These 5-ingredient cranberry meatballs are coated in a sweet and tangy cranberry glaze and baked to perfection. Meet your new favorite party appetizer!
I love how hands-off this cranberry meatball recipe is — the oven does all the work while I get to actually enjoy time with my friends and family. This dish is my secret tool for hosting because it looks and tastes so impressive, but it couldn’t be easier to make. The meatballs come out super tender and juicy, and without fail, people always ask me how I make them. Little do they know… it’s the easiest holiday dish ever!
I’ve served these meatballs both as an appetizer and a main dish, and they’re amazing either way. If you’re going the appetizer route, pick a pretty dish that can go straight from the oven to the table (this braiser is the best!) and set out cocktail toothpicks for an easy grab-and-go. If you want a quick dinner, serve the meatballs over a batch of cooked rice or mashed potatoes.
Cranberry Meatballs Video
How To Make Cranberry Meatballs
All you have to do to make these cranberry meatballs is stir a few things together and wait 30 minutes for them to bake. Now that’s my definition of a crazy easy dish!
- Prepare the meatballs: Place the meatballs in a Dutch oven or pot.
- Make the sauce: Whisk together the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.
- Bake the meatballs: Coat the meatballs with the sauce, then bake them at 300°F for 45 minutes.
Hot tip: After baking the meatballs, reduce the oven to 200°F or transfer them to a slow cooker on the “Warm” setting to keep them party-ready.
Tips From the Kitchen
Simplicity is the key in this cranberry meatball recipe. Here are three tricks and techniques to take your meatballs to the next level.
- Use frozen meatballs. There’s no need to thaw them! Use store bought frozen meatballs straight from the bag, or make your own meatballs in advance and freeze them — both work perfectly. Cooked Perfect® Homestyle Meatballs are my favorite.
- Choose the right cranberry sauce. This is the star of the show, so make sure to buy the whole berry kind, not the jellied log. The berries add a wonderful texture and extra tartness to balance the sugar.
- Prepare the sauce in advance. To save time on hosting day, mix the sauce the day before and pop it in the fridge. 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve, pour the sauce over meatballs and bake as directed.
Storage & Reheating
I love whenever I end up with leftovers of these cranberry meatballs because they taste even better the next day!
- Storage: Allow the meatballs and sauce to cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to four days.
- Reheating: Gently reheat the meatballs and sauce in a saucepan over low heat or in the microwave.
More Meatball Recipes
- Grape Jelly Meatballs — Sweet and tangy with just the right amount of heat
- Swedish Meatballs — Juicy chicken meatballs in a luscious cream sauce
- Classic Kotleti — Fried patties straight out of my grandma’s cookbook
- Marinara Meatballs — Super low-effort and full of flavor
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs frozen bite-size meatballs
- 14 oz whole cranberry sauce
- 12 oz Heinz chili sauce
- 1 ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ Tbsp dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the frozen meatballs in a Dutch oven or an oven-safe pot with a lid.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Pour the mixture over the meatballs and stir to coat them.
- Cover the pot and bake the meatballs for 45 minutes.
- Give the meatballs another stir before serving and garnish them with chopped green onions or parsley if desired. Enjoy!
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