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Spicy Cranberry Meatballs are easy to make with just three simple ingredients and they can be made right on the stovetop, or for convenience, in your slow cooker. Serve these BBQ Meatballs on their own as a hearty appetizer for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or serve with rice for a simple weeknight meal.
I don’t think I’ve ever had a more tried and true appetizer than these cranberry meatballs. They are always a part of my holiday spread, and definitely can hold their own alongside other festive appetizers like Baked Brie with Jam, Sausage Rolls, Fried Ravioli, and Loaded Cream Cheese Dip.
Why We Love This Cranberry Meatball Recipe
They’re Fast and Easy – Cranberry Meatballs take about 5 minutes to prep and less than 20 minutes to cook.
Simple Ingredients – You just need meatballs, cranberry sauce, and BBQ sauce.
Sweet and Spicy – Go with a spicy BBQ sauce for a delicious contrast.
Versatile – I like to cook these on the stovetop and let the sauce reduce a bit while the meatballs heat through. That’s how you get that yummy, sticky glaze. But you can make them in the slow cooker, or even bake them in the oven. You could even heat them up in the microwave!
Ingredients
Meatballs – Frozen meatballs keep things super easy. Or you can make your own beef meatballs or turkey meatballs. For homemade meatball ingredients, you will need ground beef, milk, breadcrumbs, and an egg, plus seasonings.
Cranberry Sauce – This is really easy to make from scratch by following the instructions on the package of cranberries. Or grab a can of ready-made whole cranberry sauce (not a jellied cranberry sauce)
BBQ Sauce – You can use any flavor you like. I love Sweet Baby Ray’s brand but go with what you love.
How To Make Cranberry BBQ Meatballs
This dish not only looks beautiful, but it’s one of the most simple things you can make. The sauce is so simple – a can of sweet and tart cranberry sauce mixed with a spicy barbecue sauce… and that’s it! If you have the time, you can make your own homemade meatballs, but for simplicity, I often use frozen meatballs.
- Start by combining the spicy BBQ sauce with a can of cranberry sauce in a large saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Because of the sugars in the sauces you’ll want to watch it closely to make sure it doesn’t overheat and burn. Stirring it often will also help to prevent burning. Let it come to a simmer.
- Add frozen or fresh-cooked meatballs to the pan and stir them around to coat them with the sauce.
- Cover the pan and let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for about 10-20 minutes. For thawed meatballs, simmer just until heated through; it will take longer for frozen.
Can You Make Cranberry BBQ Meatballs in the Crock Pot?
I like cooking them on the stovetop but you can also use your slow cooker. It all depends on how you’re serving them and how much time you have. For appetizers, crockpot meatballs are probably easier, but for a quick meal, I like the stovetop.
- Pour the sauces into the slow cooker and stir them together. Because they are both thick, you may want to use a whisk to really mix them.
- Add the frozen or fresh-cooked meatballs, put the lid on, and set the slow cooker to low.
- Let cook on low for a couple of hours or until meatballs are heated through. BBQ Meatballs should be kept at the warm or low setting until ready to serve; up to 8 hours.
Serving Suggestions
We love these Cranberry BBQ Meatballs as an appetizer, but also just for dinner! The sauce pairs deliciously with white rice; just add a green salad or some steamed veggies and you have a complete meal! Coconut Rice would be amazing.
To make them really pretty, sprinkle on some sliced green onions.
Storage
Leftover meatballs are delicious! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Can You Freeze BBQ Meatballs?
These meatballs freeze beautifully. Store them in an airtight container for up to 6 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop until warmed through. If sauce seems thin, let simmer, uncovered and on low heat, until sauce is reduced and thick.
Recipe Notes and Tips
- The sauce is too thin – If you make these BBQ meatballs in the crockpot using frozen, you may end up with a little extra liquid in the sauce. If the sauce is too thin, make a cornstarch slurry with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water, and stir it in. Cover and let cook for 30 minutes.
- Use the right cranberry sauce – Make sure you are using whole cranberry sauce and not the cranberry jelly kind which will just melt and make your sauce too thin. Homemade cranberry sauce works too.
- Choose your favorite BBQ sauce – I recommend a nice, spicy sauce but any style/flavor will work.
- BBQ sauce substitutions – Instead of BBQ Sauce you could add a sweet and spicy chili sauce. Or, skip the BBQ sauce altogether and just use cranberry sauce. It will be sweeter but still delicious.
More Meatball Recipes
- Spicy Barbecue Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Spicy Honey Garlic Meatballs
- Sausage Balls
- Meatball Marinara Poppers
- Crockpot Meatballs with Peach BBQ Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Meatballs
Spicy Cranberry BBQ Meatballs
Ingredients
- 28 ounces frozen meatballs if using homemade, about 50 small or 30 medium size
- 14 ounces whole cranberry sauce
- 18 ounces spicy barbecue sauce 18-20 ounce bottle, about 2 -3 cups
Instructions
- Combine sauces over medium heat in a large deep skillet and cook until bubbly.
- Add meatballs in a single layer and stir to coat completely. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until meatballs are heated through; about 15 -20 minutes for frozen, 10 minutes for fresh.
- Remove cover and continue to cook for several minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced and completely coating the meatballs.
- Serve on their own as an appetizer, or as a main dish over rice.
- For slow cooker method, stir sauces together in the pot, then add meatballs and stir to coat. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours or until heated through and ready to serve. Stir again just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Just have to tell you, made these for Christmas and New Years made a dbl batch each time. Totally gone!! Everyone loved them! Not too spicy not too sweet. So easy to make too!! Thank you! Will use this often!
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it!
I made these for a Friendsgiving party in November, and have been making them for every get together since! They are such a hit. Thanks so much!
Hey there Kristin!
Just tried out your recipe today at home and my husband just loved them! Take lots of love and best wishes from us! They just tasted awesome.
Thank you Nicki! glad your family loved it.
This sounds REAL GOOD……!
Thank you Linda!
I got the meatballs from Costco but they are Italian flavored with spices and cheese. Would that work?
They will probably be fine; the sauce is pretty sweet and will cover the other flavors.
Can’t wait to try these as they contain only ingredients that I love.
Thanks for sharing your recipe!!
Thank you DELVA!
I will definitely make these for an appetizer thanks for the recipe
Would you use this cranberry bbq sauce on chicken as well as meatballs?
I think it would be delicious on chicken!
My Mother made the Cranberry and BBQ meatballs for years. I still make them to this day. Very few people can guess the recipe. Perfect for a Pot Luck in my Crock Pot.
I suggest buying the large bag of meatballs at a Sams Club. We just had a family party for 25 and that was plenty. I think the meatballs may have cost about 10-$12. Same basic recipe. You can use grape jelly instead as well – I also use Famous Dave’s sauce as it’s the best and the difference between a bottle for $3.75 and one on sale for $1.50 – who cares?
@Jimbo : The sauce to be used in order for you to get Kristen’s intended experience is definitely important. Grape jelly vs Cranberry Sauce – in my experience that would make a huge difference to the overall taste. I’m trying these for two fussy toddlers tonight (sans the spicy version) and hope they lick the plates afterwards !!!
i love cranberry family doesn,t is the recipe predominitely cranberry flavor?
I tried this at the Christmas Mingle and Jingle at work, I made two huge crockpots full! and they were the first to go, handed out the recipe, and now still have some of the employees begging for me just to bring in a crockpot and make them some “just because”. The best pot luck recipe!!! I actually used Walmart Italian meatballs, cranberry sauce, and sweet baby ray’s bbq sauce and that was it!!! I highly recommend this!!!
If I were to double the recipe , should I double all of the ingredients or should I back off on the BBQ or the Cranberry sauce ?
Doubling should be fine.
You know, I’ve made meatballs like this for several years but I always just bought regular BBQ sauce. After seeing your recipe I bought the spicy kind and…. YUM! The spicy kick was the perfect contrast to the sweetness of the cranberry sauce, really delicious! Thank you! 🙂
What is the best meatball brand to use for this recipe?
Hi, just wondering if you can make this recipe the day before and still end up with a great sauce.
Yes I think that would be fine.
Thanks for sharing. I made these for a game night gathering. In the crockpot of course. This was a big hit.
wow! never would have put cranberry and barbecue sauce together before I saw this recipe, now I’ll have to, thank you sharing this!
Made this recipe for New Years eve. Delicious. Thank you for sharing. Next time will add the orange zest.
Hi making these tonight. For homemade meatballs to you precook them before adding them to the sauce to simmer?
Yes you would use fully cooked meatballs.