These slow cooker cranberry meatballs with jellied cranberry and chili sauce are so easy to make in the crockpot. The perfect 3-ingredient appetizer for any holiday party!
Meatballs are some of my favorite appetizer recipes to serve. Other favorites include crockpot BBQ meatballs, Hawaiian meatballs and grape jelly chili sauce meatballs.
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Easy Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs
Easy meatball recipes are always a hit at any party and these 3-ingredient cranberry meatballs are a nice way to mix it up with a sweet and spicy sauce. They’re perfect to add to your easy Thanksgiving appetizers rotation along with my baked brie with honey!
I like to use frozen meatballs to make this recipe easier but you can definitely use pre-cooked homemade meatballs. If you’re making them fresh, cut the slow cook time by an hour since they’ll already be warm.
Recipe Ingredients
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Meatballs: A bag of frozen fully cooked meatballs (If you’re not using homemade).
- Chili sauce: I prefer the Heinz brand. It’s adds the perfect amount of spice.
- Jellied cranberry sauce: I prefer the Ocean Spray brand to add just the right amount of tartness.
Substitutions and Variations
These meatballs with cranberry sauce are delicious but here are a few options to make these crockpot meatballs your own.
- Sauce. Swap the chili sauce with BBQ sauce for a smokier flavor. Or swap the cranberry sauce for grape jelly.
- Use leftovers. Have leftover homemade cranberry sauce from your Thanksgiving menu? Use it instead of the jellied cranberry.
- More sweet or sour. Add a Tablespoon of brown sugar or orange to sweeten or a dash of white vinegar to add a little extra sour to the sweet.
- Lighten it up. Use ground turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs instead of ground beef to lighten up your meatball ingredients.
How to Make Cranberry Meatballs
This crock pot cranberry meatballs recipe is a classic holiday appetizer. It’s a family favorite for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
- Combine: In a small bowl, combine chili and cranberry sauce. Heat in the microwave. To add a little sweetness, combine the brown sugar.
- Add: To the slow cooker, add in the meatballs and pour the sauce overtop coating everything. Cook on high or low, the choice is yours.
- Eat: Have some toothpicks and napkins handy when serving as a tasty party appetizer.
Looking for more appetizer recipes for the holidays? Add this charcuterie board with brie bites, classic smokies, or our popular spinach and artichoke dip.
More Meatball Recipes
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Cranberry Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen fully cooked meatballs (about 50)
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can jellied cranberry
- 1-2 Tablespoons light brown sugar (optional)
Optional (for serving): Cooked rice, Sliced green onions, Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Combine sauce. In a microwave-safe bowl, stir together 12 ounce bottle of chili sauce and 1 can jellied cranberry sauce. Microwave 30 seconds. Stir. Add 1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar, if desired, for a sweeter flavor.
- Assemble in crockpot. In the bottom of a crockpot, add the meatballs. Pour sauce over the top and stir until coated in sauce. Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4 hours.
- Serve. Enjoy as an appetizer or serve over rice for a main dish. Top with sliced green onions or chopped cilantro, if desired.
Notes
- Substitute. Swap the chili sauce with BBQ sauce for a smokier flavor. Or swap the cranberry sauce for grape jelly to make chili sauce meatballs.
- Use leftovers. Have leftover cranberry sauce from your Thanksgiving menu? Use it instead of the jellied cranberry.
- Sour. Additionally, add in a dash of white vinegar to add a little extra sour to the sweet.
- Sweet. Also, try adding in a Tablespoon or two of brown sugar and orange juice to sweeten them.
- Lighten it up. Use turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs to lighten it up a bit.
- Other meat. Rather than using meatballs, replace them with wings or use mini hotdogs to make little smokies. The sauce complements almost anything!
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQ’s
These sweet and sour meatballs with cranberry sauce can be served as part of an appetizer spread or part of a larger meal. Enjoy over cooked rice for a main dish garnished with sliced green onions or chopped cilantro.
If you want to use the oven instead, place meatballs in a baking dish and pour the sauce over everything. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1-1.5 hours.
Yes! Add the cranberry sauce mixture to a large saucepan. Cooking on medium-high heat, place the meatballs in the sauce and stir together. Continue to stir until the sauce is coating each of the meatballs. Once the meatballs are warmed through, you are ready to serve them immediately.
Place slow cooker cranberry meatballs in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. Make sure to add all the sauce to the container. Otherwise the meatballs will not be as flavorful the second time. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freeze meatballs by cooling completely then transferring to a freezer safe bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze sauce separately in an airtight container.
Categorized as: American, Appetizers, Christmas, Crockpot, Crockpot, Low Carb, Mini appetizers, Thanksgiving
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I was wondering what adjustments you would make to do this with fresh, homemade meatballs. Would you cook the meatballs first or cook them in the sauce?
Yes, cook the meatballs first then place in the sauce. Enjoy!
My mother made this cranberry meatball creation YEARS AGO for a holiday buffet she was hostessing. They were a MAJOR hit!
So glad everyone enjoyed them!
What chili sauce do you usually use?
Hi Ari! I like using Heinz Chili Sauce :)
I am making these for Christmas but at a loss for a side dish to accompany them, any suggestions?
Hi Kay! You can enjoy over cooked rice for a main dish garnished with sliced green onions or chopped cilantro :)
Yummy over mashed potatoes.
My mom always makes these with homemade mac & cheese! Such a yummy combo!
Family favorite!
Pick up some Sub/Steak rolls (6-8″ lg) & you’ve got some tasty meatball subs.
These meatballs are wonderful! So easy to make and everyone loves them!!
These meatballs were so easy to make and were a big hit with my family!! Thank you for the recipe, I’m going to be making them again for the holidays!
Made this recipe at a family gathering—just 3 ingredients and a cranberry chili sauce in the crockpot. Effortless and perfect for holiday parties, they vanished in no time!
So glad your family enjoyed the cranberry meatballs!
Nothing beats the flavors in these meatballs. They disappeared so fast at our dinner party!
We loved these cranberry meatballs!
These meatballs are so easy to make and a crowd pleaser at any party!
Ah I’m so glad to hear! Thanks for your review :)
Quick and easy to make! Thank you so much for this fantastic cranberry meatballs recipe, it tasted so delicious and very flavorful! Highly recommended!
One of my favorite holiday appetizers! So simple and absolutely scrumptious!
These were such a fun twist on meatballs! So delicious.
Glad you enjoyed them, Wendy. Thanks for sharing! It is always fun to try a different spin on a classic.
Yum. I love the sweet and tangy and spicy of the brown sugar, cranberries, and chili.
Glad you liked them, Scarlet. It is a great combination!
You had me at cranberry…my family is going to love these meatballs!