This has been one of my favorite holiday appetizers since I was a kid!
Grape Jelly Meatballs may sound like a strange combination, but it’s amazing. I promise. With just 3 simple ingredients, this recipe is so easy it practically cooks itself, and there are never any leftover.
Cocktail Meatballs are great to make ahead by simply adding the ingredients to the slow cooker and turning it on.
Ingredients in Grape Jelly Meatballs
Meatballs – Use premade or homemade meatballs. Frozen meatballs make for super fast prep!
Grape Jelly – Use any kind of grape jelly. If you can’t find any, other types of jelly work just fine. I’ve even used canned cranberry sauce in a pinch.
Ketchup or Chili Sauce – I most often use ketchup because it’s the recipe we had growing up! You can also use chili sauce which is a zesty ketchup-style condiment.
Sauce Variations
You can change this recipe up a bit based on what you have on hand. The sauce needs something sweet (jelly) and something zesty (ketchup).
- Replace the Grape Jelly with apricot preserves, orange marmalade, canned cranberry sauce, raspberry preserves, or hot pepper jelly.
- Replace the Ketchup with Heinz chili sauce, or barbecue sauce.
Important Ingredient Info
If swapping the ketchup for chili sauce, it is not a spicy sauce. Look for the Heinz brand in a glass bottle near the ketchup (you can also get it online here or make homemade chili sauce).
It is the same chili sauce I use in my favorite meatloaf topping.
How to Make Meatballs with Grape Jelly
This is the easiest homemade appetizer recipe ever, but you’ll get rave reviews because everyone loves these incredibly tasty little bites! I can’t get enough of them.
- If making homemade meatballs, prepare and bake them according to the meatball recipe.
- Add all ingredients (including the frozen or cooked meatballs) to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low per the recipe below.
The sauce will thicken some as it cools slightly or if you leave the lid off and keep them warm during a party. If you’d like it thicker, combine equal parts cornstarch and water and stir a little in (I never find the need to thicken it).
Feeding a Crowd?
If you have a larger Crock Pot (6qt), this recipe can be doubled. If preferred, the sauce can be doubled, and you can add some little smokies and let it all cook together.
Leave a box of toothpicks near the crockpot, and they’ll disappear quickly.
How To Serve Grape Jelly Meatballs
Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs can be an appetizer for any holiday party or served as a complete meal.
- If serving at a party, once cooked, turn the slow cooker onto the warm setting and keep a bowl of toothpicks nearby.
- Tuck them into slider rolls or hoagie rolls for a heartier meal.
- Serve over a bed of white rice or mashed potatoes!
- Add sauteed peppers and onions to make this into a sweet and sour meatball dish.
Leftovers/Make Ahead
Grape Jelly Meatballs are a great make-ahead dish!
Prep ahead: You can cook them the day before, store them in the fridge overnight, and then reheat them in the Crockpot. If you didn’t use lean ground beef, you may want to skim off any fat that may rise to the top. Or, freeze them for a rainy day! (Or for the next game day!)
- To store: Keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, and in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. Make sure to use a sealable container, and leave room for the sauce to expand, if freezing.
- To reheat: Thaw overnight and either place them back in the Crockpot and reheat for 2 to 3 hours, or put them in a pot on the stovetop, add a little extra ketchup or some chili sauce if desired, and heat until bubbly and hot! They will be just as good as the day you made them, and probably even better!
More Party Favorites
Did you make these Grape Jelly Meatballs? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Grape Jelly Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen fully cooked meatballs or 48 small homemade meatballs
- 1 ½ cups ketchup
- ¾ cup grape jelly
Instructions
- Cook meatballs according to recipe directions if using raw meatballs.
- Place meatballs, ketchup, and grape jelly in a small slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook on low 3-4 hours or until heated through.
Notes
Variations
- Replace the Grape Jelly with apricot preserves, orange marmalade, canned cranberry sauce, raspberry preserves, or hot pepper jelly.
- Replace the Ketchup with Heinz chili sauce or barbecue sauce. If swapping the ketchup for chili sauce, it is not a spicy sauce. Look for the Heinz brand in a glass bottle near the ketchup (you can also get it online here or make homemade chili sauce).
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Beef, Party Food
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
These are great for potluck, but Hinze Chili Sauce is what you should use and not ketchup. Also great with jalapeño jelly.
What fresh herb are you using?
It’s parsley, just as a garnish. It is optional but adds a little something to the presentation.
I love these meatballs but my sister made them spicy I wonder what she put in it made red pepper flakes
Hi Trina, you could try adding red pepper flakes or adding in a little bit of hot sauce or sriracha depending on the type of spicy you are trying to achieve.
I use Hinze Chili Sause instead of ketchup. If you want them even Spicer and a little Sriracha.
If I double the sauce, as suggested, & add little smokies, do I need to match the amount of smokies to the meatballs (2 lbs.) or will 1 pkg (usually around 14 oz.) work? Since I’ve never tried this combo of
meats, I’m not sure how the consistency will turn out. Too thick? Too thin? What would you suggest? Thx!!
One package will work and it shouldn’t affect the consistency of the sauce. If you end up with extra sauce, it can be used for dipping (it’s similar to sweet and sour sauce) or even drizzled over a stir fry.
I love your page, so many recipes I can test out with my new crock pot. These meatballs were delicious, my whole family loved them!
This is a huge hit! I have served it for parties and never have leftovers. I have used ketchup sometimes and sweet baby rays bbq sauce other times. I prefer bbq sauce.
I made this recipe for Christmas for an appetizer and it was so delicious. I tripled the recipe and by the evening time, they were all gone. My daughters birthday is today and this was one of her requests to go along with her beef ribs! HIGHLY RECOMMMEND! Sauce thighens up when left on warm with the lid off.
We made this a lot when I lived in the South……Montgomery, Alabama. It was a staple at just about any gathering there was…..church dinners, bridal parties, whatever. BUT we used Manwich sauce instead of ketchup or chili sauce. Manwich is the perfect combination with the grape jelly, and we didn’t measure. We just used 2 cans of Manwich to a jar of grape jelly…….larger jar, and put the meatballs in the slow cooker, then poured in the jars, and stirred, and let cook. Easy peasy! Nice to see someone else knows about using grape jelly with meatballs! :)
Hi Holly just wanted to tell you that your grape jelly meat balls recipe was a big hit last night! We went to my large family’s pre Christmas pot luck and as was stated not a single meat ball was left in the crockpot!!! Once again a recipe of yours saved the day like so many in the past have! Thank you so much!!!
So glad everyone loved them, Patrick!
So easy! So yummy! Thank you for all your great recipes!
So easy to make, so good, so popular with others. A real winner
Hi! Before I retired a few years back, anytime there was a potluck, a welder friend of mine always brought in a big bag of already thawed Italian meatballs from Sam’s Club, a large jar of Welches Grape Jelly, and equal amounts of Sweet Baby Rays barbeque sauce. He mixed everything together in a crockpot. I think our group of people knew to get these meatballs on first break because only a couple people got any on our second break. so quick and easy. Love, love, love them meatballs. Not one person ever said they didn’t like them. A winner!!!!!!!
i have been doing the grape jelly with cocktail sauce for years. now i will try it with ketchup. when i tell people about using cocktail sauce instead of chilli sauce they are surprised.
That sounds delicious!
Just okay meatballs. I’d give them a 6/10
Sorry to hear that, Jenny. This recipe is usually a hit with readers.
Can’t wait to try this! Do you think bbq sauce could be added to this as well as the grape jelly and ketchup
That’d be delicious too Kaitlyn!