Cocktail Meatballs are the best holiday appetizer! These sweet and spicy cranberry meatballs are cooked in a cranberry pepper jelly sauce, which gives them the perfect kick of flavor. These cranberry sauce meatballs are just so delicious! The best Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve appetizer without a doubt.
This post may include affiliate links that earn us a small commission from your purchases at no extra cost to you.
Why We Love This Cocktail Meatball Recipe
I’ve always loved pepper jelly, and it adds just enough zip to these cranberry meatballs. They don’t have a strong cranberry taste, but it’s just the right amount. Just enough spice and just enough sweetness.
Variations on Cranberry Meatballs
You can mix up the flavor of these meatballs by using different flavors of jelly. I like the spicy element hot pepper jelly adds to the sauce, but classic grape jelly also works well, and so does apricot! The chili sauce will still provide some heat, making these meatballs a great balance of sweet and spicy.
Email This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover cocktail meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan set over medium-low heat until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze cocktail meatballs in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these cranberry meatballs simply as an appetizer with toothpicks for easy grabbing and extra sauce for dipping. Or serve them as a meal over a bed of basmati rice or mashed potatoes.
Pair them with holiday punch, Christmas sangria, or cranberry margaritas to play up their tart and sweet flavor.
These bite-sized meatballs are made from beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, sweet chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, minced onion, and kosher salt.
I recommend using 1 egg per pound of meat.
Yes! Use your fingers and a light touch to mix and shape the meatballs so that they do not turn out tough.
I usually plan for 4 meatballs per person. This recipe makes about 40 (1½-inch) meatballs, so it will serve 10.
You sure can! I like the 2-3 bite size of these meatballs, but you can make them 1-inch for a one-bite treat. This recipe will make about 140 (1-inch) meatballs, which is enough for about 24 people!
You sure can! These meatballs are tasty both hot and cold.
More Appetizer Meatballs We Love
- Sheet Pan Party Meatballs
- Grape Jelly Meatballs
- Crockpot Honey Garlic Meatballs
- Crockpot Teriyaki Meatballs
- Baked Turkey Meatballs
- Peruvian Chicken Meatballs
5-Star Review
“I have tried many different meatball recipes over the years. I made these last night and they are now my family’s favorite.” – Sherry
Cocktail Meatballs Recipe (Cranberry Meatballs)
Email This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground chuck
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 large eggs slightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced onion optional
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Cranberry Pepper Jelly Sauce
- 10 ounces hot pepper jelly (1 jar)
- 12 ounces chili sauce (1 jar)
- 8 ounces jellied cranberry sauce (1 jar)
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from ½ lemon)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, breadcrumbs, eggs, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, onion, and salt. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated but do not overwork the mixture or the meatballs will be tough.2 pounds ground chuck, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons minced onion, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Form into 1½-inch meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Leave at least 1-inch space between meatballs.
- Cook at 350°F for 10 minutes, then turn each meatball over. Cook another 10-15 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through. Remove from oven.
- While the meatballs cook, prepare the sauce: In a large skillet set over low heat, combine all of the sauce ingredients. Stir until well blended then remove from heat until the meatballs are ready.10 ounces hot pepper jelly, 12 ounces chili sauce, 8 ounces jellied cranberry sauce, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- When the meatballs are cooked, place them in the sauce in the skillet and simmer for 1 hour, or until the sauce has thickened.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Take care not to over-mix the meatballs, or they will become tough.
- Properly cooked meatballs should register 165°F internally in the center.
- For a less sweet version, try using whole cranberry sauce instead of jellied.
- The meatballs and sauce can simmer on high in a crockpot for the last hour.
Nutrition Information
I am confused as to why chili sauce is listed twice in the recipe… one says “sweet chili sauce” and has a link, and then further down it just says “chili sauce”. Am I supposed to use the same chili sauce in both places or am I supposed to get two different chili sauces?
Yes, the sweet chili sauce. Hope you love the recipe!
The meatballs look so delicious! I will try it this tomorrow and see if I can come up with good taste. Thanks for the recipe!
Hope you love them!
These WERe a huge hit at Christmas… everyone wanted the recipe!!!
That makes me so happy, thank you for letting me know!!
Thank you so much! Cant wait tO cook these!
Looks wonderful! What kind of chiLi saUce? Like heinz? The link you provided in the comments wOn’t open fOr Me. Thanks in advance!
We used Franks Red Hot Chili Sauce but really any will work great. Hope you enjoy!
Ive seen where several people have asked you. Im sure you are tired of the same question, but im making this doUble batch for New yearS Eve and just want to get it Right. Franks has a red hot sweeT chili sauce and a Red hot sriracha, but not a plain red hit chili sauce. I guess we just need to know if needs to be tomato type chili or a sweet chili sauce. Sorry to bother you again.
No problem! We used a sweet chili sauce. Maybe Franks discontinued it. I would say any sweet chili sauce will work and I’ll update the recipe :) :)
Hi can you give the link for the chilli sauce again please. Also would the same recipe work with grouNd chicken?
Any sweet chili sauce will work great. I’m having trouble remembering the exact one we used I’m sorry! Yes it should work with ground chicken :)
Oh gosh I’m so sorry to hear you didn’t like it! We really love it and have had a lot of people make it many times, but I totally understand all tastes are different. Hope you have a wonderful holiday.
could the meatballs Be made ahead of time and heated in the sauce to warm up?
Yes you can do that!
Ar are you able to prepare these a day ahead and just warm-up in a crockpot the next day?
Yes that would work great!
Can i just heat up the sauce in the crockpot over the meatballs instead of thd pan?
You can but it will be hard to stir with the meatballs and might not be consistent. We prefer to have more control over it. Totally up to you!