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These cranberry meatballs are a festive, flavor-packed appetizer that comes together with minimal effort. They’re ready in about 30 minutes on the stovetop or can be made hands-off in the slow cooker, making them perfect for busy holiday entertaining.

Cranberry Meatballs on an appetizer serving plate.

If you’re looking for a festive appetizer or easy light meal during the holidays, these cranberry meatballs check all the boxes. They’re bold, tangy-sweet, and unmistakably holiday-appropriate, yet simple enough to throw together without any stress. Whether you make them on the stovetop or let the slow cooker do the work, they come together quickly and taste like you fussed far more than you did.

The sauce is where all the magic happens. Fresh cranberries cook down into a glossy, vibrant sauce that’s tart and bright, balanced with honey for sweetness and tomato paste for richness. BBQ sauce adds a smoky depth that keeps the cranberries from tasting sharp, while a splash of hot sauce (if you want it) brings just enough heat to wake everything up. As the meatballs simmer, they soak up all that flavor, turning juicy and deeply savory with every bite.

What I love most is how effortless this recipe is. Using frozen, fully cooked meatballs keeps things easy, and the sauce comes together in one pot with minimal prep. It’s the kind of recipe you can make while wrapping gifts, setting the table, or chatting with friends—and when you serve it, it tastes festive, cozy, and completely irresistible.

A close up of Cranberry Meatballs in a pan.

Variations to try

This recipe for meatballs with cranberry sauce is really versatile and there are lots of ways to add flavor and flair. Here are some of my favorite variations to get you started:

Cranberry jalapeño meatballs – add some jalapeño pepper to the cranberry sauce and make it spicy. Note: you may wish to omit the hot sauce called for in the recipe if you’re using jalapeño.
Add some ginger – turn up the festive flavors by adding ginger to the cranberry sauce. Use about a 1″ knob of ginger and blend it into the sauce.
Use herbs – thyme, rosemary, and sage all work well with cranberry and add wonderful herbaceous notes.

Make ahead and store

Can I make them ahead of time? You can definitely get a head start by making the cranberry sauce in the blender ahead of time and storing it in the fridge. For the best results, I recommend waiting to cook the meatballs in the sauce until right before serving.

How long do leftovers keep? Store any leftover meatballs in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

How do I reheat leftover meatballs? Add the leftover meatballs and sauce to a pot with a splash of water. Heat on low until warmed through.

Can I freeze cranberry meatballs? Yes, you can absolutely freeze these crockpot meatballs. Just allow them to cool before transferring them to a freezer-safe container. They’ll keep in your freezer for up to 6 months.

Sweet and Tangy Cranberry Meatballs

Prep: 10

Cook: 25

Total: 35

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Ingredients

Instructions

Bake the meatballs according to the package directions.
2 lb frozen meatballs
While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce. Add the cranberries, honey, tomato paste, bbq sauce, hot sauce, and salt to your blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
2 ½ cups cranberries, ¾ cup honey, ¼ cup tomato paste, ¼ cup bbq sauce, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, ½ teaspoon sea salt
Transfer the cranberry sauce to a small pot and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat, cover with a lid halfway to prevent splatters, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stovetop Method

Place the cooked meatballs into a large pot and pour the cranberry sauce over the top. Cook them over medium until they're hot.

Slow Cooker Method

Place the cooked meatballs into your crockpot and pour the cranberry sauce and water over the top. Mix them around and then let them cook for 2-3 hours on high or for 6-7 hours on low heat.
½ cup water

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Nutrition

Serving: 5 meatballs, Calories: 290kcal (15%), Carbohydrates: 29g (10%), Protein: 24g (48%), Fat: 10g (15%), Saturated Fat: 3g (19%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 93mg (31%), Sodium: 860mg (37%), Potassium: 540mg (15%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 24g (27%), Vitamin A: 435IU (9%), Vitamin C: 10mg (12%), Calcium: 44mg (4%), Iron: 3mg (17%)

We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.