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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.
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.
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.
Do you think this sauce would work with cooked pulled pork for sandwiches?
I think that would be delicious!
I made this for Christmas Day.They were a big hit. I definitely will use my own cranberry sauce next time. And less Barbecue sauce.
What are the instructions for the slow cooker?
Fozen or cooked meatballs in first, then pour combined sauces over the top (combine them well). Cover and cook on HIGH; the sauce will not reduce as much as on the stove, so you may want to partially uncover them after 2 hours and cook an additional hour to reduce the sauce to glaze them, You can take them to an event in the slow cooker and reheat on LOW if necessary.
Her directions say to cook on low for a few hours in crock pot, but you are saying high? Which is it? I want to make these for Christmas Eve. Thanks!
Do you defrost the meat balls before putting them in a crock pot?
No, you can just put everything in together. However it could possibly create a little more liquid.
I’ve made BBQ’d meatballs before and they were a big hit. I’d always made this using grape jelly and BBQ sauce, but now i can’t wait to try it with cranberry sauce instead for our Christmas party Thank you!
Can this be made using a crockpot?
I’m sure that I could!
now i have acid reflux bad ,plus a elderly person will be eating these will the sauce be too heated for me and him? i made it differently one year different ingredients but never tried the spicy and carnberry way but want to try it out i just dont know if it would be too strong or heated..
Using the honey bbq sauce instead of spicy might be nice.
I’ve made these and they are wonderful. Any not eaten at the party can make a good supper with some mac-n-cheese or corn and a few tomatoes. Our local chef suggested a chipotle catsup, and it was fantastic. The cranberry cut the “heat” of the chipotle and everyone liked them.
That sounds amazing!
I made these for the first time for a holiday party at work today. There wasn’t one meatball left, I got great reviews from my co-worker. I used frozen turkey meatballs. The barbecue sauce I used was Heinz Bold and Spicy. This will be my go to meatball recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it!
Kristin, can you use regular barbecue sauce instead of spicey? TY
Absolutely! Just pick your favorite.
I also used heinz bold and spicy (found it at target) and have made them twice with the costco meatballs. It is so easy and delicious!!! Perfect for the holidays!
Anyone ever try this with ground chicken or ground turkey meat balls??
I haven’t, but I bet it would be delicious!
Cindy, I used frozen turkey meatballs, and they were delicious.
i would use turkey instead.even would bring flavor out i would think .im using turkey..good idea thanks.
Turkey would be delicious Mary! And you could definitely just use regular BBQ sauce instead the spicy if you’re concerned.
All he time. I have been making this family favorite for 25 years or more. My recipe varies somewhat. I use Chili Sauce, small can of tomato sauce and whole cranberries (can). I am going to try it next time with Barbecue sauce. Might like it even more!!!!
This is great with polska keilbasa also. Just cut into 1 inch slices, put in the crockpot with the whole berry cranberry sauce and the bbq sauce, turn it on high for 1 hour then low for 2 or 3 hours. And Bob’s your uncle! You have a great appitizer.
I have a can of the jellied cranberry, you know the one that takes the shape of the can? Would this work do you think?
Hi Sandy, I haven’t tried it with just the jellied so I can’t say it would work or it wouldn’t. I think it would melt so th sauce might be runnier.
I use a can of jellies, like you described, a jar of Heinz Chili Sauce 1 Tblsp of brown sugar and one Tblsp lemon juice! I have been making these for our family Christmas Party for at least 30 years!! They tell me that is all I should bring!!
Priss, I’ve been using that recipe for cocktail Frank’s for about 40 years now, it’s great but never
Used it for meatballs, but will definitely try this.
Always looking for differnt things to cook up and these sound very good
What’s your thoughts about using fresh whole cranberries? Seems as though it would be easy enough to substitute for canned. Maybe add a little Grand Marnier. Thanks.
You could use a homemade cranberry sauce…you’d need the sweetness to counterbalance the heat of the bbq sauce.
Definitely! Easy.. one rinsed pkg of fresh cranberries 1C. Sugar.. I use a little less….grate one half orange peel and save the orange to squeeze the juice at the end of cooking. .. 1pkg cranberries usually about 4-5 C. Water.. Boil, and keep stirring.. add sugar.. keep stirring.. whole process takes about 10 minutes ..and voila. Don’t forget to add the orange zest and juice from the orange.
I have made this sauce before, but I paired it with mini (hotdog-like) sausages. I couldn’t imagine how the cranberries would taste in a traditionally savory appetizer, but it was AMAZING!! Make EXTRA SAUCE, because you will find yourself “test-tasting” it a LOT!! I can’t wait to use it with MEATBALL this weekend when family is coming in for a big football game!! Thanks for your post!!!!!????
What kind of BBQ sauce do you prefer to use? On my meal plan this month for sure!!!
Honestly? I buy what’s on sale or what I have a coupon for!
This sounds interesting. I’ve never considered using cranberry for anything other than serving with chicken / turkey etc. I will definitely have to try this out. (Awesome pictures btw!)
We always have leftover cranberry sauce—and this may be the only way I’ll ever get my hubby to eat any! Your meatballs look terrific!
This looks so super tasty – love the cranberry sauce addition!
Theses look amazing!
Super easy. served this appetizer TWICE during the 2016 holidays ! A HIT. Thanks for sharing
Yummy.