These sausage and cheese turnovers are a hearty, crowd-pleasing appetizer for parties, game day, holidays, or casual get-togethers. Store-bought biscuit dough is filled with a savory mixture of sausage, cream cheese, onion, and shredded cheese, then baked until golden and flaky. They can also be made ahead, frozen, and reheated, making them a convenient option for easy entertaining.
Note: this post was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2021 with new photos and improved instructions.
If you love warm, cheesy appetizers, these sausage and cheese turnovers are a recipe worth saving. The filling is rich, savory, and satisfying, while the biscuit dough bakes into a flaky, golden crust. They are filling enough to serve as a substantial snack, but still easy to pick up and enjoy as party food.
The best part is that this recipe uses pre-made biscuit dough, so you do not need to make pastry from scratch. The sausage and onion are cooked together, then combined with cream cheese and shredded cheese to create a creamy, flavorful filling. Each biscuit is rolled thin, filled, folded, sealed, brushed with egg wash, sprinkled with more cheese, and baked until beautifully browned.
Although the turnovers take a little time to assemble, the steps are simple and beginner-friendly. They are also very practical for entertaining because you can bake them ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator or freezer. When you are ready to serve, simply reheat them in the oven until warmed through.
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Canned biscuit dough: Use the smaller 6 ounce cans of buttermilk biscuits with flaky layers. Avoid the larger “Grands” or jumbo-style biscuits unless you plan to adjust the filling amount and baking time.
- Fresh sausage: Use fresh, uncooked sausage, not pre-cooked sausage. Pork sausage, sage sausage, or mild Italian sausage all work well as long as the sausage is cooked before filling the turnovers.
- Shredded cheese: Choose a cheese that melts smoothly. Gouda, Gruyere, muenster, cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, and Fontina are all good options. Avoid crumbly cheeses if you want the filling to hold together well.
Step by step photos
1. Cook the sausage and chopped onion in a skillet over medium heat until the sausage is no longer pink. Break the sausage into small pieces as it cooks so the filling is evenly textured.
2. Transfer the cooked sausage and onion to a bowl with the softened cream cheese and shredded cheese. Reserve about ¼ cup of the shredded cheese to sprinkle on top of the turnovers before baking.
3. Stir the sausage, onion, cream cheese, and shredded cheese together until the filling is evenly combined. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the dough.
4. Crack the egg into a small bowl. Add about 1 tablespoon of water and whisk with a fork to make an egg wash. This will help seal the turnovers and give them a glossy, golden finish.
5. Open one can of biscuits. Lightly coat a biscuit with flour and roll it into an oval about ⅛ inch (3.2 mm) thick. Work in small batches of about 3 biscuits at a time so the dough stays easy to handle.
6. Place about 1 ½ tablespoons of filling on the rolled biscuit dough. Set it slightly to one side, leaving about ¾ inch (1.9 cm) of dough around the edge for sealing. Press the filling together lightly to reduce air pockets.
7. Brush egg wash onto the edge of the dough closest to the filling. This helps the two sides of the dough stick together when folded.
8. Fold the plain side of the dough up and over the filling. Line up the edges to form a half-moon shape. Gently press around the filling to push out any trapped air before sealing.
9. Use a fork to crimp the edges firmly. This gives the turnovers a neat shape and helps prevent the filling from leaking during baking.
10. Arrange the sealed turnovers on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Brush the tops and sides with the remaining egg wash.
11. Sprinkle the reserved ¼ cup of shredded cheese over the tops of the turnovers.
12. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oven until the turnovers are deep golden brown and the bottoms are well browned.
Tips and tricks
- Roll the biscuit dough thin enough. Aim for about ⅛ inch (3.2 mm) thick. If the dough is too thick, you will have less room for the sausage and cheese filling.
- Leave space around the filling. Keep about ¾ inch (1.9 cm) of dough around the filling so the turnovers can be folded and sealed properly.
- Compact the filling before adding it. Shredded cheese can create air pockets, so gently pressing the filling together helps each turnover hold more filling and seal more neatly.
- Flour the fork if it sticks. If the dough clings to the fork while crimping, dip the fork in a little flour first.
- Do not worry about small leaks. If a little cheese oozes out during baking, let the turnovers cool slightly and trim away the excess. The turnovers will still taste delicious.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. These sausage and cheese turnovers are excellent for make-ahead entertaining. After baking, let them cool to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag. Keep them in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place the turnovers on a baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees F (130 degrees C) for 10 – 12 minutes if refrigerated, or 20 – 22 minutes if frozen, or until heated through. The lower oven temperature helps warm the turnovers evenly without making the outside overly dry.
Yes, but the size matters. This recipe uses three 6 ounce cans of small flaky buttermilk biscuits, with 15 biscuits total. Each biscuit is about 1.2 ounces (34 g). If you use another brand with similar-sized biscuits, the recipe should work well.
If your biscuits are larger or smaller, you may need to adjust the amount of filling and the baking time. Larger turnovers may need a few extra minutes, while smaller turnovers may bake more quickly. If you are unsure, bake one turnover first as a test before baking the entire batch.
Yes. You can customize the filling by replacing some or all of the sausage with other ingredients. Keep the cream cheese and shredded cheese amounts the same, because they add moisture and help bind the filling together.
Avoid ingredients that release a lot of liquid, such as uncooked vegetables, because they can make the turnovers soggy or cause leaking. Good filling ideas include chopped pepperoni, chopped ham, shredded chicken, olives, or cooked spinach. If using spinach, squeeze out the excess moisture before adding it to the filling.
These turnovers are rich, savory, and filling, so they pair well with lighter appetizers, dips, chips, and fresh vegetables. They also work nicely as part of a game day snack table or holiday appetizer spread.
Related recipes
If you try this sausage and cheese turnovers recipe, leave a rating or comment to share how it turned out. These flaky, cheesy turnovers are a reliable make-ahead appetizer for parties, holidays, and snack boards.
📖 Recipe
Sausage and Cheese Turnovers
Flaky biscuit dough filled with savory sausage, cream cheese, onion, and melted shredded cheese. These easy baked turnovers are perfect for parties, appetizers, and make-ahead snacks.
- Author: Kate
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 53 minutes
- Yield: 15 turnovers
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fresh sausage, not pre-cooked
- ½ cup (72 g) finely chopped onion, about ½ medium onion
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounces shredded melting cheese, such as cheddar, muenster, or Gruyere, divided
- Three 6 ounce cans biscuit dough, 15 biscuits total
- 1 egg
- Flour, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick silicone baking mats.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. If the sausage is in a casing, remove it first. Add the sausage and finely chopped onion to the skillet. Cook for 5 – 6 minutes, stirring often, until the sausage is no longer pink. Break the sausage into small pieces as it cooks.
- Place the softened cream cheese and most of the shredded cheese in a medium bowl, reserving about ¼ cup of shredded cheese for topping. Add the cooked sausage and onion mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until the filling is evenly combined.
- Crack the egg into a small bowl. Add about 1 tablespoon of water and whisk with a fork to make an egg wash. Set aside.
- Lightly flour a large work surface. Dust the top and bottom of one biscuit with flour. Working in batches of 3 – 4 biscuits, roll each biscuit into an oval about ⅛ inch (3.2 mm) thick.
- Measure about 1 ½ tablespoons of sausage and cheese filling and compress it lightly into an oval shape. Place it on one side of the rolled biscuit dough, leaving about ¾ inch (1.9 cm) around the edge.
- Brush the ¾ inch (1.9 cm) edge closest to the filling with egg wash. Fold the opposite side of the dough over the filling and align the edges.
- Gently press out any trapped air around the filling. Use a fork to crimp the seam closed. If the fork sticks to the dough, dip it in flour before crimping.
- Repeat the rolling, filling, folding, and crimping process with the remaining biscuits, working in small batches.
- Place the turnovers on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops and sides with egg wash, then sprinkle with the reserved ¼ cup shredded cheese.
- Bake for 17 – 19 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden brown and the bottoms are dark brown.
Notes
Use the smaller size canned biscuit dough, not “Grands” or jumbo biscuits. This recipe was designed for 6 ounce cans of flaky buttermilk biscuits, with 5 biscuits per can and 15 biscuits total. If you use larger or smaller biscuits, adjust the filling amount and baking time as needed.
These turnovers can be made ahead and stored in covered containers in the refrigerator for 3 – 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, bake in a preheated 250 degrees F (130 degrees C) oven for 10 – 12 minutes if refrigerated, or 20 – 22 minutes if frozen, until heated through.
The nutrition information below is an estimate from an online nutrition calculator and should not replace professional medical, health, or nutrition advice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 turnover
- Calories: 244
- Sugar: 2.3 g
- Sodium: 594 mg
- Fat: 16.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.8 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 9.7 g
- Cholesterol: 48 mg