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.
Paris
Do I thaw meatballs before cooking?
Jamielyn
Nope, you can put them in frozen! :)
Nicole
Would it still be the same 3 hrs on high or 6 hrs on low if I’m doing about 4.5 lbs of meatballs or should I do it longer?
Jamielyn
I would split the meatballs into two different crock pots to cook more evenly! :)
Kelly Brown
Try this with cranberry sauce – regular or whole berry – in place of the jelly. It is even better, trust me!
Jamielyn
Yum! Sounds great, I’ll have to give it a try!
DeAnn
Any particular meatball better than another? I know that I’ve seen different kinds in the store. Italian style, plain , etc.
Jamielyn
I’ve used plain and Italian style, they are both good! :)
Tina
Love how simple this is! I made these last night for an office party today (3rd) time making them)
Jamielyn
Hi Tina! I have made these on the stove as well and they seem to be a little thicker. You could try leaving out some of the sauce and adding it near the end as well. :)
Whitney
i got so excited when I saw this recipe in Pinterest! My mother used to make these, I’m making theses this weekend. Thanks.
Emily fox
Any way you could send me a recipe for 12 pounds of meatballs? I’m making these as one of my wedding appetizers in a week and I’m terrible with ratios!
Jamielyn
Hi Emily! I believe you would just multiply the recipe by 6. So 6 bags of meatballs, 6 jars of jelly, and 6 bottles of BBQ sauce! :)
Michie
Do I bake meatballs first or throw in crockpot frozen?
Jamielyn
I put them in the crock pot frozen! :)
mary taylor
Can you use boneless beef chuck ribs and how long to cook if browning??
Jamielyn
Hi Mary! I’ve never tried it but I’m sure it would work great! :)
T
Just so I’m clear, the meatballs go into the slow cooker frozen right. They dont have to be thawed?
Jamielyn
Yes, they go in frozen! :)
tiffany
Making these now!!!
Doris
Can I use ground Venison?
Amanda Z
I made these tonight, and they were delicious!! I brought them to a super bowl party and they were all gone when we left. I ended up doing half chili sauce and half bbq sauce, and it was great! For anyone that has celiac, and is too lazy to make their own meatballs, Farm Rich has gluten free meatballs, couldn’t be easier!
Jamielyn
Thanks for your comment Amanda! I’m so glad you liked these meatballs! :)
Mama_of_3
Looking forward to these for the game today! Just wondering, do you throw the meatballs into the crockpot while still frozen, or do you defrost them first? I added mine while still frozen and am not sure if I should be anticipating a longer cook time. Thanks and Happy Super Bowl!!
Jamielyn
Hi! Sorry I didn’t respond in time, but yes you throw them in frozen! :) Hope they turned out well for you.
Mama_of_3
Looking forward to these for the game today! Just wondering, do you throw the meatballs into the crockpot while still frozen, or do you defrost them first? I added mine while still frozen and am not sure if I should be anticipating a longer cook tune. Thanks and Happy Super Bowl!!
Lynn
PAULA KNIGHT posted on JANUARY 14, 2015 at 1:13 PM (#31)
Sounds fabulous. I bet u could substitute any flavor jam ie raspberry, pepper jelly, etc.
One of my coworkers used to bring these for every potluck we had, but he would also bring another crockpot where he would use mustard and red currant jelly. They were both WONDERFUL! Both of them were always the first dish to be gone! I just have trouble finding red currant jelly at my local grocery.
Meg
I love crockpot meatballs that taste sweet. I am making this for a super bowl party. I hope i can share these as there is supposed to be lots of snow stopping me. Other wise i will have to keep them for myself which i am not complaining one bit. More for me (and my husband and kids)!
Jamielyn
Hope you enjoyed these! They are one of my favorite appetizers. :)
Donna Jost
I am making these tomorrow for the Super Bowl party! I bought Wal-Mart brand home-style meatballs and am using Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce and the grape jelly! I also toss in some dried minced onion flakes. I am also tossing in several bags of Hillshire Farms Little Smokes (2 bags beef, 1 bag turkey). I made this last Christmas for our office party and it was a huge hit!! The crock pot came home empty…I washed the crock pot at the office…so I came home with a clean crock pot!!
Jamielyn
Little smokies are also really good in this grape jelly BBQ mixture! Hope you enjoyed these at your Super Bowl party. :)