Description
These Christmas Cranberry Meatballs are the ultimate festive appetizer! Juicy, tender meatballs are simmered in a sweet and tangy cranberry sauce with hints of holiday spice — perfect for parties or family gatherings. 🎄✨
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, salt, and pepper until combined. Shape into 1-inch meatballs.
- Place meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for 15–20 minutes, until cooked through.
- In a saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, honey, soy sauce, and cinnamon. Heat over medium heat until smooth.
- Add baked meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes to absorb flavor.
- Garnish with fresh parsley before serving. Serve warm as a party appetizer or festive main dish.
Notes
💡 Tip: Use frozen meatballs for a quick shortcut — just simmer them directly in the cranberry sauce until heated through!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Christmas Recipes
- Method: Baked + Simmered
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 meatballs
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: christmas cranberry meatballs, holiday appetizer, cranberry bbq meatballs, party meatballs, festive recipe