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Home » Recipes » Slow Cooker Cranberry Chili Meatballs Recipe

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chili Meatballs Recipe

By: Liz  /  Published: May 3, 2020  /  Updated: December 24, 2022  /   Leave a comment

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cranberry chili meatballs
slow cooker cranberry meatballs
cranberry chili meatballs

These slow cooker cranberry chili meatballs are so dang good! I always hope there will be leftovers when I make them,  but there never are.

I used to make them exclusively as holiday meatballs for parties during the Christmas season but I’ve since realized that meatballs with cranberry sauce and chili sauce can absolutely be eaten year-round because the ingredients are available year-round.

Homemade meatballs are the BEST.

A plate of meatballs

Ingredients for meatballs with cranberry chili sauce

  • Cranberry sauce in a can – I personally like the whole berry sauce, but you can absolutely use the jellied sauce too.
  • Chili sauce – Heinz makes a really good one
  • Brown sugar
  • Chili powder
  • Ground red pepper
  • Meatballs – about 2 or 3 dozen homemade (or you can use a 32 oz bag of pre-cooked frozen meatballs)
ingredients for cranberry chili meatballs

Can you make cranberry chili meatballs with store-bought meatballs?

Yep, you sure can. It’s a great way to save time, although I think homemade meatballs are always going to taste better because they’re so fresh.

Plus, I like to choose my own seasoning for meatballs.

How to make easy homemade meatballs

Mix the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl.

ingredients for homemade meatballs

Shape the meat mixture into round meatball shapes. The size can be up to you, but I made 24 meatballs about 1 1/2-inches round.

Brown the meatballs in a large skillet on the stove. Once browned, you’ll add them to the sauce ingredients in the slow cooker.

how to make easy homemade meatballs

How to make cranberry chili meatballs in a slow cooker

Stir all the sauce ingredients together in the slow cooker, then gently stir in the browned (or pre-cooked meatballs) making sure they’re all coated with sauce. Cover and cook on high about 3 hours. Stir before serving.

cranberry chili meatballs

What to serve with slow cooker meatballs

A crisp green salad and some freshly baked bread would complete the meal perfectly.

You could also serve the meatballs with rice or noodles or stick toothpicks into each of them and serve them as meatball appetizers.

A tray of meatballs and loaf of bread

Can you make cranberry chili meatballs on the stove?

Yep. Heat the sauce ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring to thoroughly mix ingredients. Add browned meatballs (or pre-cooked meatballs), cover, and let cook on a low simmer for 45 minutes or until heated through.

cranberry chili meatballs

Other meatball recipes to try

  • Tomato and Spinach Pasta with Meatballs
  • ‘Tastes Like Thanksgiving’ Meatballs
  • Slow Cooker Spaghetti Noodle Soup with Meatballs
  • Caprese Quiche with Meatballs

Pin this easy meatball recipe to Pinterest!

slow cooker cranberry meatballs
cranberry chili meatballs

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chili Meatballs

Liz – Eat Move Make
These slow cooker sweet and savory meatballs have the perfect kick of heat. Delicious as an entree or served as meatball appetizers.
5 from 53 votes
Print Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
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Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Total Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 24 meatballs
Calories 117 kcal

Ingredients
  

Meatballs

  • 1 ½ lbs ground beef
  • ¾ cup plain bread crumbs
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper add another ½ teaspoon if you like it spicy
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Sauce

  • 14 oz can cranberry sauce (whole berry or jellied)
  • 12 oz bottle Heinz chili sauce 12 ounces chili sauce
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions
 

Meatballs

  • In large bowl, mix all ingredients together. Shape into your preferred size of meatball.
  • Brown meatballs in large skillet over medium-high heat. Set aside.

Cooking meatballs in sauce

  • Combine all sauce ingredients in slow cooker, mixing to combine. Gently stir in meatballs making sure they're all coated with sauce. Cover and cook 3 hours on low or until heated through.

Notes

Delicious served with rice, noodles, or freshly baked bread and a crisp salad.
 
 
All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only and nutrition may vary according to exact products and the online nutrition calculator being used. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on EatMoveMake.com should only be used as a general guideline.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 117kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 6gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 115mgPotassium: 113mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 116IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

About Liz

Liz is a midwestern mom gone southern (accent in transition). She lives in North Carolina and loves cooking, baking, traveling, movies, crafts, hot and cold tea, wine, pizza and the occasional nap. She also revels in the fact she's a crazy cat lady.

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Welcome!

I’m Liz! Thank you for visiting Eat Move Make. Here you will find a collection of easy & delicious year-round recipes, seasonal ideas, and DIY craft inspiration. Visit my About Me page for more of my story.

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Meet Liz

Hey there, i’m Liz!

I’m the founder of Eat Move Make and a North Carolina mom of two humans and six cats. I love to cook, bake, craft and travel. I’m also addicted to tea (but not sweet tea).

When I’m not creating something in my kitchen, and since my kids are now adults, I’m all about my bucket list of travel destinations and adventures.

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