These Oven-Baked 3-Ingredient Cranberry BBQ Meatballs<\/strong> are one of those easy appetizers that taste like you spent much more time in the kitchen than you actually did. With just three simple ingredients<\/strong>, you can make a sweet, tangy, savory meatball appetizer that’s perfect for holidays, parties, game days, potlucks, or an easy family dinner.<\/p>\n The combination of tender meatballs, sweet cranberry sauce, and smoky BBQ sauce<\/strong> creates a delicious glaze that thickens as the meatballs bake. Everything comes together in one baking dish, making this recipe incredibly convenient and easy to clean up afterward.<\/p>\n For this simple cranberry BBQ meatball recipe, you’ll need:<\/p>\n Frozen fully cooked meatballs are perfect for this recipe because they make preparation quick and easy. You can use beef, turkey, chicken, or pork meatballs depending on your preference.<\/p>\n If you’re using smaller cocktail-size meatballs, you’ll get more servings. Larger meatballs will also work, but they may require a little additional baking time.<\/p>\n Use any BBQ sauce you enjoy. A smoky BBQ sauce gives the meatballs a deeper flavor, while a sweet BBQ sauce creates a sweeter glaze.<\/p>\n For a more balanced flavor, choose a sauce that’s smoky or slightly tangy because the cranberry sauce already adds plenty of sweetness.<\/p>\n Preheat your oven to 350\u00b0F (175\u00b0C)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Lightly spray a large baking dish or casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. A 9×13-inch baking dish works well for a standard bag of frozen meatballs.<\/p>\n Add the cranberry sauce and BBQ sauce to a bowl.<\/p>\n Stir thoroughly until the two sauces are completely combined. The cranberry sauce may be thick at first, so break it up with a spoon as you mix.<\/p>\n You should end up with a thick, glossy sauce that’s sweet, tangy, and smoky.<\/p>\n Place the frozen meatballs into the prepared baking dish.<\/p>\n Pour the cranberry BBQ sauce over the meatballs. Gently toss everything together until the meatballs are evenly coated.<\/p>\n Try to arrange the meatballs in a mostly single layer so the sauce can coat them evenly as they bake.<\/p>\n Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil and place it in the preheated oven.<\/p>\n Bake for approximately 30 minutes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Remove the foil and gently stir the meatballs so they become coated with the sauce again.<\/p>\n Continue baking uncovered for another 10\u201315 minutes<\/strong>, or until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce is hot, thick, and glossy.<\/p>\n If you’re using frozen meatballs, always make sure they are heated completely through according to the package instructions.<\/p>\n Once the meatballs are hot and coated in that delicious cranberry BBQ glaze, transfer them to a serving dish.<\/p>\n For parties, you can keep them warm in a slow cooker or chafing dish. Place toothpicks nearby so guests can easily grab individual meatballs.<\/p>\n Whole berry cranberry sauce adds little pieces of cranberry throughout the sauce, giving the meatballs extra texture and flavor.<\/p>\n If you prefer a completely smooth sauce, you can use jellied cranberry sauce instead.<\/p>\n Stirring the meatballs halfway through cooking helps redistribute the cranberry BBQ sauce and ensures every meatball gets coated.<\/p>\n This recipe is very easy to customize.<\/p>\n For a sweeter version, use a sweet BBQ sauce.<\/p>\n For a smokier version, use a smoky BBQ sauce.<\/p>\n For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a few dashes of hot sauce.<\/p>\n These meatballs are excellent for entertaining because they can be prepared ahead of time.<\/p>\n Prepare and bake the meatballs, then keep them warm until you’re ready to serve. If the sauce becomes too thick, stir in a small splash of water or BBQ sauce.<\/p>\n These meatballs are delicious on their own as an appetizer, but you can also turn them into a complete meal.<\/p>\n Serve them with:<\/p>\n For a party, serve them alongside other finger foods such as cheese, crackers, vegetable trays, mini sandwiches, or other appetizers.<\/p>\n Absolutely. If you have homemade meatballs in the freezer, they work beautifully in this recipe.<\/p>\n Just make sure the meatballs are fully cooked before serving and adjust the baking time as needed.<\/p>\n Homemade beef, turkey, chicken, or pork meatballs can all be used.<\/p>\n Yes. These cranberry BBQ meatballs are also perfect for a slow cooker.<\/p>\n Add the frozen fully cooked meatballs, cranberry sauce, and BBQ sauce directly to the slow cooker. Stir gently to coat.<\/p>\n Cook on LOW for about 3\u20134 hours<\/strong> or until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce is hot.<\/p>\n Keep the slow cooker on the WARM<\/strong> setting when serving at a party.<\/p>\n Allow leftover meatballs to cool slightly before transferring them to an airtight container.<\/p>\n Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3\u20134 days<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Reheat them in the microwave, on the stovetop, in the oven, or in a slow cooker until heated through.<\/p>\n You may need to add a small splash of water or BBQ sauce when reheating if the sauce has thickened too much.<\/p>\n Yes. Place cooled meatballs and sauce in a freezer-safe container and freeze.<\/p>\n For the best quality, use them within approximately 2\u20133 months<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly before serving.<\/p>\n Yes. Fresh meatballs can be used, but they should be fully cooked before being combined with the sauce unless you’re following a recipe specifically designed for cooking raw meatballs in the sauce.<\/p>\n Yes. Jellied cranberry sauce creates a smoother, more uniform glaze. Whole berry cranberry sauce gives the dish more texture.<\/p>\n No. The basic recipe is not spicy. However, you can easily add hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes if you’d like some heat.<\/p>\n Absolutely. If you’re serving a large crowd, simply double the ingredients and use a larger baking dish or two baking dishes. Avoid overcrowding the meatballs so they heat evenly.<\/p>\n Definitely. The cranberry flavor makes these meatballs especially popular during Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings, but they’re delicious year-round.<\/p>\n Prep Time:<\/strong> 5 minutes <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Oven-Baked 3-Ingredient Cranberry BBQ Meatballs These Oven-Baked 3-Ingredient Cranberry BBQ Meatballs are one of those easy appetizers that taste like…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4969,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-recipes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4968","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4968"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4968\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4970,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4968\/revisions\/4970"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/food.ukbiddingdirectory.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Why You’ll Love This Recipe<\/h3>\n
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Ingredients<\/h2>\n
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Choosing Your Meatballs<\/h3>\n
Choosing the BBQ Sauce<\/h3>\n
How to Make Cranberry BBQ Meatballs<\/h2>\n
Step 1: Preheat the Oven<\/h3>\n
Step 2: Make the Cranberry BBQ Sauce<\/h3>\n
Step 3: Add the Meatballs<\/h3>\n
Step 4: Bake<\/h3>\n
Step 5: Serve<\/h3>\n
Helpful Tips<\/h2>\n
Use Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce<\/h3>\n
Don’t Skip the Stirring<\/h3>\n
Adjust the Flavor<\/h3>\n
Make Them Ahead<\/h3>\n
What to Serve With Cranberry BBQ Meatballs<\/h2>\n
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Can I Use Homemade Meatballs?<\/h2>\n
Can I Make These in a Slow Cooker?<\/h2>\n
How to Store Leftovers<\/h2>\n
Can I Freeze Cranberry BBQ Meatballs?<\/h2>\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
Can I use fresh meatballs?<\/h3>\n
Can I use jellied cranberry sauce?<\/h3>\n
Are these meatballs spicy?<\/h3>\n
Can I double the recipe?<\/h3>\n
Can I make this recipe for a holiday party?<\/h3>\n
Recipe Summary<\/h2>\n
\nCook Time:<\/strong> 40\u201345 minutes
\nTotal Time:<\/strong> About 50 minutes
\nServings:<\/strong> Approximately 8\u201312 as an appetizer, depending on meatball size<\/p>\nIngredients<\/h3>\n
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Instructions<\/h3>\n
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