These Grape Jelly BBQ Meatballs are easy to make in the crock pot. This recipe only takes 3 ingredients and 5 minutes to prep! Doesn’t get better than that.
These meatballs are a tried and true appetizer recipe of mine. They literally couldn’t be easier to make and everyone always loves them. Other easy go-to’s are little smokies, meatball sliders and pigs in a blanket.
Table of Contents
The Perfect Appetizer
These crockpot BBQ grape jelly meatballs are one of my family’s favorite meatball recipes. They are seriously so good and the perfect appetizer for game day! They almost remind me of sweet and sour meatballs but taste better.
My Grandpa has been making these crockpot meatballs for years and we always loved them growing up. My sister even talked him into making them as an appetizer at her wedding. Everyone loved them! Now of course my family has their actual “homemade meatballs recipe,” which are just as amazing.
The best part about BBQ meatballs is that no one would ever know how simple they are to make. Turn them into a main dish and serve them over sticky rice like I do with honey garlic meatballs. YUM!
3 simple ingredients!
These slow cooker grape jelly meatballs are so easy to make. You just need the 3 ingredients below to get started:
- Meatballs: I love getting the frozen meatballs from Costco or Kroger. They taste the best in my opinion. Homemade meatballs taste great as well if you have the time.
- Grape jelly: I keep it simple and use Smucker’s grape jelly.
- BBQ Sauce: Sweet baby ray’s BBQ sauce is my personal favorite. :) You can also make a homemade BBQ sauce if preferred.
How to Make Crockpot BBQ Meatballs
- Add ingredients to crockpot. Pour grape jelly and BBQ sauce in the bottom of your crockpot. Add in the meatballs and stir until fully coated.
- Cook meatballs in crockpot. Cook frozen meatballs in crockpot for 2 to 3 hours on high, or until warm. Make sure to stir a few times throughout.
- Serve and enjoy! Garnish with sliced green onions if desired and serve as an appetizer or main dish.
Variations
There are plenty of ways to easily mix up the flavors in this recipe. Check out some other yummy variations below:
- Sub Heinz chili sauce for BBQ sauce for an extra kick, like I did with these chili sauce meatballs.
- Replace grape jelly with 16 ounces sliced or diced pineapple for Hawaiian meatballs.
- Use 1/4 cup honey instead of jelly for a a little healthier alternative (add more or less to to taste).
- Make cranberry meatballs with leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving. Sub an equal amount of cranberry sauce for grape jelly.
- Use 2 packages of little smokies instead of meatballs.
FAQ
We love to serve them with coconut rice, green beans and fresh cut pineapple.
If you’d like to thicken your sauce, you can mix together a cornstarch slurry (about 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 Tablespoon of water) and stir it into the sauce and allow it to simmer.
This is the base of the sauce (which helps thicken it) and brings the best flavor. I promise you won’t taste the grape flavor.
More Easy Appetizers:
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Ham and Cheese Sliders
- 4-Ingredient Cheese Ball
- Easy 7-Layer Dip
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
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Crockpot Bbq Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (18-ounce) jar jar grape jelly
- 1 (18-ounce) jar BBQ sauce
- 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen fully cooked meatballs (about 50)
Optional: Cooked rice, Sliced green onions
Instructions
- In a medium bowl or the base of a slow cooker, combine the grape jelly and BBQ sauce. Add meatballs and stir until coated in sauce.
- Cook on high 2 to 3 hours or low 3 to 4 hours. Turn the slow cooker to warm until ready to serve.
- Enjoy as an appetizer or serve over rice and top with green onions for a main dish.
Notes
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!
Categorized as: American, Appetizers, Crockpot, Crockpot, Dairy-Free, Mini appetizers, Reader Favorites, Super Bowl
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.
This is an excellent recipe. Perfect sweet/salty flavor with the jelly and meatballs. My 5 yr old love this meal and requests it weekly with mashed potatoes and green beans:)
I’m so glad to hear it is a hit with your 5 year old! We also like to serve it over rice. :)
Can this dish be frozen to be served 2 weeks later?
That should be fine!
Would the cooking time be the same if I doubled the recipe?
You may need to increase it by an hour. Since the meatballs are fully cooked, I would test one and make sure it is warmed all the way through.
Great recipes
Did you use the Italian or homestyle meatballs from Kroger’s? Also we’re they the dinner size or bite size. Sorry for the silly questions.
I make this more with Costco Italian Style Meatballs, but I have used both types from Kroger. You can use either! :)
This looks absolutely divine! Easy but definitely delicious recipe.
what if the meatballs are thawed? How long do they cook?
Hi Shannon! If the meatballs are thawed I would probably recommend doing it on the stove. I do this when I am in a hurry and it works great!
Easy and delicious. Simple dinner.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
If making the meatballs homemade, do you just add them straight to the crockpot or do you have to cook them first?
Homemade tend to fall apart easier so I would probably cook them separately and then add the sauce. You can heat the sauce on the stove and combine if you would like!
You can’t get any easier. Delicious.
My family loves this recipe. I always make this for the holidays or to bring to a party I use Baby Rays sweet and spicy BBQ sauce It’s delicious. Enjoy
I’m so glad your family loves it! :)
Simple and delicious
I love the sauce I made. Black raspberry jam and sweet and spicy sweet baby rays. I added a little extra garlic and onion powder too. The meatballs just aren’t taking the sauce like I want. It’s on the outside but I want it to be inside of it too
Sounds delicious! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Omg, I just put a crockpot of these meatballs to cook, but looking at the empty jars,I realized that I bought grape jam instead of grape jelly…will they still come out ok?! It’s my first time making them..
Hi Alicia! Grape jam should be just fine.
Was really unsure at first when i tasted the sauce cold but it turned out amazing! Bringing them as a July fourth party appetizer. Hoping to get good reviews:)
I hope they were a hit! Thanks for giving them a try. :)
Have you tried any vegan meatballs with this recipe? Would they hold their shape do you think ?
I haven’t. You could always cook the meatballs separately and add to the bbq sauce and grape jelly on the stove.
Can I make these on the stovetop? I don’t have a crock pot, but would like to try them for dinner…
Yes, I do that all the time! I cook the meatballs in the microwave and then add the BBQ sauce and grape jelly to a pot until it is to a simmer and then add the cooked meatballs and simmer for a few minutes.
I could only find frozen Italian meatballs. Would this taste funny?
That’s what I use! :)
I made these with a sweet chili sauce. They came out spicy. I take them to a ladies church meeting and they loved them. The Crock-Pot was great for taking them in.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! :)