For Easy Crockpot Cocktail Meatballs, You Only Need 3 Ingredients

Besides using pimento cheese to transform crostini into a party-favorite appetizer, you can create a more fulfilling, crowd-pleasing snack with slow-cooker meatballs. Sure enough, to make this versatile dish, you just need to combine fully-cooked meatballs with two store-bought condiments: grape jelly and barbecue sauce.

More specifically, dump a full bag of frozen meatballs — or roughly 50 homemade pre-cooked meatballs — to your slow cooker. Then pour in one 18-ounce bottle of barbecue sauce and one 18-ounce jar of grape jelly. Cook the meatballs on "low" for up to four hours, or "high" for a maximum of two to three hours. Once they're heated through, switch the slow cooker to the "warm" setting for easy serving.

Feel free to adjust the amount of each condiment to customize the flavor profile. For example, if you'd like to offset the sweetness of the grape jelly, choose a barbecue sauce with more vinegar and less brown sugar. Alternatively, experiment with other jelly flavors like raspberry preserves or canned cranberry sauce. There are plenty of ingredient variations you can try to make tasty cocktail meatballs.

If you want your meatballs to have a more robust flavor, swap out the barbecue sauce for chili sauce. For meatballs with a kick, use an Asian chili sauce made from chili peppers, sugar, garlic, and spices. For a milder option, try a tomato-based chili sauce like this one from Heinz. To really tone down the heat, use more fruit jelly than chili sauce, or add a bit of honey or pineapple juice. Conversely, to create spicier meatballs, swap out the grape jelly with pepper jelly, which is made from jalapeños or red peppers and offers a distinct balance of sweet and spicy flavors.

Once you feel comfortable experimenting with different combinations of barbecue sauce, chili sauce, and fruit-based jellies, consider incorporating unique powerhouse pantry ingredients like maple syrup or peanut butter. Try making your next batch of meatballs with an Asian-style peanut sauce composed of peanut butter, soy sauce, and maple syrup.

While using a variety of condiments is an easy way to elevate frozen meatballs, you can also switch up the primary ingredient to suit your taste. Instead of traditional beef meatballs, try chicken or turkey varieties. Alternatively, swap out the meatballs entirely with pre-cooked mini sausages for a fun twist.