So this year I am tasked with making sausage balls for about 15 folks. I want to go beyond the basic
recipe. What should I add to make them stand out.

I am thinking of adding cream cheese , using red lobster biscuit mix , some Tony's Chachere's ,
maybe diced jalapenos. perhaps candied jalapenos fo sweet and hot .

what am I missing /

MO

Onion, and a little mozzarella cheese.

Mo thats pretty much what I use. They are great. Add some brown sugar to it as well.

Dipping sauce.... my wife makes one with dukes mayo, couple kinds of fancy mustard, horseradish and black pepper.

Coat them in panko and deep fry. Serve with ranch.

Green chiles

Also I like to smoke mine on the pellet smoker

Here is the recipe I somewhat follow

https://www.meatchurch.com/blogs/recipes/jalapeno-popper-sausage-balls

Jalapeno

I don’t know how they would work in the sausage balls, but I always am a fan of canned green chiles or canned chipotle peppers in almost anything. Good luck with them.

Horseradish is the greatest “condiment” ever. It will separate the “men” from the “boys.”

Who see millions of pepper eating contests, you never see a horseradish eating contest. Ha. It’s addictive.

Johnny should have said, “I took a shot of horseradish.” Ha. Ha.

Coffee grounds. Might not work but it will def be different.

Recipe I use originally called for Bisquick. Store was out so I grabbed Jiffy baking mix instead. Made them 10X better. I always thought the Bisquick made them taste doughy, but the Jiffy hit it just right. I also mix regular and hot sausage.

About twenty years ago, I got really sick off of sausage balls that had been sitting out for a while.
Be careful.

Fried boudin balls. Be a somebody !

note, skip the cheese on at least half as it's not needed:

Brandy or rum.