35 party picks or medium size tooth picks

Ingredients

• 1 (13) ounce smoked turkey sausage rope, cut in 1/2 inch slices
• 1 (8) ounce block of extra sharp white cheddar cheese, cut in 1/4 inch cubes
• 1 (14) ounce can whole cranberry sauce
• fresh chopped rosemary for garnish, about 2 tablespoons

Instructions

Heat oven to 400℉. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper for easy clean-up.

• Place smoked sausage pieces in a single layer on prepared sheet pan. Roast in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes. The bottoms should be browned and sausage warmed through.
• While the sausage is in the oven prepare the cheese by cutting into small 1/4 inch cubes, and also use a spoon to remove the whole cranberries from the can and transfer them to a bowl. You will need roughly 30-35 berries. Leave the jelly sauce behind.
• When sausage is cooked, allow to cool for 10-minutes, then top each sausage slice with a piece of cheddar and one whole cranberry. Take your party picks and pierce down the middle through the berry, cheese, and sausage. Garnish the top with chopped fresh rosemary and serve with additional cranberry sauce.

Notes

Tips: 

 

• Allow the sausage to cool before adding the cheese. I have found that it’s best to add the cheese once the sausage has cooled a bit otherwise the bottom of the cheese will melt slightly and it won’t look as appealing.
• Serve with extra cranberry sauce- I like adding a little extra berry sauce to my bite. I placed the remaining sauce from the can in a serving dish with a small spoon. Whole grain or spicy mustard would also be a great addition to have on the side.

 

Substitutions and Variations: 

 

• Sausage- As I mentioned above, use your favorite smoked sausage rope. You can add a little kick to this appetizer by using the Cajun Andouille smoked sausage rope, or try the roasted garlic smoked sausage.
• Cheese- Again, you can get creative with the flavor of cheese you enjoy. Ideas include- Pepper Jack, Colby Jack, medium cheddar, or Havarti.
• Cranberry sauce- If you don’t want to take the time to remove the whole cranberries from the can, dried cranberries would also work for this recipe.
• Pickled jalapenos- This would be a fun addition and give the sausage bites a little kick. My favorite brand is Trader Joe’s sweet and spicy jalapeno slices.

 

Common Questions: 

 

How long can these sausage cheddar bites sit out at room temperature?

These can be left out up to two hours at room temperature. Leftovers can be placed in the refrigerator in a sealed container and should be consumed within two days.

Are the leftovers good cold?

Yes! You don’t want to heat the leftovers. They are best cold from the fridge. A great snack to grab when you want something quick and easy.

How far in advance can make these bites ahead of time?

These are best served fresh. You’ll want to assemble them no earlier than 30-minutes before guests arrive.

 

Nutritional facts are for 1 assembled sausage bite

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 177mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 88IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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