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Cranberry Meatball Skewers - A Festive, Crowd-Pleasing Appetizer

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • For the meatballs (or use 24–30 small frozen meatballs):
  • 1 pound ground beef or turkey
  • 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (panko or regular)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk or water
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 small onion, grated or very finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
  • For the cranberry glaze:
  • 1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce (canned or homemade)
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey or brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1–2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • To finish:
  • Skewers or sturdy toothpicks
  • Chopped parsley or sliced green onion, for garnish
  • Orange zest, optional for brightness

Method
 

  1. Preheat and prep: Heat your oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment and lightly oil it.
  2. Mix the meatballs: In a bowl, combine ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, garlic, onion, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and parsley. Stir lightly with a fork or your hands until just combined. Don’t overmix.
  3. Shape and bake: Roll into small meatballs, about 1 to 1.25 inches wide (roughly 24–30 pieces). Place on the prepared pan and bake 12–15 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly browned. If using frozen meatballs, bake according to package directions.
  4. Make the glaze: While the meatballs bake, whisk cranberry sauce, ketchup, soy, honey, Dijon, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and grated garlic in a saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring until smooth and glossy, 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust with more vinegar for tang or honey for sweetness.
  5. Coat the meatballs: Transfer baked meatballs to a large bowl, pour over about two-thirds of the glaze, and toss gently to coat.
  6. Broil for shine: Return coated meatballs to the sheet pan. Switch the oven to broil. Broil 2–3 minutes, watching closely, until the glaze bubbles and caramelizes slightly. Brush with extra glaze as needed.
  7. Skewer and garnish: Thread 2–3 meatballs onto each skewer. Drizzle with any remaining glaze. Sprinkle with parsley or green onion and a touch of orange zest if you like.
  8. Serve warm: Arrange on a platter with extra skewers or toothpicks on the side for easy grabbing.