My aunt brings these to every family gathering and the plate is always empty in minutes.

You can easily adapt these to your crowd and pantry. For more heat, use hot breakfast sausage or mix half hot and half mild; you can also add a pinch of crushed red pepper or a little smoked paprika to the mixture without changing the 3-ingredient core.

If you prefer a slightly lighter flavor, try a seasoned turkey breakfast sausage, but be sure it’s not too lean or the balls may dry out—if using leaner sausage, keep an eye on baking time and pull them as soon as they’re cooked through. To get a bit more texture and browning, bake on a wire rack set over the foil-lined sheet pan; this allows hot air to circulate and fat to drip away.

These freeze well: roll the raw mixture into balls, freeze on a tray until firm, then store in a freezer bag; bake from frozen at 375°F (190°C), adding a few extra minutes. For food safety, always use fully raw, fresh sausage within its use-by date, keep it refrigerated until mixing, and wash hands and surfaces thoroughly after handling.

Bake until the internal temperature of the sausage balls reaches at least 160°F (71°C) if you’re using a thermometer, and promptly refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours; reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven until hot in the center to maintain their crisp exterior.