🎉 Introduction
These Christmas Cranberry Sweet Savory Holiday Meatballs are a festive, flavorful appetizer that brings the magic of the holidays to your table. They’re juicy, tender, sweet, tangy, and beautifully glazed — making them perfect for Christmas parties, potlucks, family dinners, and holiday grazing boards.
Made with ground beef or turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, parmesan cheese, and warm seasonings, these meatballs are flavorful and satisfying. The cranberry glaze, enhanced with Dijon mustard, soy sauce, and brown sugar, creates a glossy coating that delivers the perfect balance of sweet and savory — a true Christmas classic.
Easy to prepare and guaranteed to impress, these meatballs will quickly become one of your holiday favorites.
🧰 Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Small saucepan
- Whisk or spoon
- Measuring cups
- Oven
🛒 Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1 egg
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cranberry Glaze
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
👩🍳 Directions
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a mixing bowl, combine ground meat, egg, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Mix until just combined, then shape into small meatballs.
Step 4: Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for 15–18 minutes until cooked through and lightly golden.
Step 5: In a saucepan, whisk together cranberry sauce, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, and brown sugar.
Step 6: Simmer over medium heat until smooth, glossy, and slightly thickened.
Step 7: Add the cooked meatballs to the sauce and gently stir to coat evenly.
Step 8: Serve warm with fresh herbs or extra cranberry sauce on the side.
🍽️ Servings & Timing
- Servings: 6–8
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
🧊 Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator
3–4 days in an airtight container.
Freezer
Up to 2 months (freeze sauce + meatballs separately).
Reheating
- Skillet: 5 minutes on low
- Microwave: 1 minute
- Oven: 300°F for 10 minutes
🥄 Variations
⭐ Spicy Cranberry Meatballs
Add chili flakes or hot sauce.
⭐ Orange Cranberry Glaze
Add 2 tbsp orange juice + 1 tsp zest.
⭐ Maple Cranberry Meatballs
Replace brown sugar with maple syrup.
⭐ BBQ Cranberry Style
Add ¼ cup barbecue sauce.
⭐ Turkey Holiday Meatballs
Use ground turkey for a lighter version.
⭐ Cheesy Meatballs
Add mozzarella cubes inside each meatball.
❓ 10 FAQs
1. Can I use chicken instead of beef or turkey?
Yes — ground chicken works beautifully.
2. Can I use whole cranberry sauce?
Yes — texture will be chunkier but delicious.
3. Can I fry the meatballs instead of baking?
Yes — pan-fry for 7–8 minutes until cooked.
4. Can I prepare them ahead?
Yes — store uncooked meatballs in the fridge for 24 hours.
5. Can I make them gluten-free?
Use gluten-free breadcrumbs.
6. Can I double the glaze?
Absolutely — great for dipping.
7. Can I use honey instead of brown sugar?
Yes — use 1 tbsp honey.
8. Are they halal?
Yes — use halal ground meat + soy sauce.
9. What’s the best size for the meatballs?
1–1.5 inches for appetizers.
10. Why are my meatballs dry?
Add extra breadcrumbs or don’t overcook.
🏁 Conclusion
These Christmas Cranberry Sweet Savory Holiday Meatballs are the perfect holiday appetizer — juicy, glossy, sweet, savory, and loaded with festive flavor. They’re simple to make, beautiful on the table, and guaranteed to be a hit at every Christmas gathering.
Serve them with toothpicks, over mashed potatoes, or in a holiday grazing bowl for a warm and comforting Christmas treat.
Christmas Cranberry Sweet Savory Holiday Meatballs
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Notes
Refrigerator 3–4 days in an airtight container. Freezer Up to 2 months (freeze sauce + meatballs separately). Reheating Skillet: 5 minutes on low Microwave: 1 minute Oven: 300°F for 10 minutes 🥄 Variations
⭐ Spicy Cranberry Meatballs Add chili flakes or hot sauce. ⭐ Orange Cranberry Glaze Add 2 tbsp orange juice + 1 tsp zest. ⭐ Maple Cranberry Meatballs Replace brown sugar with maple syrup. ⭐ BBQ Cranberry Style Add ¼ cup barbecue sauce. ⭐ Turkey Holiday Meatballs Use ground turkey for a lighter version. ⭐ Cheesy Meatballs Add mozzarella cubes inside each meatball. ❓ 10 FAQs
1. Can I use chicken instead of beef or turkey? Yes — ground chicken works beautifully. 2. Can I use whole cranberry sauce? Yes — texture will be chunkier but delicious. 3. Can I fry the meatballs instead of baking? Yes — pan-fry for 7–8 minutes until cooked. 4. Can I prepare them ahead? Yes — store uncooked meatballs in the fridge for 24 hours. 5. Can I make them gluten-free? Use gluten-free breadcrumbs. 6. Can I double the glaze? Absolutely — great for dipping. 7. Can I use honey instead of brown sugar? Yes — use 1 tbsp honey. 8. Are they halal? Yes — use halal ground meat + soy sauce. 9. What’s the best size for the meatballs? 1–1.5 inches for appetizers. 10. Why are my meatballs dry? Add extra breadcrumbs or don’t overcook. 🏁 Conclusion These Christmas Cranberry Sweet Savory Holiday Meatballs are the perfect holiday appetizer — juicy, glossy, sweet, savory, and loaded with festive flavor. They’re simple to make, beautiful on the table, and guaranteed to be a hit at every Christmas gathering. Serve them with toothpicks, over mashed potatoes, or in a holiday grazing bowl for a warm and comforting Christmas treat.
