I was recently trying to remember the appetizers that I grew up eating in Texas and thought of sausage balls. Remember those? They are made of just three ingredients: Bisquick mix, cooked sausage, and cheddar cheese. They are pretty good but I thought I could do better. I have to say that my Cowboy Crescent Bites don’t even compare! They are loaded with so much more flavor and are still so very easy!
The combo of cream cheese, cheddar cheese and jalapeno all melted together totally reminds me of queso! If you know me at all you know that queso is my FAVORITE. I have the best recipe for it here.
This recipe makes 36 little cups of deliciousness which is great for holiday family gatherings. They can even be assembled ahead of time and baked fresh the next day. Also, the crescent rolls that come in one big sheet work best but if you can’t find them just pinch the seams together before cutting into squares.
How to Make Cowboy Crescent Bites
Start by browning 1/2 lb of ground pork sausage. I made a double batch here so this is one pound. Drain on paper towels and set aside until ready to use.
Make the filling by combining softened cream cheese, cheddar cheese, jalapeno, green onions, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and salt.
Next, roll out the crescent dough sheet a little and cut into 6×3 to make little squares. A pizza slicer works great for this! Place the squares into greased mini muffin pans.
Fill the cups with about 1 teaspoon of filling and bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Once they are golden brown they are ready!
Good Things Utah TV Segment
I made these on Good Things Utah and they were gone by the time I left the studio! Watch me make them HERE.
Make these for the holidays and everyone will fall in love (with you AND the food)! You’ll be making them again and again for all your holiday gatherings. I definitely will be! Y’all know that I love simple recipes that are BOLD with flavor. This is my new favorite appetizer and I love that it was inspired by my Texas roots!
Sponsored post for Lee’s Marketplace. Items on sale Nov 19-Dec 2: crescent rolls, sausage, cheddar cheese, cream cheese
Cowboy Crescent Bites
Ingredients
- 2 tubes crescent rolls
- 1/2 lb bulk pork sausage
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
- 1 bunch green onions, sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Cooking Spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Spray mini muffin tins with cooking spray. In a medium-sized bowl, combine sausage, cream cheese, cheddar, jalapeno, half of the green onions, and spices.
- Roll crescent rolls out and cut each rectangular sheet into 18 squares (6×3). Place squares of dough into mini muffin tins. Place a small spoonful, about 1-2 teaspoons, of cheese mixture into each square.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crescent rolls are golden brown. Remove and garnish with remaining onions.