These Grape Jelly BBQ Meatballs are easy to make in the crock pot. This recipe only takes 3 ingredients and 5 minutes to prep! Doesn’t get better than that.
These meatballs are a tried and true appetizer recipe of mine. They literally couldn’t be easier to make and everyone always loves them. Other easy go-to’s are little smokies, meatball sliders and pigs in a blanket.
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Table of Contents
The Perfect Appetizer
These crockpot BBQ grape jelly meatballs are one of my family’s favorite meatball recipes. They are seriously so good and the perfect appetizer for game day! They almost remind me of sweet and sour meatballs but taste better.
My Grandpa has been making these crockpot meatballs for years and we always loved them growing up. My sister even talked him into making them as an appetizer at her wedding. Everyone loved them! Now of course my family has their actual “homemade meatballs recipe,” which are just as amazing.
The best part about BBQ meatballs is that no one would ever know how simple they are to make. Turn them into a main dish and serve them over sticky rice like I do with honey garlic meatballs. YUM!
3 simple ingredients!
These slow cooker grape jelly meatballs are so easy to make. You just need the 3 ingredients below to get started:
- Meatballs: I love getting the frozen meatballs from Costco or Kroger. They taste the best in my opinion. Homemade meatballs taste great as well if you have the time.
- Grape jelly: I keep it simple and use Smucker’s grape jelly.
- BBQ Sauce: Sweet baby ray’s BBQ sauce is my personal favorite. :) You can also make a homemade BBQ sauce if preferred.
How to Make Crockpot BBQ Meatballs
- Add ingredients to crockpot. Pour grape jelly and BBQ sauce in the bottom of your crockpot. Add in the meatballs and stir until fully coated.
- Cook meatballs in crockpot. Cook frozen meatballs in crockpot for 2 to 3 hours on high, or until warm. Make sure to stir a few times throughout.
- Serve and enjoy! Garnish with sliced green onions if desired and serve as an appetizer or main dish.
Variations
There are plenty of ways to easily mix up the flavors in this recipe. Check out some other yummy variations below:
- Sub Heinz chili sauce for BBQ sauce for an extra kick, like I did with these chili sauce meatballs or add brown sugar with chili sauce for cocktail meatballs!
- Replace grape jelly with 16 ounces sliced or diced pineapple for Hawaiian meatballs.
- Use 1/4 cup honey instead of jelly for a a little healthier alternative (add more or less to to taste).
- Make cranberry meatballs with leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving. Sub an equal amount of cranberry sauce for grape jelly.
- Use 2 packages of little smokies instead of meatballs.
FAQ
We love to serve them with coconut rice, green beans and fresh cut pineapple.
If you’d like to thicken your sauce, you can mix together a cornstarch slurry (about 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 Tablespoon of water) and stir it into the sauce and allow it to simmer.
This is the base of the sauce (which helps thicken it) and brings the best flavor. I promise you won’t taste the grape flavor.
More Easy Appetizers:
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Ham and Cheese Sliders
- 4-Ingredient Cheese Ball
- Easy 7-Layer Dip
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Crockpot Bbq Meatballs
Video
Ingredients
- 1 (18-ounce) jar jar grape jelly
- 1 (18-ounce) jar BBQ sauce
- 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen fully cooked meatballs (about 50)
Optional: Cooked rice, Sliced green onions
Instructions
- In a medium bowl or the base of a slow cooker, combine the grape jelly and BBQ sauce. Add meatballs and stir until coated in sauce.
- Cook on high 2 to 3 hours or low 3 to 4 hours. Turn the slow cooker to warm until ready to serve.
- Enjoy as an appetizer or serve over rice and top with green onions for a main dish.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Tracey
Is it possible to freeze some of the meatballs for later use? (after they have cooked all together..)
Jamielyn
Yes that should work just fine! :)
Jeremy
Sounds good! Today on this very cold winter evening in new jersey, i am making the meatballs with chili sauce and cranberry sauce. Never had them however my fiance’s mother makes them and they are very Good! :)
Teresa
There are different types of meatballs. Which is the best, Italian style? I never know which will taste better with BBQ sauce. Please advise. Thx
Jamielyn
Hi Teresa! I always use the meatballs from Costco! :)
Glenela Rajpaul
My husband is Hindu & doesn’t eat beef. Do you think turkey meatballs would change the flavor any?
Jamielyn
It would change the flavor a little, but it would still be delicious I’m sure. :)
Amber
What size crock pot did you use? Would it fit in smaller size one?
Jamielyn
Hi Amber! I usually use a 7 quart crock pot! If you use a smaller one, you could always half the recipe. :)
paula KNIGHT
Sounds fabulous. I bet u could substitute any flavor jam ie raspberry, pepper jelly, etc.
Jamielyn
So many possibilities! I will definitely have to try another flavor of jelly. :)
Kathi
I mistakenot got Grape Jam instead of jelly……iS that going to make a dInference?
Jamielyn
It should taste the same Kathi! Hope you enjoy. :)
Percy
finally a recipe for my favourite meatballs of all time thank you thank you thank you !!! The only place I had ever had them was at my buddies house whenever we are there for special events and sporting events and his wife would never give me the recipe !!! So now I can make them for myself and my kids whenever I want thank you !!!
Jamielyn
I’m so glad you found what you were looking for! These meatballs are so good. Enjoy!
Patti
Looks super delicious Jamielyn! I will try this tomorrow! Quick question- Would 1 18oz jar grape jelly and 1 18oz BBQ sauce be enough for 70 meatballs or should I add more? Thanks Patti!
Jamielyn
Hi Patti! I would probably add a little more to get them all fully coated. :)
Maranda
These are awesome! I did add just a dab of mustard and a dash of liquid smoke. Turned out great!! Thank you.
Jamielyn
Mmmm sounds delicious! Thanks for giving them a try! :)
Maddie
These look sooooo good! Instead of doing frozen meatballs I just made my own, they are cooking in the crock pot right now. I hope they turn out good!
Jamielyn
These would definitely be good with homemade meatballs! Hope they turned out delicious!
Tracey
Have my ingredients ready. Bringing these to a New Year’s Eve party tonight. Hope they’re a hit.
Jamielyn
Hope you enjoyed these Tracey! :)
Natasha
Hi! Do you think any flavor bbq sauce would be good?? I am not a huge fan of BBQ sauce, but I love Devil’s Spit! Do you think that, with the jelly, and the meatballs would be good together??
Jamielyn
I haven’t tried Devil’s Spit, but I’m sure it would be delicious!
Tracy
I’m planning on making these for new years eve and I have honey bbq sauce. do you think that will work?
Jamielyn
Yes that should work great! :)
Jennifer
Hi, I don’t have a crock pot (yes I know!) can i make them in a regular pot?
Jamielyn
Yes you can definitely make them in a regular pot! :)
Maureen+Sierra+Del+Fuego
I’ve seen various flavors of meatballs, which do you use?
Maureen Sierra Del Fuego
What flavor of meatballs do you use? I think I’ve seen various flavors.
Jamielyn
I usually use the Italian Style Beef! :)
Christina
Don’t laugh but what other things would be good to serve if I was throwing this into my dinner mix? They seem so tasty but I don’t need to use them as an appetizer just yet. Thank you for any suggestions :)
Jamielyn
We usually have them over rice with vegetables on the side! :)
Michelle
I usually serve mine at home with Mashed potatoes, green beans, and sometimes Mac and cheese.
Jamielyn
Sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!