Description
These Sheet Pan Smoked Sausage Cranberry Bites are a perfect appetizer combining savory smoked sausage, creamy white cheddar cheese, and tangy whole berry cranberry sauce. Ready in just 25 minutes, they make a flavorful and easy-to-prepare treat that’s great for gatherings or game day snacks.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 12-14 oz smoked sausage, sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
- 6 oz white cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (optional)
- Skewers or toothpicks for serving
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to prepare for baking the bites evenly.
- Coat Sausage: In a mixing bowl, toss the sliced smoked sausage with olive oil until each piece is well coated to ensure they crisp nicely in the oven.
- Arrange on Sheet Pan: Spread the coated sausage slices evenly on a sheet pan to allow even cooking.
- Add Cheese and Cranberry: Top each sausage round with a cube of white cheddar cheese and spoon cranberry sauce over them to create a delicious flavor combination.
- Bake: Bake the assembled bites for about 15 minutes until the sausages are heated through and the cheese has melted beautifully.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from the oven, sprinkle with fresh thyme if desired for an herbal aroma, and insert skewers or toothpicks for easy serving.
Notes
- Use high-quality smoked sausage for best flavor.
- Whole berry cranberry sauce adds texture but can be substituted with jellied cranberry sauce if preferred.
- Fresh thyme is optional but adds a nice herbal note.
- Make sure to arrange sausage slices single layer on the sheet pan for even baking.
- This recipe can be doubled for larger gatherings.
- Serve warm for the best taste and texture.
