Classic cocktail meatballs have been a popular appetizer for years and for good reason, but I gave them a sweet and spicy update with spicy pepper jelly and sweet and tangy bbq sauce. These slow cooker sweet and spicy pepper jelly meatballs are going to quickly become your new favorite appetizer to take to any gathering all year long. Not only are they easy to prep, but the slow cooker does the work for you making them ideal for the busy holiday season.

These meatballs are sweet and spicy and are irresistible to anyone who tries them. I can promise there won’t be any leftovers if you bring these to any holiday gathering this season. I use a mix of beef and pork for the meatballs and simply bake them off in the oven and then add them straight into the slow cooker with the sauce. The slow cooker will slowly cook the sauce with the meatballs and will create a thick sauce that coats the meatballs perfectly. You can serve them straight out of the crockpot warm or even room temperature on a platter. Either way you serve them up, they will be delicious.

Variations of this recipe:

• Instead of making homemade meatballs, feel free to buy store bought ones to simplify this recipe even further.

• Use a mild pepper jelly if you prefer them to not be spicy or more kid friendly.

• Use all ground beef, ground pork, or even ground turkey instead of a combination of two for the meatballs.

• Make the meatballs in advance and then simply add to the sauce when ready to cook and serve the day of the party.

Ingredients:

• 1 Lb. Ground Beef

• 1 Lb. Ground Pork

• 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

• 1 Tsp. Kosher Salt

• 1 Tsp. Black Pepper

• 1/2 Tsp. Steak Seasoning

• 1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs

• 1 Egg

For the sauce-

• 1 Jar Serrano Pepper Jelly (or other hot pepper jelly)

• 1 Bottle BBQ Sauce (I used Kansas City Style)

• 1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard

• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Mix ground beef, ground pork, salt, pepper, steak seasoning, 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, and egg in a bowl and using hands mix until well combined.

• Roll the meat into 1” balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes until cooked through.

• Meanwhile mix together pepper jelly, bbq sauce, dijon, and Worcestershire sauce in the slow cooker.

• When meatballs are done cooking, add them into the sauce and stir to coat completely.

• Cook on low for 4 hours until the sauce has thickened.

• Serve as is warm, or at room temperature on a platter.

These slow cooker sweet and spicy pepper jelly meatballs are just the best and I can’t wait for you to give them a try for yourself.