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hot_biteEasyAmerican

Cranberry Glazed Cocktail Meatballs

Tender meatballs in a sweet-tart cranberry sauce - a holiday party essential

⏱️ Prep: 10min🍳 Cook: 240min⏰ Total: 250min👥 Serves: 24🌡️ hot
✓ dairy-free
⚠️ Contains: 🫘 Soy

Ingredients

  • 2 lbsfrozen meatballs(beef or turkey)
  • 14 ozwhole berry cranberry sauce
  • 12 ozchili sauce
  • 2 tbspbrown sugar
  • 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbspDijon mustard
  • 0.25 tspground ginger

📝 Make Ahead

Can be made a day ahead and reheated. Keeps warm in slow cooker for several hours during party.

Instructions

  1. Combine cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire, mustard, and ginger in slow cooker
  2. Stir until well combined
  3. Add frozen meatballs and stir to coat
  4. Cook on low 4-5 hours or high 2-3 hours
  5. Stir occasionally to ensure even coating
  6. Sauce should be thick and glossy when done
  7. Transfer to serving dish or keep warm in slow cooker
  8. Serve with toothpicks

💡 Pro Tips

Whole berry cranberry sauce has better texture than jellied. Heinz chili sauce is traditional - it's tangy, not spicy. The ginger adds warmth without being identifiable. These improve as they sit in the sauce. Keep on low setting during the party - high heat will toughen meatballs.

📜 History

Cranberry meatballs emerged from mid-century American convenience cooking, joining the pantheon of slow cooker party foods alongside grape jelly meatballs. The cranberry version gained popularity as a holiday-specific variation, with the tart berries adding festive color and seasonal flavor.

🍸 Pairs Well With

Also pairs well with:

bourbonred-winechampagnevodka