Irresistible Champagne Cranberry Cocktail Meatballs
Sweet, savory, and tart cocktail meatballs made with ground beef, whole berry cranberry sauce, and flat champagne. These easy-to-make appetizers are perfect for parties and come together in under 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Total Time: 38 minutes
- Yield: 30-35 meatballs (approx. 6 servings) 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) 80/20 ground beef
- 1 cup (240g) whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) champagne (flat is fine)
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) ketchup
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon (2g) dry mustard
- 1/2 cup (45g) panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Generous crack of black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground beef, egg, panko breadcrumbs, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined; do not overmix.
- Form the mixture into 1-inch balls (about 30-35 meatballs) and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs for 15-18 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.
- While meatballs bake, combine cranberry sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, champagne, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk until brown sugar is dissolved and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce is glossy and thickened.
- Gently toss the baked meatballs into the warm sauce.
- Serve warm with toothpicks or small forks.
Notes
Do not use jellied cranberry sauce; whole berry is required for texture. Do not overmix the meat to avoid tough meatballs. For a gluten-free version, swap panko for gluten-free breadcrumbs and ensure Worcestershire sauce is certified gluten-free. Can be kept warm in a slow cooker on ‘warm’ setting for parties.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 meatballs
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 8
Keywords: cocktail meatballs, cranberry sauce, champagne recipe, party appetizer, easy meatballs, holiday appetizer, sweet and savory