These Cranberry Meatballs are super easy and delicious! They make the perfect holiday party appetizers. This recipe includes slow cooker instructions, Instant Pot instructions, and Ninja Foodi instructions
Throwing a holiday party this season?
I love holiday parties! It's so much fun to fill the house with friends and family, pump up the holiday music, pour some wine, and enjoy delicious party food.
Holiday Party Tips
Here's a sneak peek at a recent wine party I threw with a small group of dear mom friends.
I like to serve a LOT of different food when I host parties. Nobody leaves hungry!
Slow cooker meatballs are one of my favorite appetizers to serve at holiday parties. They're easy to make early on in the day so you can prep the house and the rest of the food. They're also easy for people to eat while mingling.
My Slow Cooker Honey Bourbon Meatballs are a regular crowd pleaser at our parties.
Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs
But holiday parties are a fantastic time to jazz things up a bit – to add a holiday twist to your classic recipes.
A couple of weeks ago, I threw my first gathering of the holiday season - a Friendsgiving party - and I decided to add some winter holiday flavors and create these Cranberry Meatballs.
One word: YUM! These are a new holiday party appetizer fave!
Use Fresh or Frozen Meatballs
You could use your favorite homemade meatball recipe for these Cranberry Meatballs, if you prefer. Any meatball recipe that doesn't have a lot of spices or strong flavors that would compete with the sauce would do.
If you're making these for a party, I recommend you save yourself a lot of time by buying pre-made meatballs in the frozen section of your local grocery store. That's what I did, and that is what I include in the recipe below.
Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce
While I heartily recommend going the purchased meatballs route, I strongly believe you should make the sauce from scratch.
The sauce is what MAKES these cranberry meatballs.
It's a very simple, fast, oh so tasty homemade cranberry sauce.
Simply combine cranberries, water, sugar, and a little lemon juice.
Bring to a low boil and cook until the cranberries have "popped" and create a beautiful sauce. Then you stir in the BBQ sauce and brown sugar. This only takes a few minutes, and the resulting flavor is 100% worth it!
Side note: This cranberry sauce is awesome on its own, by the way. You could serve it over turkey breast, use it in turkey and cream cheese sandwiches, or pour it over baked brie in puff pastry. So fast, so good!
Making Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs
Once the cranberry sauce is ready, combine it with brown sugar and pour over the meatballs in a slow cooker.
Slow cook on low for 4-5 hours, or high for 2 hours.
I am SO in love with how these Cranberry Meatballs turned out!
They are packed with yummy holiday flavors thanks to the cranberry sauce. The BBQ sauce and brown sugar temper any bitterness or tartness that you might worry about when using cranberries in a recipe.
My guests LOVED these easy holiday recipe, and I know your guests will love them too!
Can I make these meatballs in an Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi?
Yes! You can make Instant Pot Cranberry Meatballs using this recipe!
You can use the same exact ingredients and measurements. Then you'll use the pressure cook setting on either the Instant Pot or the Ninja Foodi to cook this recipe in less than 15 minutes!
Here are directions for making Instant Pot Cranberry Meatballs and Ninja Foodi Cranberry Meatballs
15-minute Instant Pot Cranberry Meatballs
- Turn your Instant Pot to Sauté. Add the water and sugar and gently stir until the sugar has dissolved. Then add the cranberries and lemon juice. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the cranberries "pop" and the sauce is slightly thickened. Turn off the Sauté mode. Stir in the barbecue sauce and brown sugar until fully combined.
- Pour in the frozen meatballs and stir to coat in the sauce.
- Secure the lid and make sure the pressure valve is in Seal. Select Pressure Cook/Manual, and set the time to 5 minutes.
- The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure. Once it starts cooking it will count down from 5 minutes.
- Quick release the valve (use a wooden spoon to safely switch the valve over). When the pin has gone down, carefully open the lid, stir the meatballs, and serve.
15-minute Ninja Foodi Cranberry Meatballs
- Select Sauté, set to HI, and select Start/Stop to begin.
- Pour in the water and sugar and gently stir until the sugar has dissolved. Then add the cranberries and lemon juice. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the cranberries "pop" and the sauce is slightly thickened. Select Start/Stop to end the Sauté mode. Stir in the barbecue sauce and brown sugar until fully combined.
- Pour in the frozen meatballs and stir to coat in the sauce.
- Assemble the pressure lid and make sure the pressure release valve is in the Seal position. Select Pressure Cook and set the time to 5 minutes. Select Start/Stop to begin
- The Ninja Foodi will take approximately 10 minutes to come to pressure. Once it starts cooking it will count down from 5 minutes.
- When done pressure cooking, quick release the pressure release valve (use a wooden spoon to safely switch the valve over). Once the pin has gone down, carefully open the lid, stir the meatballs, and serve.
These are my tried and true kitchen essentials. These are the best kitchen tools I personally use in my homecooking! From my favorite cooking tools to baking tools, the best small appliances for homecooks, and more, this kitchen essentials checklist will help you master most recipes in your home kitchen!
Best Multi-Cooker Appliance
I love my Ninja Foodi! I have the Foodi 8-Quart 9-in-1 Deluxe XL Pressure Cooker (model FD401). In addition to pressure cooking, it can air fry, broil, dehydrate, slow cook, sear/saute, and more. And I can often cook two items - a side and a main dish - at the SAME time in the Foodi!
Best Instant Pot
I have and use this 8-quart Instant Pot Duo a few times a week. Be sure to check out my Instant Pot Recipes!
Best Blender
This Vitamix is one of the more affordable Vitamix blenders, and it gets the job done! I use this blender almost every day, for smoothies, soups, sauces, and so much more!
Best Stand Mixer
This 5-quart KitchenAid Stand Mixer is a workhorse in my kitchen! I use it almost every day for everything from cookies to pizza dough to icing. I use mine so much, I have two: one in a limited edition Ocean Drive color, and one in white.
Best Slow Cooker
I've had this Ninja 3-in-1 Cooking System for years, and it's amazing! I love using it mainly as a slow cooker. I also love to use it to keep food warm for parties. Cleans up easily too!
Daterra Cucina Cookware
Daterra Cucina is a Portland, Oregon-based family business that makes my favorite everyday cooking pans! They are professional grade, ceramic, non-stick, non-toxic pans that cook food BEAUTIFULLY and are super easy to clean. I love them and know you will, too!
Best Air Fryer: Rack Style
This is my newest air fryer. I love my basket style air fryer, but also needed to do recipe testing with a rack style air fryer since so many of you now use this style. The InstantPot Vortex Plus is a 7-in-1 workhorse that serves as an Air Fryer, Toaster Oven, and Rotisserie Oven, which allows it to Air Fry, Rotisserie, Roast, Broil, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate. The 10-quart capacity means you can air fry A LOT OF FOOD in one batch! Versus making several batches in the 5-6 Quart basket style air fryers.
Best Air Fryer: Basket Style
It took me a while to develop air fryer recipes that my whole family loved. During our kitchen remodel, I learned how to create delicious dishes using our GoWise Air Fryer, and now I love it! This 5.8 Quart, 8-in-1, XL Air Fryer is perfect size for families with 3+ people.
More Party Recipes
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Nachos
- Best Instant Pot Chili
- Loaded Pub Chips Bar
Slow Cooker Cranberry Meatballs Holiday Recipe
Cranberry Meatballs: Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, and Ninja Foodi recipes
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberries
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ jar of barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 22- ounce package pre-made frozen meatballs approximately 22-24 meatballs
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring water and sugar to a low boil. When sugar dissolved, slowly add cranberries and lemon juice. Boil until cranberries "pop" and become soft. Lower heat and simmer about 5-7 minutes, until most of the cranberries have popped and the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and add barbecue sauce and brown sugar. Stir well to combine.
- Add entire package of frozen meatballs to a slow cooker (no need to thaw). Pour cranberry sauce over meatballs.
- Slow cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4-5 hours.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to Sauté. Add the water and sugar and gently stir until the sugar has dissolved. Then add the cranberries and lemon juice. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the cranberries "pop" and the sauce is slightly thickened. Turn off the Sauté mode.
- Stir in the barbecue sauce and brown sugar until fully combined. Pour in the frozen meatballs and stir to coat in the sauce.Secure the lid and make sure the pressure valve is in Seal.
- Select Pressure Cook/Manual, and set the time to 5 minutes.The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure. Once it starts cooking it will count down from 5 minutes. Quick release the valve (use a wooden spoon to safely switch the valve over). Once the pin has gone down, carefully open the lid, stir the meatballs, and serve.
Ninja Foodi Instructions
- Select Sauté, set to HI, and select Start/Stop to begin. Pour in the water and sugar and gently stir until the sugar has dissolved. Then add the cranberries and lemon juice. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the cranberries "pop" and the sauce is slightly thickened. Select Start/Stop to end the Sauté mode.
- Stir in the barbecue sauce and brown sugar until fully combined. Pour in the frozen meatballs and stir to coat in the sauce.
- Assemble the pressure lid and make sure the pressure release valve is in the Seal position. Select Pressure Cook and set the time to 5 minutes. Select Start/Stop to beginThe Ninja Foodi will take approximately 10 minutes to come to pressure. Once it starts cooking it will count down from 5 minutes. Once it's done, quick release the pressure release valve (use a wooden spoon to safely switch the valve over). Once the pin has gone down, carefully open the lid, stir the meatballs, and serve.
Notes
What's one classic favorite recipe that you like to jazz up with holiday flavors for the holiday season?
More Holiday Recipes
- 33 Freezer Friendly Holiday Cookies
- Gingerbread Loaf with Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting
- Easy Cranberry Peppermint Holiday Bark
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This post was originally published November 27, 2017. It was updated February 2, 2020 with new photos and updated original content.
Melissa Chee says
Those meatballs looks absolutely delicious!!! YUM
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Thanks so much, Melissa!
meagen says
oh my! these look delicious! i think i am going to make them for an appetizer party coming up - and those mini forks! adorbs!
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
Thank you, Meagen! Let me know how you like them! :)
Kate | The Organized Dream says
This recipe sounds really awesome. I love the way you've displayed them as an appetizer....however, I think that I would eat them all so this may not be a great idea if I'm around! ;)
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
LOL they are tempting! :) Thanks, Kate!
Marianne says
If you use homemade meatballs, do you know if they can go in the slow cooker, if so, for how long?
Thank you!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Marianne - I haven't tried it with this particular recipe, but I've made other slow cooker meatball recipes with homemade meatballs and kept the cooking time about the same. Let me know how it goes!
Create/Enjoy says
What a gorgeous party spread! And how yummy, I love cranberries in holiday foods!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Cranberries are so great around the holidays, aren't they? Thanks so much!
Mary says
Your table spread looks so delicious! I love to serve appetizer meatballs they are always the first menu item gone.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
These do go fast at parties :) Thanks for the kind comment, Mary!
Joanie @ One Dish Kitchen says
What a beautiful party table! The meatballs look incredible and perfect for a party.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Thanks so much, Joanie!
Calandra Yvonn Arrington says
Can I use can cranberry sauce?
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Calandra - I've never used canned cranberry sauce so I can't say for sure how these will taste if you use it, but if you do, please let me know how they turn out! Someone else may be wondering the same :) Thank you for trying the recipe!
Ron Thomson says
Couldn't get whole cranberries "at this time of the year", so substituted 14oz can of whole cranberry sauce. Used 18oz bottle of Sweet Baby Rays Hickory and Brown Sugar BBQ sauce. Skipped all the misc ingredients since included in the can/bottle. Just enough water to clean the containers for recycling. Was asked for recipe...
Joanna Clute says
I don't think I've ever had meatballs like this before. They sound AND look divine!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hope you get to try them sometime. Thanks, Joanna!
Sharon says
Yum and yum! I love meatballs for appetizers, especially with a sweet sauce. I gotta try this recipe out for my work Christmas party!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
If you do try it, I'd love to know how it goes! Thanks, Sharon!
Marianne says
These looks absolutely delicious, I am definitely trying them this holiday season. And I LOVE the presentation with the little forks - super cute! Thanks for sharing!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
I can't resist the cute little forks :) Thanks, Marianne!
Lynne says
These look wonderful! I would like to try them with a large bag of the small cocktail size meatballs instead of the regular size. Would the amount for the sauce be the same or should it be doubled.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hi Lynne! The sauce is enough for a 22-ounce bag of cocktail meatballs, so I would check the size of the bag that you purchase and adjust the sauce accordingly (double the sauce if the bag is a 40+ ounce bag). Let me know how it goes!
Trudy says
These look delicious. Can they be served cold?
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
They can, but I find them tastier served either warm or at room temperature.
Skylar917 says
wow these looks so delish , i so love your recipe, i will def be making these , i am drooling now.these look so delicious and fun to make. I will have to make these for a nice Cold summertime treat! Thanks for sharing.