Cranberry Meatballs with Sour Cream Herb Dip (2024)

These Cranberry Meatballs with Sour Cream Herb Dip are an excellent appetizer for the holidays and parties.

All you need are frozen meatballs, cranberry sauce and chili sauce to whip up this sweet and tangy holiday favorite.

Not only can you quickly heat up these saucy meatballs on the stove top in minutes, but you can also utilize your slow cooker to make them ahead of time and stay warm.

Cranberry Meatballs

These tangy meatballs are a riff on the classic Grape Jelly Meatballs.

Rather than using grape jelly for the sweetness, we’re using cranberry sauce. You can use leftover Cranberry Sauce from Thanksgiving to make this easy appetizer or it’s perfectly fine to use store bought too!

Ingredients Needed

Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need in order to make these Cranberry Meatballs with a Sour Cream Herb Dipping Sauce. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.

For The Sauce:

• Sour Cream
• Mayo
• Chives
• Tarragon
• Parsley

For The Meatballs:

• Cranberry Sauce – canned or homemade
• Chili Sauce – found by the ketchup
• Meatballs – frozen or homemade

How To Make Cranberry Meatballs

Whenever I need a quick appetizer, these 3 ingredients meatballs are what I make. They heat up quickly on the stove top and everyone loves the sweet and tangy sauce.

COMBINE SAUCE

Whisk together the chili sauce and cranberry sauce in a large skillet over medium heat, until the mixture is smooth and starts to bubble.

ADD IN MEATBALLS

Stir in the meatballs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meatballs are heated through. Keep the pot covered while heating to make sure your sauce doesn’t thicken too much.

MAKE THE DIP

To make the easy sour cream dip, simply combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir.

The longer the dip sits, the more the herbs will enhance the flavor.

Slow Cooker Variation

When you’re planning a party and need an easy appetizer or finger food to serve, utilizing your slow cooker is the way to go.

You can easily toss the cranberry and chili sauce with the meatballs into the slow cooker and heat on low, until the meatballs are heated through. It should only take about 2 to 3 hours on low heat.

PRO TIP: Use a slow cooker liner to make clean up a breeze!

More Finger Food Appetizer Recipes

I love bringing these meatballs to parties because everyone always loves them.

Here are more delicious finger-food recipes that are sure to be a smash at your next party or potluck!

• Shrimp Taco Bites
• Hawaiian Burger Bites
• Air Fryer Jalapeno Poppers
• Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

I can’t wait for you to give these saucy co*cktail meatballs a try! I know you’re going to love them.

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