Slow Cooker Apple Butter Meatballs Recipe
These Slow Cooker Apple Butter Meatballs combine the sweet and tangy flavors of apple butter, chili sauce, and warm spices for a comforting and flavorful appetizer or main dish. Ideal for slow cooking, this recipe features tender meatballs simmered in a rich sauce made with maple syrup, molasses, and aromatic spices, creating a perfect balance of sweet and savory that’s great for parties or family dinners.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours on HIGH or 5 hours on LOW
- Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes (HIGH) or 5 hours 10 minutes (LOW)
- Yield: Approximately 40 meatballs, serves 8-10 as an appetizer 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce Ingredients
- 12 oz. bottle chili sauce (Heinz Chili Sauce recommended; avoid sriracha or Thai sweet chili sauce)
- 1 ½ cups apple butter (Musselman’s Apple Butter preferred)
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. molasses
- ¼ tsp. ground cloves
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon (or allspice as an alternative)
Meatballs
- 40 oz. frozen precooked meatballs (two 20 oz. bags)
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In the slow cooker, combine the chili sauce, apple butter, maple syrup, molasses, ground cloves, and ground cinnamon. Stir thoroughly to blend all the ingredients into a smooth, flavorful sauce.
- Add the meatballs: Place the frozen precooked meatballs directly into the sauce in the slow cooker. Toss gently to ensure each meatball is well coated with the sauce.
- Cook the meatballs: Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2.5 to 3 hours or on LOW for 4 to 5 hours. Stir occasionally during cooking to prevent the meatballs from burning on the edges.
- Serve: Serve the apple butter meatballs hot as an appetizer or as a main dish over mashed potatoes or rice accompanied by roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use Heinz Chili Sauce for the optimal flavor and avoid substituting with spicy or sweet chili sauces that drastically change the taste.
- Frozen precooked meatballs save time and work best in the slow cooker for even cooking.
- Stir the meatballs occasionally during cooking to prevent sticking and burning on the edges of the slow cooker.
- This dish can be served as a party appetizer or a hearty entrée.
- For a gluten-free version, verify the ingredients in your meatballs and chili sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 meatballs with sauce (about 140g)
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 14g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: slow cooker meatballs, apple butter meatballs, sweet and tangy meatballs, holiday appetizers, slow cooker recipes
