This easy crockpot BBQ Meatballs recipe could not be more simple with homemade or store-bought meatballs, cooked in a simple BBQ cranberry sauce. They are sweet, tangy, and the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer!
Crockpot BBQ Meatballs prepped in 5 minutes.
Crockpot BBQ Meatballs prepped in 5 minutes.Everyone loves an appetizer of warm meatballs and I love a crockpot appetizer I can prep ahead and forget! This has got to be the easiest appetizer out there since you just toss everything in the slow cooker and walk away. You can use frozen store-bought meatballs (I recommend the Costco brand) or make and freeze homemade meatballs. It takes just 5 minutes to throw everything in, then come back when it’s time to enjoy them.
Don’t miss my other appetizer recipes, like Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, Pizza Sliders, Toasted Ravioli, and Air Fryer Chicken Wings! If you’re hosting Game Day, check out the Top 5 Superbowl Foods.
How to make BBQ meatballs:
Make Sauce: Pour frozen meatballs in slow cooker and mix together cranberry sauce, cocktail sauce, brown sugar, water, and bbq sauce.
Cook: Pour sauce over meatballs and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Serve and enjoy!
Storing and Reheating Instructions:
Store leftover crockpot bbq meatball leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
To Reheat: Add meatballs and sauce to a saucepan and reheat on the stove until warm.
Recipe Variations:
- Stovetop Instructions: Pour bbq meatball sauce ingredients into a saucepan, stirring until smooth. Add the meatballs and toss them in the sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes if the meatballs are thawed, 14-16 minutes for frozen meatballs.
- Meatballs: I recommend pre-cooked frozen meatballs for this recipe. I like to make a big batch of my homemade meatballs and keep in the freezer to make this recipe anytime. If you want to use fresh uncooked meatballs, I recommend using a lean meat or else it will add extra grease to the sauce.
More Recipes with Meatballs:
- Hawaiian Meatballs
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Instant Pot Pasta and Meatballs
- One Pan Meatball Casserole
- Meatball Subs
- Swedish Meatballs
- Air Fryer Meatballs
- Meatballs Arrabbiata
- Mediterranean Meatball Bowl
- Green Curry Meatballs
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Recipe
BBQ Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 50-60 frozen meatballs (store bought or homemade)*
- 14 ounce whole cranberry sauce
- 12 ounces cocktail sauce , or homemade
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup BBQ sauce
- green onion , finely chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Spray the bottom of your slow cooker lightly with cooking spray. Add frozen meatballs to the bottom of pot.
- In a large bowl, stir together cranberry sauce, cocktail sauce, brown sugar, water, and barbecue sauce then pour over meatballs.
- Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours.
- Serve warm garnished with chopped green onions, if desired. You could also serve over rice.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe October 2016. Updated October 2020 and January 2025.
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Can you leave the cocktail sauce out?
Hi Sandy, you could leave our the cocktail sauce and the dish will be really sweet and not as tangy!
Hi, Can you tell me the serving size? Thank you.
The nutritional label is based off a serving of 4 meatballs. This recipe is for about 55-60 meatballs.
The sodium seems listed low considering the recipe calls for cocktail and Bbq sauce. How large is a serving for 119 mg of sodium?
Hi Victoria, I’ve updated the nutritional label to reflect a serving size of 4 meatballs per serving. (You will see that 4 meatballs is bout 439mg of sodium). Also, keep in mind that the nutritional label is just an estimate. It will vary depending on what brand of products you use in the recipe.
Is there an alternative way to make them if I don’t have a slow cooker?
Hi Michelle, you can use your stovetop! Add ingredients for the sauce to a saucepan and stir until smooth. Then add the meatballs and stir to coat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes for thawed meatballs, or 14-16 minutes for frozen meatballs. Hope you enjoy them! I’d love to hear what you think.
Such a yummy dish! I see that you can use 1/2 cup honey instead of 3/4 cup brown sugar for this recipe. The flavor of them are the same.
meatballs my weakness
Oh my – these are incredibly delicious!! And extremely easy to make. Thank you so much Lauren for coming up with this recipe.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you!
When you say Costco meatballs are you referring to the Italian style or the turkey?
Either would work great!
Great recipe Lauren,
They look so delicious and easy to make.
I think they will taste great too.
I am going to cook it tomorrow.
Thank You!
Thanks Kendrick! I’d love to hear how you like them!
HI there just wondering how long to cook if fresh meatballs are used? Would you cook from raw or already cooked?
Hi Charity, If using fresh meatballs I would brown them first (they don’t have to be cooked all the way through), and then cook them in the slow cooker with the sauce for about 2 hours on low.