Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs are the Perfect Holiday Appetizer

Picture this — you’ve decided to host Thanksgiving (or maybe Christmas dinner) and now you’re wondering how you’ll make it all happen. It’s not the food that worries you, it’s the timing! That’s where the slow cooker can come to your rescue. You know I’m a fan and these Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs are a great way to use your slow cooker to help you make holiday meals happen without stress!

CROCKPOT CRANBERRY MEATBALLS

This recipe is a great holiday take on meatballs with grape jelly and chili sauce which happens to be one of my favorite Crockpot appetizers! It’s also so easy to make that it’s great for any kind of entertaining you have planned.

It takes 3 simple ingredients and a few minutes of prep. A few hours later, you’ve made a meatball appetizer recipe that is sure to be a hit!

This is basically a dump and go recipe that can help you get appetizers out on the table while you work on the rest of your meal. (If you’re looking for another easy appetizer that works well for the holidays, try out Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts too.)

For another easy appetizer idea, try making Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip too!

CROCKPOT MEATBALLS RECIPE INGREDIENTS

• (1) 26-ounce package frozen meatballs
• (1) 12-ounce bottle chili sauce
• (1) 15.5-ounce can jellied cranberry sauce

If you’re not a fan of chili sauce (or have trouble finding it), you can also use this recipe to make Cranberry BBQ meatballs in your Crockpot. All you need to do is substitute a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce for the bottle of chili sauce. Just follow the directions and you’ll have another delicious take on this recipe!

(And yes, this is spin on a meatball recipe that uses grape jelly and BBQ sauce or chili sauce. If you want to go with the more traditional flavors, you can use a large jar of grape jelly instead of the cranberry sauce. This is the perfect recipe for game day entertaining! That’s how versatile this recipe is!)

HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY MEATBALL APPETIZER

Makes 26 meatballs
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 4 hours

1. Place frozen meatballs in the bowl of the slow cooker.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the chili sauce and cranberry sauce. Pour sauce over the top of the meatballs.

3. Cook meatballs on low for four hours or high for two hours, stirring halfway through cook time.

HELPUL KITCHEN EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE

• 6 Quart Crock Pot
• Slow Cooker Liners

Slow cooker liners are my secret weapon when it comes to cleaning up! During the holidays, clean up is the last thing I want to think about, so pick up some of these and clean up is quick and easy!

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Cranberry Crockpot Meatballs

Crockpot meatballs are the perfect appetizer for parties and holiday entertaining! They're delicious and so easy to make!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time4 hrs

Servings: 26 meatballs

Calories: 90

Ingredients

• 1 26 oz package frozen meatballs
• 1 12 oz bottle chili sauce
• 1 15.5 oz can jellied cranberry sauce

Instructions

• Place frozen meatballs in the bowl of the slow cooker.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the chili sauce and cranberry sauce. Pour sauce over the top of the meatballs.
• Cook meatballs on LOW for four hours or HIGH for two hours, stirring halfway through cook time.

Notes

If you’re not a fan of chili sauce (or have trouble finding it), you can also use this recipe to make Cranberry BBQ meatballs in your Crockpot. All you need to do is substitute a bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce for the bottle of chili sauce. Just follow the directions and you’ll have another delicious take on this recipe!

Nutrition

Calories: 90 kcal

CROCKPOT MEATBALL FAQ

SHOULD I BROWN MEATBALLS BEFORE PUTTING IN THE SLOW COOKER?

Because this recipe uses frozen meatballs, there is not reason to brown or cook the meatballs before putting them in the slow cooker. If you wanted to make this recipe with raw meatballs, I would brown them first and then add them to the Crockpot with your sauce.

But frozen meatballs are the secret to making this recipe such an easy addition to your menu when you’re entertaining!

WHAT GOES WITH MEATBALLS FOR DINNER?

These are delicious over rice! Just make a pot of rice and you can turn these meatballs into a simple dinner idea!

Or you could make sandwiches for a holiday twist on a more traditional meatball sandwich! They also go great on top of a salad.

MORE CROCKPOT RECIPES TO MAKE ENTERTAINING EASY

• Crockpot Bacon Dip (great appetizer option)
• Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes (easy side dish option)
• Crockpot Corn Casserole

WANT TO TRY THESE CRANBERRY CROCKPOT APPETIZER MEATBALLS?

PIN THIS post to your appetizers or slow cooker recipe board to save it for later!