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These slow cooker bourbon BBQ meatballs are the perfect holiday appetizer. They are easy to make and packed full of bourbon BBQ sauce flavor.
If there is one thing I love more than anything else, it’s party meatballs. That is why I knew I had to update this old bourbon BBQ meatballs recipe and give it a fresh 2024 spin.
Want to know what that spin was? Heating it all in the slow cooker! It makes these meatballs perfect for parties and holiday meals. I should also add these meatballs are also excellent when eaten as dinner spooned over rice.
The base of the sauce is storebought BBQ sauce, which I added extra flavor to by pouring in bourbon, brown sugar, molasses, garlic, Dijon mustard, and red pepper flakes.
It’s the perfect combination of flavors to create the easiest BBQ meatball recipe EVER.
These meatballs are a fantastic option for Thanksgiving and Christmas appetizers, New Year’s Eve parties, or any other potluck dinner or party.
Ingredients needed
- Frozen beef meatballs
- BBQ sauce
- Bourbon
- Molasses
- Brown sugar
- Grated onion
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Crushed red pepper
My Pro Tips
Bourbon BBQ meatballs recipe tips
Use a frozen beef meatball with no added specialty spices like Italian seasoning.
You can substitute turkey meatballs for beef.
Use an unsulphured molasses, NOT blackstrap molasses.
Add up to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper if you want a spicier BBQ sauce.
I’m using store-bought Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce as the base of my sauce.
After cooking, if you want a looser sauce, add a little beef stock.
FAQ’s
More appetizer recipes
Bourbon BBQ Meatballs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 32 ounces frozen beef meatballs, fully cooked
- 2 cups BBQ sauce
- ⅓ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon grated garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add frozen meatballs to the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together bbq sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, molasses, grated garlic, Dijon mustard, and crushed red pepper.
- Add the sauce to the crock and toss to combine.
- Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 4 hours.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These just might be the yummiest meatballs, eeever! Love the spices in the meatballs, and the sauce…I would lick that sauce off of my fingers, and that’s not something that I normally do!
That sauce looks killer. This is the PERFECT party appetizer! Love!
Well I did trip over there and get the recipe. They looked so danged delicious I knew I had to pin it. And I did! Sore!
These are definitely going on our holiday menu! And now I want meatballs for breakfast!
Bourbon BBQ…you have me sold!!! These sound absolutely amazing! I always get excited when I see meatballs at parties too. They are one of my fav apps!
Bourbon in BBQ… is there any other way? mmmmm xoxo
My family would go crazy for these meatballs!
This may sound silly to ask, but will we feel the effect of the alcohol once it’s cooked into a sauce or is it more for flavour? Looking for recipes to get me buzzed since I don’t like actually “drinking” alcohol in any way, can’t go down properly.
Hi Tiffany! Unfortunately no. The alcohol will cook off as the meatballs cooks 🙂 You’re left with the flavor of the bourbon but not the boozy side effects.
For your Bourbon Meatballs, does the quality of bourbon impact the flavour? I’m not a huge alcohol fan, so I wouldn’t have a clue!
Probably a stupid question but are your frozen meatballs raw or cooked?
Can’t wait to make these!