This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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 the holidays or serve with rice for a simple weeknight meal.
These cranberry meatballs 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.
Pin this recipe for later!Why We Love This Recipe
- They’re Fast and Easy – They only take 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 – Serve as a yummy holiday appetizer, or serve them for dinner with rice on the side.
- Perfect for Holiday Parties – These are similar to Grape Jelly Meatballs but with holiday flair.
recipe walkthrough
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 Meatballs
Combine the BBQ sauce and cranberry sauce in a saucepan on the stove and bring to a simmer.
Add the meatballs and stir to coat completely. You can use fresh or frozen and just adjust the cooking time as needed. If you have the time, you can make your own homemade meatballs, but for simplicity, I often use frozen meatballs.
Cover the pan and simmer for 10-20 minutes. Fresh meatballs will take about 10 minutes to heat; frozen meatballs will take about 20 minutes.
Slow Cooker Instructions
For parties and get together, I often make these in a slow cooker. When I make them for dinner, I prefer to cook them on the stovetop.
- Pour the sauces into the slow cooker and stir them together.
- Add the frozen or fresh meatballs, put the lid on, and set the slow cooker to low.
- 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 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 too.
As an appetizer, serve them in a slow cooker to keep them warm.
Storage Tips
Storing Leftovers
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.
Freeze them in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge, then heat on the stove. If the sauce seems thin, let simmer, uncovered and on low heat, until sauce is reduced and thick.
Recipe Tips
- The sauce is too thin – If you cook the 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 a little at a time. Simmer until warmed through.
- 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; you’ll need about 2 cups.
- 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.
- Spice it Up – Use a spicy BBQ sauce or add red chili flakes.
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
- If sauce is too thin, add a little bit of a cornstarch slurry and cook to thicken. (slurry=1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water).
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. Reheat on the stovetop.Â
- Can be frozen for up to 6 months in the sauce.Â
- I like to use a spicy BBQ sauce, but you can use any sauce you like.
- Add red chili flakes for a spicier sauce.
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.
I made these last year for a holiday appetizer and everyone loved them so much they each begged me to take home some of the leftovers (which were barely any since everyone scarfed them down 😂). I’m bringing them again this weekend! Sooooo delicious and just the right amount of spicy! Perfect for the holidays and for big crowds
Nice! Absolutely love the comment Kaitlin! Thanks for stopping by.
Do you have a special homemade meatball recipe you like to use?
Yes! This is the recipe I linked to in the post: Homemade Meatballs.
Have made these for many years with the exception of using chili sauce instead of BBQ sauce. Will have to give the BBQ sauce a go!
I make these at every big gathering they are great and also they are great cold right from the refrigerator when you want a few to nibble on that night or the next day try them
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Adam.
Made this for a church gathering and it was a smash hit. They liked it so much they even ate the sauce after the meatballs were gone. Will definitely be making this again and again and again….
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Luanne. (Love the feedback)
I made it! And it was amazing! Everyone loved it
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Glacira.
K.
This is so good and so easy! I’ve been making these for both Thanksgiving and Christmas appetizers for several years now. My family loves them!
Nice! Thanks for the awesome feedback Mitzie.
K.
looking Very delicious
Thanks for stopping by Eric!
Hi Kristen. Do you put the frozen meatballs in the slow cooker? Or thawed? Do the frozen meatballs cook over the stated 3 hours in low in the slow cooker?
Actually you could do them frozen or thawed. Three hours should still be fine.
Just curious, what kind of meatball meat do you use? Beef? Chicken?
I usually just use beef meatballs. They seem to have the best flavor. But you could use any that you mentioned.
How many bags of fresh cranberries would I have to use to substitute for the can ones??
Hi Nina, If you’d like to make your own cranberry sauce, you can follow the directions on the package. I’ve also got a recipe for Cranberry Orange Sauce that’s delicious. A bag of cranberries make about as much as would be in a can, maybe a little bit more.
Thank you Charles for sharing your experience.
Hi Kristen, can you recommend what brand BBQ sauce and frozen meatballs you use. Thank you. I appreciate it.
I don’t use a specific brand of meatballs, but I prefer (for this recipe anyway) the ones that ARE NOT Italian. My favorite BBQ sauce is anything by Sweet Baby Ray’s. They have a really nice spicy BBQ.
Will using Italian style meatballs be unacceptable? I just made my sauce and realize I have the Italian ones
I’ve used them be for, it doesn’t alter the taste too much.
Hello KRISTIN thanks for such a quick recipe i will make it at upcoming Sunday for my family and we will use it for whole week.