Cranberry Meatballs
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Posted: 10/13/25
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These Crock Pot Cranberry Meatballs are the easiest holiday or party appetizer! Juicy meatballs slowly simmer in a sweet and tangy cranberry sauce for a warm, flavorful dish everyone will devour.
Crockpot cranberry meatballs are the tastiest dish you can make with hardly any work! Simply combine your favorite frozen meatballs with chili sauce, cranberry sauce, and brown sugar in the crockpot, set it and forget it until dinner time.
Meatballs with chili sauce and cranberry sauce are sweet, tangy, and a hit at every family get together I bring them to. Plus they never last long! These crockpot meatballs are not overly saucy but still give you enough sauce to pour over rice or noodles when you serve the meatballs, so you don’t have to make anything extra.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is so simple and there is only one dish to wash!
- Crockpot cranberry meatballs only require four ingredients.
- This is a great twist on a typical meatball dish, to keep things interesting and to broaden your family’s tastes.
Ingredients For Cranberry Meatballs
- Beef meatballs – Use precooked, frozen meatballs for the most convenient meal. Homemade meatballs are always an option if you have them on hand or time to make them. You can use turkey or chicken meatballs if you prefer.
- Cranberry sauce – A can of whole berry or jellied cranberry sauce will work perfectly.
- Chili sauce – This will add a little bit of a kick to these meatballs.
- Brown sugar – Balance the heat from the chili sauce with the sweet brown sugar, plus this will help to make a nice sticky sauce.
How To Make Crockpot Cranberry Meatballs
- Add frozen meatballs, cranberry sauce, chili sauce, and brown sugar to the crockpot. Stir until the meatballs are evenly coated.
- Cook on low in the crockpot for 4 hours or high for 2 hours, stirring once or twice.
- Serve warm.
Pro Tips
- If you’re setting cranberry meatballs out for a crowd, garnish with some green onion or fresh parsley to liven up the plate.
- Don’t worry about defrosting the meatballs beforehand. They will be in the crockpot long enough to heat up nicely to serve.
Storage And Reheating
Fridge: Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheat leftover cranberry meatballs in the microwave until hot throughout or over a low temperature on the stovetop. You may want to cover them so the sauce doesn’t make a mess in the microwave.
Meatball appetizers are always a hit and you are going to be the star of the potluck when you bring this sweet, tangy dish! Keep the ingredients on hand and you’ll be able to whip this up anytime.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Cranberry Meatballs Recipe
Crock Pot Cranberry Meatballs in a sweet and tangy cranberry sauce — an easy slow cooker appetizer perfect for holidays, parties, or game day.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef meatballs frozen, pre-cooked (32 ounce bag)
- 14 ounces cranberry sauce whole berry or jellied (1 can)
- 12 ounces chili sauce (1 bottle)
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Add the frozen meatballs, cranberry sauce, chili sauce, and brown sugar to the crockpot. Stir until the meatballs are evenly coated in the sauce.
- Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours, stirring once or twice during cooking.
- Once done, serve warm as an appetizer or over rice for an easy meal.
Tips
Fridge: Store leftover meatballs in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze leftovers in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Reheat leftover cranberry meatballs in the microwave until hot throughout or over a low temperature on the stovetop. You may want to cover them so the sauce doesn’t make a mess in the microwave.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 428kcal (21%), Carbohydrates: 31g (10%), Protein: 21g (42%), Fat: 24g (37%), Saturated Fat: 9g (56%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 82mg (27%), Sodium: 637mg (28%), Potassium: 501mg (14%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 24g (27%), Vitamin A: 318IU (6%), Vitamin C: 8mg (10%), Calcium: 28mg (3%), Iron: 2mg (11%)
How To Serve Cranberry Meatballs
I love to serve saucy cranberry meatballs over a bed of rice or egg noodles. They are great along with sides like Broccoli Salad or a simple green salad. Since these meatballs are cooked in the slow cooker, there is lots of space in the oven to make easy Roasted Vegetables to add some color to the dish.
Cranberry meatballs are also great served on their own as an appetizer or as your contribution to a game day pot luck.
More Great Meatball Recipes
- No pasta casserole is complete without meatballs! Add Meatball Stuffed Shells to your meal plan for this week for a quick and easy dinner.
- A great appetizer or holiday dish, Grape Jelly Meatballs are a hands off crowd pleaser. Three ingredients and a short prep time is all you need to prepare this dish.
- Hearty and filled with nutrients to fuel your family, Meatball Soup will be on your regular rotation through the colder months. Perfect for dipping a piece fresh crusty bread into, this soup’s right tomato broth is a family favorite.
- Set and forget Swedish Meatballs in the crockpot on your busiest day of the week and you’ll be glad you did. Prep is a breeze with canned soup and frozen meatballs, this will quickly become a go-to recipe in your home.
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