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    Home » Appetizers

    Grape Jelly BBQ Meatballs

    Published: Sep 12, 2021 · Modified: Apr 29, 2025 by Sula · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

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    Pin for grape jelly and BBQ meatballs
    grape jelly BBQ meatballs pin.
    pin for grape jelly BBQ meatballs

    During the holiday season, many of my meals are really just a selection of great appetizers. The same principle applies to football Sundays, come to think of it. 😀

    Having a super easy meatball recipe helps with this. And I can’t think of an easier one than this one: Grape Jelly BBQ Meatballs.

    This is a pretty old recipe that has updated ingredients, but the simple approach still works great!

    And the sauce, with its surprising combination of ingredients, is truly delicious. There's a reason it continues to be popular year after year!

    3 grape jelly bbq meatballs on a small white plate with sauce pooling around them
    Jump to:
    • These Meatballs with Grape Jelly and BBQ Sauce are deliciously simple!
    • What you'll need for Grape Jelly Meatballs (3 Ingredients!)
    • How to make BBQ Meatballs
    • BBQ Meatball Recipe variations
    • What to serve with BBQ Jelly Meatballs
    • How to store BBQ Meatballs
    • FAQs for these Jelly Meatballs
    • 📖 Recipe

    These Meatballs with Grape Jelly and BBQ Sauce are deliciously simple!

    • Ridiculously Easy: Three ingredients and minimal effort. Add everything to a slow cooker and let the crockpot heat it through.
    • Versatile: Serve them as an appetizer, pair them with sides for a meal, or add them to a potluck spread.
    • Crowd Favorite: The sweet-and-savory flavor combo is a guaranteed hit with both kids and adults.
    • Make Ahead Friendly: These meatballs are great for prepping in advance, and you have plenty of flexibility on the timing.

    What you'll need for Grape Jelly Meatballs (3 Ingredients!)

    • Meatballs – make your own or buy pre-made
    • BBQ sauce – I use Sweet Baby Rays, see options below
    • Grape Jelly
    ingredienta: frozen meatballs, bbq sauce and grape jelly

    That’s it – I’m sorry, I just can’t make this any easier.

    How to make BBQ Meatballs

    If you are picky about your meatballs, I encourage you to make your own. I used my Freezer Meatballs recipe, just increased the meat to 2 pounds so I’d have more meatballs. These can be made ahead of time so they are ready when needed. Or, as mentioned, you can use pre-made meatballs from the store. Either way, you can start with frozen meatballs to make this recipe.

    grape jelly and BBQ sauce in slow cooker
    Add jelly and BBQ sauce to slow cooker
    frozen meatballs pouring into crock
    Add frozen meatballs
    sauce coating teh meatballs in the crock pot
    Stir gently to coat meatballs
    1. First add the grape jelly and BBQ sauce to the slow cooker and stir. Then, add the frozen meatballs and stir gently to coat. Cover and cook on high for 3-3 ½ hours, stirring about halfway. The sauce will be bubbling when the mixture is ready.
    2. Once everything is heated through, be sure to turn the slow cooker to a much lower setting. This will help prevent the sauce from tasting “burned” from all the sugar in the jelly and BBQ sauce.

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    I'll email this post to you, so you can easily come back to it later!

    3 meatballs on asmall white plate with sauce pooling around them

    BBQ Meatball Recipe variations

    What can I substitute for the grape jelly?

    Apple jelly is an excellent substitute for the grape. Raspberry or strawberry jam can also be used.

    Can I use strawberry jelly instead of grape for meatballs?

    Yes, strawberry jelly can be substituted. The sweetness will be a little different but still delicious. You could also try other flavors – apricot preserves are a favorite of mine and I think they’d be awesome in this recipe.

    What can I substitute for the BBQ sauce?

    This recipe was originally popular when I was a kid (so a LONG time ago) using chili sauce in place of the BBQ sauce. Feel free to use chili sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce in place of the Sweet Baby Rays.

    What to serve with BBQ Jelly Meatballs

    Of course, these meatballs will fit in with any appetizer spread. I also enjoy them as a meal, and I like to serve them with rice and a veggie side and/or salad.

    How to store BBQ Meatballs

    Once the meatballs have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. If you prefer to freeze, they can be kept for up to 3 months.

    FAQs for these Jelly Meatballs

    How can I shorten the cooking time?

    To make this even quicker, start with thawed meatballs. You can also place the jelly and BBQ sauce in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for a minute or two in the microwave before adding to the crockpot, but I’m not sure that would have much effect. The biggest factor is the temperature of the meatballs, if they are thawed and at room temperature the sauce will be bubbling in about an hour.

    📖 Recipe

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    grape jelly bbq meatballs on a small white plate
    5 from 61 votes
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    Meatballs with Grape Jelly and BBQ Sauce

    This classic appetizer never goes out of style!
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time3 hours hrs
    Total Time3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 20
    Calories: 234kcal
    Author: Sula

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds frozen meatballs
    • 18 oz grape jelly about 2 cups
    • 18 oz BBQ sauce about 2 cups

    Instructions

    • Place the jelly and BBQ sauce in a large slow cooker.
      18 oz grape jelly, 18 oz BBQ sauce
    • Add meatballs and stir gently to coat.
      2 pounds frozen meatballs
    • Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 4-6 hours, until heated through. Sauce will be bubbly. Lower heat while serving.

    Video

    Notes

    Serving size is approximately 3 meatballs.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

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    Comments

    1. Toni

      September 21, 2021 at 12:04 pm

      5 stars
      It was a really huge hit with my family! So flavorful and delicious!

      Reply
      • Sula

        September 21, 2021 at 4:46 pm

        Wonderful, thanks for letting me know!

        Reply
    2. Emily Flint

      September 20, 2021 at 9:16 am

      5 stars
      I had a similar appetizer years ago and have been looking for the recipe ever since. I had no idea it would be so easy!! Yay!

      Reply
      • Sula

        September 21, 2021 at 4:46 pm

        Go for it!

        Reply
      • Vince

        May 22, 2024 at 10:42 pm

        serving size says 3 but it's 2lb of meatballs?!

        Reply
        • Sula

          May 24, 2024 at 8:01 pm

          It depends upon the size of meatballs you make. My estimates were that 2 pounds of meat makes about 60 small meatballs.

          Reply
    3. Kayla DiMaggio

      September 20, 2021 at 7:13 am

      5 stars
      This is my favorite appetizer to bring to events. So easy and delicious and always a hit!

      Reply
      • Sula

        September 21, 2021 at 4:46 pm

        Yes its one you can't go wrong with!

        Reply
    5 from 61 votes (58 ratings without comment)

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