Description
🎄 These Quick Christmas Cranberry Meatballs are the perfect festive appetizer — tender, juicy, and coated in a sweet-tangy cranberry glaze. Ideal for holiday parties, potlucks, or a quick Christmas dinner fix!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 bag (about 24–30) frozen meatballs, fully cooked
- 1 can (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite brand)
- 1/4 cup honey or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Optional: chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, honey, mustard, vinegar, and garlic powder over medium heat until smooth and bubbling.
- Add frozen meatballs and stir to coat well.
- Simmer for 15–20 minutes until meatballs are heated through and sauce thickens.
- Alternatively, combine everything in a slow cooker and cook on LOW for 2–3 hours.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve warm as an appetizer or over rice for a quick festive meal!
Notes
✨ Tip: For extra zing, add a splash of orange juice or a pinch of chili flakes to the sauce. These can be made ahead and kept warm in a slow cooker for serving!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizers, Holiday Recipes, Christmas
- Method: Stovetop or Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 meatballs
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 17g
- Sodium: 510mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: christmas cranberry meatballs, holiday appetizers, easy cranberry meatballs, festive recipes, slow cooker meatballs, quick christmas dinner