Prep the pan: Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a mini muffin tin with oil, butter, or nonstick spray. If using a standard muffin tin, grease that instead and note the longer bake time below.

Cook or warm the sausage: If your sausage links are raw, cook them fully according to package directions and let them cool slightly. If they’re fully cooked, warm them just enough to slice easily. Cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces.

Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt until well combined.

Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, vanilla, and melted butter until smooth. The butter should be warm but not hot to avoid scrambling the egg.

Combine: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir gently until just combined. It’s okay if the batter has a few small lumps. Overmixing makes the bites tough.

Fill the pan: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup (enough to cover the bottom). Nestle a sausage piece into the center, then top with a little more batter to mostly cover it. Don’t fill to the very top; leave a tiny bit of room for rise.

Bake: Bake mini bites for 10–12 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. A toothpick should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (avoid poking the sausage). For a standard muffin tin, bake 14–17 minutes.

Cool and release: Let the bites cool in the pan for 3–5 minutes so they set. Run a small offset spatula or butter knife around the edges and lift out gently.

Serve: Enjoy warm with maple syrup for dipping. Add a sprinkle of flaky salt or a drizzle of hot honey if you like sweet heat.