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
HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest recipes!
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.
It was a hit at a potluck. I’ve been asked to bring it again.
Yay, so happy to hear that!
I used apricot preserves and added 1 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes, very good. Making again and will try with the grape jelly and increase dried red pepper flakes to 2 teaspoons.
That sounds like a delicious variation! Glad to hear you enjoyed them, Connie :)
Can’t wait to try these as one of our Christmas appetizers!!
Enjoy!! :)
Awesome Meatballs and so easy. Perfect for our White Elephant party.
Hope the above comment comes back and changes the stars for you.
Operator error on her part.
Thank you for the 5 star review, Carol! I’m so glad they were a hit :)
Hi! If you click the “view recipe” button at the top of the page, it will take you to the printable recipe card with specific measurements/instructions
I have been making these for years. Love them. I have even used jalapeno jelly, that was really awesome. I only have used Chili Sauce, but considering the BBQ sauce., Thank for all you suggestions
You are so welcome! Jalapeno jelly sounds delicious :)
Appears to be quick & Simple will try for Holidays Thank You
You are so welcome! Enjoy :)
What would be a good side dish?
You can serve them over rice or even mashed potatoes :)
My family loves these. But I can never remember how much sauce and jelly and I stumbled upon your recipe. Thanks soo much for the detail! Also have you ever tried with spaghetti sauce and grape jelly? It’s amazing as well! Give it a try and let me know.
I’ve never tried it with spaghetti sauce. I’ll have to try that out sometime soon!
How long do you cook if you don’t use frozen meatballs?
1-2 hours should be long enough, you just want to make sure they’re hot in the middle.
Does anyone ever use Italian meatballs with this? I meant to get home style and picked Italian up instead!
Those should work fine :)
Do the Italian meatballs give off grease that might need to be drained before mixing in? I got a big bag of the Italian meatballs from Costco and will be making this for the first time. :) can’t wait!
I’ve used Italian meatballs before and just added them in frozen, they turned out great!
These are easy and delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed them!
These were exactly what I was looking for!! My mom made these years ago but couldn’t remember how- she kept thinking it was chili sauce, but the taste just wasn’t what I remembered :(
I decided to give these a try and BINGO- only downfall was I didn’t make enough meatballs! I bought a bag of approx. 42 and between 3 of us- they disappeared (I only got 6!) Needless to say I will be making these again for a Halloween party and for dinner. Thanks for sharing!!
I’m so happy to hear you loved the recipe, Jennifer! They are one of our absolute favorites too :)
Made these the first time in the Summer a few years back & We loved them so much they are now a yearly Canadian Thanksgiving tradition.
Love hearing they’ve become a tradition :) Thanks for your comment, Kay!
If I cook my own meatballs and make my own BBQ sauce, how long would I have to cook the jelly and bbq sauce (and then add to the meatballs? Can I do this on the stove top if the meatballs are fully cooked?
Hi! Yes, you could cook on the stove top. You’d probably only need about 15 to 20 minutes to simmer them.
I make these for every church gathering because it is always requested! It’s so simple yet so tasty!
I’m so happy to hear that!
I have Italian style meatballs would this work for this recipe?
You could use Italian, it will just add a little bit more of a kick.
Everytime I make this I get so many compliments, it’s always on my list when I have people over.
Love to hear this! So glad they’re always a hit :)