The perfect appetizer is few ingredients, little time and great taste!
Feeling overwhelmed with hosting or have a party to attend last minute? What you need is a super fast appetizer that can feed a crowd. I have a go-to for this!
Crockpot meatballs are the way to go- and this flavor always stands out! These seriously take no prep and you only need 3 things- frozen meatballs, jelly and chili sauce. Yes, you can absolutely make your own meatballs if you want. You can also make your own chili sauce by following this recipe from AllRecipes… it takes only minutes and is less than 5 ingredients! However, to go for throwing an appetizer together quickly I just used premade for everything. I did try to avoid a basic chili sauce because I always look for the best in what I purchase, so I went for the Annie’s brand. For the meatballs I have made these with turkey, homestyle beef and a variety of other types so don’t feel restricted! The heat is an option for this cherry flavored recipe, but of course I highly recommend.
To bring the heat I used some Tabasco Chipotle sauce.
Combine the jelly and sauces in the bottom of the crockpot and throw in the meatballs. Stir until fully coated. Cook on high about 2 1/2 hours if frozen. If the meatballs are already thawed out then just warm them up on low for about half an hour. Now just set out some toothpicks and you are good to go!

Cherry Chipotle Crockpot Party Meatballs
Ingredients
- 12 oz chili or BBQ sauce
- 1 cup cherry jelly
- 1 1/2 lb meatballs pre-cooked frozen
- 1 tbsp tabasco chipotle sauce
Instructions
- Combine the jelly and sauces in the bottom of the crockpot and throw in the meatballs. Stir until fully coated.
- Cook on high about 2 1/2 hours if frozen.
Notes
Trust me, these are always a winner at a gathering! The best part is when someone asks for the recipe and you get to surprise them with how simple it is. I seriously never have any leftovers when I make these!
Just 5 minutes and 5 ingredients- what more could you ask for in an appetizer? My other favorite combos so far besides this Cherry Chipotle sauce are Peach BBQ and Fig Chili. Both are just as easy- all you need is the jelly and BBQ sauce!
This looks so tasty! I love this dish for the upcoming holidays. Not too complicated but still delicious! Its definitely a crowd favorite! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Most definitely! It’s a great one to bring because the prep is so minimal, and it always gets eaten quickly!