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Home ยป Appetizers ยป Cranberry Meatballs (Slow Cooker)

September 14, 2017 By Sara 29 Comments

Cranberry Meatballs (Slow Cooker)

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Cranberry Meatballs Recipe | Slow Cooker Meatballs | Slow Cooker Appetizer | Crockpot Meatballs #meatballs #cranberry #appetizer #slowcooker #crockpot #dinneratthezoo Cranberry Meatballs Recipe | Slow Cooker Meatballs | Slow Cooker Appetizer | Crockpot Meatballs #meatballs #cranberry #appetizer #slowcooker #crockpot #dinneratthezoo

These slow cooker cranberry meatballs are a 5 ingredient appetizer that are sure to be the hit of any party!

A crock pot full of cranberry meatballs.

I am sooooo tired of this crazy heat we’ve got going on here in California. It is hot and humid with no sign of it letting up any time before November. I’m dreaming of cooler weather and fall food, like these amazingly easy slowย cranberry meatballs. These meatballs take just minutes to put together and they’re sweet, savory and absolutely delicious. I’m thinking this will be the perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving or really any fall get together!

A slow cooker full of cranberry meatballs with cocktail forks.

How To Make Cranberry Meatballs

Here’s what you need to make this recipe: frozen meatballs, cranberry sauce, chili sauce, orange juice and brown sugar. That’s it!! You can add a little parsley for color like I did here, but that’s totally optional. You can use your favorite variety of frozen pre-cooked meatballs in this recipe. I like to use turkey meatballs, because turkey and cranberry is a classic combination that can’t be beat. Not to mention, turkey meatballs tend to be a little lighter than their beef and pork counterparts, so you won’t fill up too much before the main course. I use a jellied cranberry sauce because I like a smooth sauce for my meatballs, but you could use a whole berry sauce if you prefer.

Cranberry meatballs in a crock pot topped with parsley.

Remember those old school meatballs with grape jelly sauce? This is a similar concept expect the cranberry sauce keeps things on the more savory side because it’s not as sweet as grape jelly. While these cranberry meatballs are perfect for appetizer hour, they also make a great dinner served over rice with a side of broccoli.

I am so excited to serve these easy meatballs all fall and winter long, I know my family and friends are going to adore them!

Other Recipes You’ll Love

  • Teriyaki Meatballs
  • Greek Meatballs
  • Buffalo Turkey Meatballs
  • Buffalo Chicken Nuggets
  • Hamburger Soup
A crock pot full of cranberry meatballs.
Print Pin
5 from 8 votes

Cranberry Meatballs

These slow cooker cranberry meatballs are a 5 ingredient appetizer that are sure to be the hit of any party!
Course Appetizers
Cuisine American
Keyword Cranberry Meatballs, Meatballs
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 306kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

  • 1 2 lb bag frozen pre-cooked meatballs I recommend turkey meatballs
  • 1 12 ounce bottle chili sauce
  • 1 14 ounce can jellied cranberry sauce
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • optional: 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Instructions

  • Place the cranberry sauce in a bowl and microwave at 45 second intervals until just melted.
  • Whisk in the chili sauce, orange juice and brown sugar; stir until mostly smooth.
  • Place the meatballs in a slow cooker and pour the sauce over them.
  • Cook for 4 hours on LOW then serve, topped with parsley if desired.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Ocean Spray.

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 623mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g

Filed Under: Appetizers, Slow Cooker Tagged With: Cranberry, Meatballs

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Comments

  1. Romy says

    December 3, 2019 at 1:40 pm

    5 stars
    I made it a little different. I made my own meatballs and cranberry-orange-ginger sauce. I used 4 cups of cranberry sauce (I cooked 4 bags) to a 12oz bottle of chili sauce, 2T red wine vinegar, 4T brown sugar. I cooked it util everything was blended, poured it over the meatballs, and stuck them in the freezer. I made my meatballs with GF breadcrumbs, because I have a friend with celiac disease. ๐Ÿ™‚ It tastes AMAZING! THANK YOU!

    Reply
  2. Linda says

    November 20, 2019 at 3:52 pm

    Just made these… All I can say is nailed it.. so delicious. Going to make again for sure. ๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜๐Ÿ˜‹๐Ÿ˜Ž

    Reply
  3. Deb says

    November 2, 2019 at 7:00 pm

    5 stars
    Festive fall recipe that I make a few times in the holiday season. Great for potlucks!

    Reply
  4. Ann says

    July 26, 2019 at 5:42 am

    If you double the recipe, does it require longer cooking time in the crockpot?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      July 26, 2019 at 10:38 am

      No it should be fine since the meatballs are pre-cooked!

      Reply
      • Ann says

        July 26, 2019 at 12:09 pm

        Thank you so much! We LOVE this recipe…and so do our party-goers!

        Reply
  5. Sue says

    July 9, 2019 at 10:50 am

    At the top of the recipe it says cook time is 3 hrs but in the instructions it says 4 hours, which is it?
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Sara says

      July 9, 2019 at 3:31 pm

      Should be 4 hours!

      Reply
  6. Anne says

    January 30, 2019 at 8:59 am

    Have yiu ever used cranberry sauce

    Reply
    • Sara says

      January 30, 2019 at 10:23 pm

      This recipe calls for cranberry sauce!

      Reply
      • Anne says

        January 31, 2019 at 9:49 am

        Recipe says jellied cranberry sauce. I was asking about sauce with the berries

        Reply
  7. Mama D says

    January 23, 2019 at 2:42 pm

    What can I use instead of chili sauce? I donโ€™t want to go to the store hahaha

    Reply
    • Sara says

      January 23, 2019 at 7:38 pm

      Ketchup will also work!

      Reply
  8. Sherry says

    December 18, 2018 at 6:36 pm

    Can this be made a day in advance? If yes, how should they be warmed on the next day?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 18, 2018 at 9:01 pm

      Yes, you could warm them in the microwave or on the stove!

      Reply
  9. Rebecca Plascencia says

    December 15, 2018 at 11:40 am

    Do they have to be pre-cooked meatballs? I make and freeze my own meatballs but wondering if I should cook them and then throw them in the crockpot or will they be ok to throw them in thawed out for maybe longer time?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      December 15, 2018 at 4:33 pm

      You can use cooked or uncooked meatballs, if you go with uncooked meatballs you should add an hour to the cook time!

      Reply
  10. Julie says

    November 19, 2018 at 4:29 am

    What size crockpot do you use?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      November 19, 2018 at 8:17 am

      The crock pot shown in the photos is a 4 quart crock pot.

      Reply
  11. Jess says

    November 19, 2018 at 2:30 am

    5 stars
    What would be the recommended time for stove top cooking? My slow cooker is in storage this year!

    Reply
    • Sara says

      November 19, 2018 at 8:18 am

      I would simmer for about 20 minutes on the stove top, or until your meatballs are cooked through!

      Reply
  12. Annie says

    November 15, 2018 at 8:04 am

    What can I use in place of orange juice?

    Reply
    • Sara says

      November 15, 2018 at 10:07 am

      You could use apple juice or even just water!

      Reply
  13. Genoveva says

    September 20, 2017 at 10:21 am

    5 stars
    Am looking forward to making this as I LOVE cranberries. My ? as there are so many types ( let alone brands) of chili, could you be a little more specific. I want to use the right type. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Sara says

      September 20, 2017 at 10:30 am

      For this recipe you’ll want to use a bottle of chili sauce, I typically buy the Heinz brand and it’s located either near the ketchup or BBQ sauce at the grocery store (it’s smooth and red like ketchup). Hope that helps!

      Reply
    • Genoveva Barbosa says

      September 20, 2017 at 3:20 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect! Thank you for replying soon quickly.

      Reply
  14. Sam says

    September 16, 2017 at 1:33 pm

    5 stars
    Quick make ahead recipes are my favorite. We do cocktails and appetizers Friday nights and this would work well as we move into fall days

    Reply
  15. Debbie says

    September 16, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    5 stars
    Everyone loves hot sweet meatballs! Expect this on my thanksgiving appetizer menu!

    Reply
  16. Bea says

    September 15, 2017 at 10:57 pm

    5 stars
    Great crock pot party pleaser!

    Reply

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