Cranberry Meatballs
This Post May Contain Affiliate Links. Please Read Our Disclosure PolicyThese Cranberry Meatballs are a flavorful and easy appetizer recipe that makes the perfect treat for holiday entertaining!
Looking for a great holiday appetizer idea? This recipe for Cranberry Meatballs is it!
As you’ve probably guessed, I love holiday cooking and baking. My reasons are many. First, there’s the sugar, butter, cream, bacon, and a host of other decadent ingredients. These are the things that make food taste so good, and during the holidays they are celebrated.
Secondly, since these ingredients are so welcome and encouraged, holiday food is rich and flavorful. You get full not from eating a huge amount, but from the intensity of flavors in the dishes. Right? You know what I’m talking about.
Third, garnishes go on everything during the holidays. Cookies get sprinkles, cocktails get cranberries, hot chocolate gets candy canes,…. The list could go on and on.
Finally, a meal can consist solely of appetizers. Yes!! That’s one of my favorite kinds of meals, and it happens a lot this time of year. Oh, I just love it all.
Anyway, there’s a point to all of this explanation. I whipped up a batch of Cranberry Meatballs, and they are beyond good.
💌 SAVE THIS POST / RECIPE!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus, I'll send you more inspiring ideas I think you'll love!
How to Make Cranberry Meatballs:
These Cranberry Meatballs are so easy to make! Just mix, roll, and bake! Doesn’t get easier than that, right?
The addition of cranberry sauce in the glaze gives a wonderful fruity tartness that works so well with the meatballs. Plus, it’s the season of cranberries! These were meant for the holidays.
So, if you’re looking for a simple but delicious appetizer to serve or bring to a friend’s house, I recommend you give these a try.
Looking for more holiday appetizers? Try these:
- Cranberry, Walnut, and Bacon Cheeseball
- Pizza Bread – so good!
- The Ultimate Sausage Dip
- Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts
- The BEST Veggie Dip
Cranberry Meatball Appetizer Recipe:
Cranberry Meatballs
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped onions
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats uncooked
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup ketchup
- Cranberry Sauce:
- 1 can (14 ounces) jellied cranberry sauce
- 1 bottle (12 ounces) chili sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Next, in a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients. Mix with a fork until well combined. Then, roll into 2-inch balls and arrange the balls on a shallow baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes. When done, drain off any excess grease.
- In a small bowl, prepare the cranberry sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together until smooth. Then, spoon the sauce over the meatballs and bake for 15 more minutes. Serve warm.
Honestly, Michael, you should not have apologized to AJ who, in 2018 , said your Cranberry Meatball recipe was a good way to make someone look like an idiot. Obviously, anyone who blindly makes a recipe for a group without trying it first is the idiot. We all have different tastes and enjoy different flavors. But, Wow, his statement says a lot about the type of human he is (not good) , and your kind apology says much about the type of human you are…obviously a good person. I’m scrolling, looking for Christmas Eve appetizers, & this sounds yummy to me.
a jar of hot sauce?? oh do you mean like a chunky salsa or a liquid bottle of hot sauce? what did you use? I would think it would make them very spicy?
No. Not HOT sauce. CHILI sauce. These are two very different things. Hope that helps!
xo Michael
Can you suggest any modification for using a crockpot?
I’ve never made them in a slow cooker. My apologies.
xo Michael
WAY TOO MUCH CHILI SAUCE!
I told myself this seems like way to much chili sauce. Good way to look like an idiot on Christmas by bringing this to a dinner.
Sorry you didn’t care for them. I’ve seen several meatball recipes that use a jar of chili sauce and a jar of something sweet (grape jelly, cranberry sauce, etc.) Apologies for making you look like an idiot.
xo Michael
honestly I cook Mexican food all the time and I don’t know what is it chili sauce? is it the canned chili that you would use for chili beans?
No. It has nothing to do with Mexican food. (As far as I’m aware of.) You can find chili sauce near the ketchup. It comes in a bottle similar to cocktail sauce.
xo Michael
Maybe 5 times the spice needed. Also to sweet. Needs to go back to drawing board
can I use frozen meatballs?
Can you freeze your cream horn or cream wafer cookies?
Yes, you can!
xo Michael
Miaaamm !!
Looks good and easy to make!