To make the sausage, in a large mixing bowl stir together the pork, cranberries, sage, salt, brown sugar, thyme, chipotle chile powder, nutmeg, and cayenne. To test the flavors, heat up a small skillet on medium-low heat and add smidge of vegetable oil. Add a marble-sized ball of the sausage to the skillet and heat it for about 4-5 minutes, flipping once. Turn off the heat and when cool enough to handle, taste the sausage. Make any spice adjustments as desired. The sausage can be used immediately or stored covered in the refrigerator for 4 days.
To make the sausage balls, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, rosemary, sage, salt, and cayenne until well combined. Work in the butter with a pastry blender or your hands until well distributed. Stir in the cheese, sausage, and milk, and then mix until well combined. The dough should be soft enough to form into small balls, though if it’s too dry, you can add more milk a teaspoon at a time until the dough can be easily shaped.
Scoop out a tablespoon of the dough and then roll it into a round ball. Place the balls 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the sausage is cooked and the cheese has melted. Serve warm.
Notes
If you want the cranberry and chipotle flavors but want to make this super easy, you can use pre-made breakfast sausage and then add the diced cranberries and chipotle chile powder to the sausage ball mix.