Sausage Balls

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Set out the cream cheese and shredded cheddar so they lose their chill while you gather everything else.

In a large bowl, combine the raw sausage, softened cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Use your hands or a sturdy spoon to mash and fold until the cream cheese is streaked evenly through the sausage with no white lumps.

Add the shredded cheddar and the milk. Mix until the cheese is distributed throughout. The mixture should look moist and a little tacky, which keeps the finished sausage balls tender.

Sprinkle the baking mix over the top and fold it in just until no dry pockets remain, about 1 minute. Stop as soon as it comes together; overmixing makes dense, dry sausage balls. If the dough won't hold a ball, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, portion the dough and roll each between your palms into a smooth ball, about 42 total. Arrange them an inch apart on the prepared sheets so they brown on all sides.

Bake 20-25 minutes, rotating and swapping the pans halfway through, until the sausage balls are deep golden and cooked through. An instant-read thermometer pushed into the center of one should read 165°F (74°C).

Let the sausage balls sit on the pan for 5 minutes to firm up and reabsorb juices, then transfer to a platter. Serve warm with the honey mustard dip, whisked together from the Dijon, honey, and mayonnaise.