When you don’t know what to make for you next holiday gathering, try these Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs. They are easy to throw together and usually never any leftovers to bring home. The sweet and spicy sauce is a hit with everyone and my go to appetizer this time of year. 

Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs

Yields: 45 meatballs

Ingredients for the meat mixture

• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ onion, minced
• ¼ cup old fashioned oats (use GF if needed)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley

Ingredients for the cranberry sauce

• 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup honey
• ½ cup chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: a dash of cayenne pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
Place oats in a food processor and pulse a few times to break them down a bit.
Place all ingredients for the meat mixture in a large bowl. Using clean hands, mix the ingredients
– being careful not to overmix as this could result in tougher meatballs.

Scoop the meat using a rounded teaspoon.
Lightly roll into a ball and place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.

Prepare the sauce while the meatballs are cooking.
In a small saucepan on medium heat, add cranberry sauce, orange juice, honey and chili sauce.
Whisk until the sauce starts to break down and becomes a smooth consistency.
Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste and optional dash of cayenne pepper if desired. Add orange zest and stir.

Once meatballs are done cooking, place them in your serving dish and pour the sauce over the
top to completely coat them.
The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Freeze Option:
Simply allow the meatballs to cool upon removing from the oven. Place them in freezer-safe containers
and freeze. When ready to eat – place frozen meatballs on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 10
minutes or until heated through. Complete steps 4-5 and serve.

Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs

Yield: 45

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes

Print

Ingredients

Ingredients for the meat mixture

• 1 pound ground beef
• ½ onion, minced
• ¼ cup old fashioned oats (use GF if needed)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley

Ingredients for the cranberry sauce

• 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup honey
• ½ cup chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional: a dash of cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
2. Place oats in a food processor and pulse a few times to break them down a bit.
3. Place all ingredients for the meat mixture in a large bowl. Using clean hands, mix the ingredients
4. – being careful not to overmix as this could result in tougher meatballs.
5. Scoop the meat using a rounded teaspoon. Lightly roll into a ball and place on prepared baking
6. sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.
7. Prepare the sauce while the meatballs are cooking. In a small saucepan on medium heat, add
8. cranberry sauce, orange juice, honey and chili sauce. Whisk until the sauce starts to break down
9. and becomes a smooth consistency. Sprinkle in salt and pepper to taste and optional dash of
10. cayenne pepper if desired. Add orange zest and stir.
11. Once meatballs are done cooking, place them in your serving dish and pour the sauce over the
12. top to completely coat them. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Freeze Option:

1. Simply allow the meatballs to cool upon removing from the oven. Place them in freezer-safe containers
2. and freeze. When ready to eat – place frozen meatballs on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 10
3. minutes or until heated through. Complete steps 4-5 and serve.