Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs

These Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs might just be the best party food out there. Simple to make using only 4 ingredients, the hardest part is waiting for them to be ready to eat. Guaranteed to disappear, these easy cocktail meatballs will have all of your friends and family asking for the recipe.

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Appetizers are always near and dear to our hearts (and stomachs) and these Easy BBQ Meatballs are one of our go-to recipes. Not only do these come together in minutes, but the aroma wafting through the house as they bake is amazing.

Spicy, sweet, and easy to eat makes these meatballs great for any gathering!

Jump to:

Why you will love these meatballs
Ingredients
Instructions
FAQs
Expert Tips for the Best Meatballs
More Easy Appetizers
Recipe
Reviews

Why you will love these meatballs

✔️ The ingredient list is short and uses 4 easy to find ingredients.

✔️ These appetizer meatballs are the perfect combination of sweet and spicy. If you like a little more heat, add more chipotle peppers. If you like a milder flavor, scale the peppers back.

✔️Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs are simple to make! All you need to do is add everything to a slow cooker and let the crock pot work its magic.

Ingredients

It only takes a few ingredients to make these tasty snacks.

Bowl of frozen meatballs, bbq sauce, cherry jelly and chipotle peppers.

Ingredient Notes:

▶︎ The BBQ sauce does make a difference. We love Stubbs Smoky Mesquite BBQ Sauce because it doesn't have any high fructose corn syrup. Some BBQ sauces are sweeter than others, so use your favorite.

▶︎ Bonne Maman Cherry Jam is our absolute favorite and worth every.single.penny.

▶︎ Chipotle peppers freeze well. Chop them all and freeze them in ice cube trays for easy portion sizes for the future.

Instructions

The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting with this BBQ meatball recipe.

BBQ sauce, frozen meatballs, cherry jam and chipotle peppers in a crock pot.

Simply add the BBQ sauce, cherry jam, and chopped chipotles to a slow cooker. Stir until well combined. Add frozen cocktail meatballs and stir to coat. Heat on high for 2 hours or low heat for 4 hours.

Appetizers don't get much easier.

Meatballs in barbecue sauce in slow cooker.

FAQs

What are the best meatballs to use?

We prefer to make these using all-beef meatballs, but feel free to use your favorite. Just make sure you grab the cocktail size (not the larger size) for easy eating. You can also make your own if you want, but frozen meatballs are much easier!

Can these be made gluten-free?

Yes! Target carries a delicious gluten-free, organic all-beef cocktail meatball that is our favorite, and Stubbs BBQ sauce is naturally gluten-free.

Can I make these meatballs on the stovetop?

No slow cooker? No problem! Simply add all of the ingredients to a large saucepan or small dutch oven and heat them on the stove until they are cooked through. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.

Expert Tips for the Best Meatballs

✘ Start with quality ingredients. When you have an ingredient list that is only 4 items long, the brands you use makes a difference. Use your favorites.

✘ Make sure you give them long enough to cook. The BBQ sauce and cherry jam thicken as it simmers. The slow cooker is the best (and easiest) way to make them.

✘ Cocktail meatballs are the perfect bize size portions for appetizers. Double check the label of the meatball package to get the correct size.

✘ These reheat well! If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, simply refrigerate in an airtight container and reheat before eating. They will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days after cooking.