Cranberry meatballs are basically the easiest party appetizer I’ve ever made and people act like I’m some kind of cooking genius when I bring them to holiday gatherings.
Which is hilarious because the first time I made them, I used frozen meatballs and two jars of sauce and called it a day. Everyone went CRAZY for them. My mother-in-law asked for the recipe and I was like “um… it’s literally two ingredients mixed together in a crockpot” but I played it cool and wrote it down for her anyway.
Now I make them from scratch sometimes when I’m feeling fancy, but honestly? The lazy version is just as good and nobody can tell the difference.
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Why This Easy Cranberry Meatballs Appetizer is My Go-To
Here’s the thing about cranberry meatballs—they look impressive, they taste amazing with that sweet and tangy sauce, and you can make them in like three different ways depending on how much effort you want to put in.
Slow cooker cranberry meatballs for when you want to be hands-off and just let them do their thing while you deal with everything else. Baked cranberry meatballs when you want to feel like you actually cooked something. Or stovetop when you forgot about them until an hour before people show up (been there, done that, multiple times).
I’ve served these at Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve parties, game day gatherings, and even just random Tuesday nights when I needed comfort food. They work for EVERYTHING.
And that sauce? The combination of cranberry sauce and chili sauce (or BBQ sauce, depending on my mood) creates this glossy, sticky coating that makes people lick their fingers. It’s sweet, tangy, a little savory, and completely addictive.
What Makes These Homemade Meatballs with Cranberry Sauce Special
The first time I made these, I thought I was being so creative using cranberry sauce. Then I found out literally everyone’s grandma has been making some version of this for like 50 years. Slightly embarrassing but whatever, they’re still delicious.
I’ve tried probably six different variations at this point. Turkey meatballs with cranberry sauce when I’m trying to be “healthy” (the quotation marks are doing a lot of work there). Ground beef when I want them extra juicy. Even ground pork once when that’s what I had in the freezer.
The key is—oh wait, I should mention—don’t make the meatballs too big or they won’t cook evenly and you’ll end up with some that are overcooked on the outside and raw in the middle. Ask me how I know. Actually, don’t. It was gross.
Ingredients for the Best Cranberry Meatballs Recipe
Okay so here’s what you need, and I’m giving you the from-scratch version because it’s honestly not that much harder:
For the meatballs:
- 1.5 lbs ground meat (beef, turkey, or pork—I usually do a mix of beef and pork)
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (Panko works great)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
For the sweet and tangy sauce:
- 1 can (14 oz) jellied cranberry sauce (Ocean Spray is my go-to)
- 1 bottle (12 oz) chili sauce (Heinz is the classic)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or orange juice
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (yes, more Worcestershire)
OR if you’re doing the lazy version:
- 2 lbs frozen meatballs (the Italian-style ones from Costco are good)
- Same sauce ingredients as above
Shopping for this is super easy. The only thing that’s sometimes hard to find is chili sauce—it’s usually near the ketchup but not always. Some people use BBQ sauce instead and honestly, it’s just as good. I’ve done both.
How to Make Party Appetizer Meatballs Recipe From Scratch
Alright here we go, step by step:
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper because otherwise cleanup is annoying.
Step 2: In a big bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients. I use my hands to mix it because it’s faster and more thorough. Yes, it’s messy. Wear rings at your own risk.
Step 3: Form the mixture into meatballs about 1 to 1.5 inches each. I use a small cookie scoop to keep them uniform because when I just eyeball it, they end up all different sizes and cook unevenly. You should get about 30-35 meatballs.
Step 4: Place them on the baking sheet with a little space between each one. Bake for 20-25 minutes until they’re cooked through. An instant-read thermometer should read 165°F.
Step 5: While the meatballs are baking, make your cranberry sauce. In a large skillet or saucepan, combine the jellied cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. I usually microwave the cranberry sauce for about 30 seconds first to make it easier to mix.
Step 6: Stir the sauce over medium heat until it’s smooth and starts to bubble. Taste it—if it’s too tart, add more brown sugar. If it’s too sweet, add a splash more lemon juice.
Step 7: Once the meatballs are done, transfer them to the sauce. Stir gently to coat them completely. Let them simmer in the sauce for about 5 minutes so they absorb all that flavor.
Step 8: Serve them hot. I usually put them in a slow cooker on the “warm” setting if I’m serving them at a party so they stay hot and people can help themselves.
Crockpot Cranberry Meatball Recipe (The Easy Way)
If you want to make this even easier—and trust me, sometimes easy is exactly what you need—here’s the slow cooker version:
Put your frozen meatballs in the crockpot. Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl, pour it over the meatballs. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, stirring once or twice if you remember.
That’s it. That’s the whole recipe. And I promise you nobody at your party will know you didn’t spend hours making them from scratch.
My Cranberry Meatball Fails (Learn From My Mistakes)
Attempt #1: I used ground turkey that was super lean and the meatballs were DRY. Like sawdust dry. Use at least 85/15 meat, not the super lean stuff.
Attempt #2: I thought I could skip the egg and they completely fell apart in the sauce. The egg is essential. Don’t skip it.
Attempt #3: I made the meatballs way too big because I was in a hurry. They took forever to cook and the outsides were almost burned by the time the insides were done. Keep them small.
Attempt #4: I forgot to line the pan and spent 20 minutes scraping baked-on meat off my baking sheet. Always use parchment paper.
Attempt #5: I doubled the sauce because “more is better” and it was weirdly soupy. Stick to the recipe proportions.
Tips for Perfect Holiday Cranberry Sauce Meatballs
Make them ahead. These festive holiday appetizers for parties actually taste BETTER the next day after sitting in the sauce overnight. Make them the day before and just reheat.
Use a cookie scoop. Seriously, it makes uniform meatballs so much faster and they cook evenly.
Don’t overmix the meat. Mix just until everything is combined. If you overmix, the meatballs get tough and dense.
Add some heat. I sometimes add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce for a little kick. Or use a spicy BBQ sauce instead of chili sauce.
Turkey meatballs with cranberry work great. They’re a bit lighter and still super flavorful. Add an extra tablespoon of ketchup to the meat mixture to keep them moist.
Freeze them. Make a double batch and freeze half. They reheat perfectly in the slow cooker.
Serve with toothpicks. Sounds obvious but I forgot once and people were trying to eat them with their hands and it was messy chaos.
Why These are Perfect Cocktail Meatballs for Entertaining
These brown sugar cranberry meatballs are the ultimate no-stress party food. You can make them in advance, they stay hot in the slow cooker, and people can just grab them with a toothpick without needing plates or forks.
Last year I brought these to a potluck and someone asked if I got them catered. CATERED. I was like “yes, by me, in my pajamas, while watching Netflix.” But I just said thanks.
My husband requests these for every single party we host. My neighbor asks me to make them for her parties too. I’ve literally made these at least 15 times in the past year.
And you know what? They never get old. That glossy cranberry glaze is just too good.
Just Make Them Already
Seriously, whether you go full homemade or take the shortcut with frozen meatballs, these cranberry meatballs are the easiest win in your party appetizer lineup.
Make them for Christmas. Make them for game day. Make them on a random Wednesday because you deserve something delicious. They work for literally any occasion.
People will think you’re fancy. You’ll know you basically just threw ingredients together. And everyone wins.
Let me know how yours turn out! And if you have any secret ingredients that make them even better, drop them in the comments because I’m always looking for new ways to jazz these up 😊
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