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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.
I want these, I need these, I must have these. Anything with bourbon is all right in my book.
I’m not too proud to admit that I’ll happily park my hiney between the meatballs and a cheese platter at a party and be happy for the rest of my life. That bourbon barbecue sauce looks perfect!
I would love to see these at any holiday party!! I will have to make these for my next get together-love that sauce!!
I’m all about the meatball as a holiday appetizer. Bourbon and bbq sauce makes these meatballs ones I would stand in line for!
I must be going to all the wrong holiday parties – I rarely see meatballs anywhere 😉 I love that you added bourbon to your bbq sauce – I will definitely give this a try! Your photos are beautiful, too!!
I love bourbon. It’s my liquor of choice alongside whiskey. I’m going to try this with some blended bourbon I found this week. 5 different barrel-aged bourbon. It’s killer. And 100 proof. And I’m 100% positive these are amazing.
I love Anolon’s stuff! I wish I could have brought my set over here with me but it was too heavy. 🙁 And hooray to bourbon in the sauce!
drunken meat balls! delicious hehe
I’ve never seen meatballs look so lovely. Perfect for watching Sunday football!
I get excited when I see meatballs at a party, too. It doesn’t get better than meatballs in a delicious sauce. I want to make some now.