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.
Brianna
I changed it and bit and used a bbq sauce with a bit of a kick and it was amazing!
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
That sounds delicious, thanks for letting us know you made the grape jelly and BBQ meatballs!
Vicky
Can I use a liner in my crockpot or will it affect the recipe Thank You
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
A liner will work great!
Angie
I will be doubling the recipe. Will it take longer to cook in my large crockpot! My crockpot gets really hot on low.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Hi Angie, it may work as long as your crockpot is large enough to hold the meatballs and for them to heat/thaw evenly.
Decklan
How much does all the ingriedents cost
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
It really depends on where you are shopping, sales etc. I would check with your local grocery store. Enjoy!
Amy
Is There any difference in cooking time if you’re only making half the receipe?
Jamielyn Nye
Not too much. I’d just check about 30 minutes sooner.
Joelle
Costco doesn’t seem to carry the 32 ounce frozen meatballs in this recipe. Wondering what to buy instead. Most meatballs in stores seem to be Italian Style. Is that the right kind?
Jamielyn Nye
You can use Italian style as well. This recipe is fairly flexible. If you use a smaller bag of meatballs, you can just use less sauce (or keep it in there to make it more saucy).
Keysmom
Look for “homestyle”
Agnes Leung
Could I just do meatballs with bbq sauce? No jelly? How would that turn out?
Jamielyn Nye
Yes you could, would just make a thinner sauce and less sweet :)
Pamela
I add little weenies too
Jamielyn Nye
Great idea!
Char
I’m making this with sugar free grape jelly and sugar free Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce for a low carb snack/meal
Jamielyn Nye
Hope you enjoy!
Beth
How did it come out??
Jess Benoit
My sister did that before for a party and everyone loved it! I’m about to make it for us tomorrow the same way.
Deb
Want to take it to a church covered dish meal.
Can this be cooked the day before and warmed again to serve next day?
What do you suggest?
Cook. Refrigerate. Then reheat? How long to reheat?
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Hi, this will taste best while served fresh. I would advise cooking in your crockpot then keeping them on warm setting until ready to serve.
Lisa
Do you think it’ll be ok to use Smuckers grape jam instead of jelly?
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Jam is thicker than jelly so it may not be as saucy, but it will work.
Scott
WOW! these were amazing!
I Heart Naptime Community
I’m glad you enjoyed them Scott!
Ashley
Would raw meatballs cook in the crockpot?
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Not for this recipe, I would ensure you use already cooked meatballs.
Kim
I gave it a 3 star because mine didn’t turn out correctly. I’ve had these before and they were yummy. My bbq sauce and jelly was very liquid. No thickness to sauce at all. What did I do wrong?
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
The only thing I can think of is the type of jelly used or BBQ sauce used which could cause the sauce to be thinner. Smuckers and Sweet Baby Ray’ always has great results for us!
Taylor
The best crockpot meatball recipe and so easy.
Jamielyn Nye
So glad you enjoyed the crockpot meatballs!
Scott
I want to make these for a baby shower. Rather than doing several batches in a crockpot can I make these in the oven as there will be way more than 50 meatballs. What would be the time and temp?
Jamielyn Nye
I haven’t tested them in the oven, but let us know if you do. I would probably just simmer them in a big stock pot if I were making a big batch.
Heather Runge
Love these!!!
James
I’m a huge Fan of these delicious meat balls. To add some kick I put in a little chipotle Chilli powder. Just enough to taste.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Sounds delicious!
Jai
If I substitute the jelly with pineapple, do we drain it or include the juice?
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
You will only need 2-3 Tablespoons of the juice, drain the rest. Refer to the Hawaiian meatballs for more reference. Enjoy!