Crockpot Apple Butter Bourbon Meatballs

These Crockpot Apple Butter Bourbon Meatballs are made with just five ingredients with five minutes of prep work.

Made with apple butter and barbecue sauce, these delicious meatballs are tender and juicy with a sweet and tangy flavor.

What are Bourbon Meatballs?

Bourbon meatballs are meatballs that are cooked in a sauce that includes bourbon, which adds both moistures and flavor, resulting is flavorful and tender meatballs.

I like that this is basically a 'dump and slow cook' recipe making it beyond easy to make a great dish!

Have you tried my recipe for Crockpot Coca Cola Meatballs (3 ingredients)?

Those meatballs are made with three ingredients including soda. Both this recipe for apple butter and bourbon meatballs and that recipe for cola meatballs are easy and tasty meatball recipes that can be made in a slow cooker using a great 'hack' ingredients.

To make this recipe you will need Apple Butter. You can find great tasting apple butter here.

Why we love Slow Cooker Bourbon Meatballs.

This is really an easy and foolproof recipe idea.
All you need to do is place the ingredients into your slow cooker and let the slow cooker do all of the work.

Here is what else we like about this recipe.

• Slow cooker meatballs are perfect for sharing at for parties, tailgates, or potluck gatherings.
• Using bourbon is the perfect hack as it adds both moisture and flavor.
• These meatballs can be served as an appetizer, meal, or used in another recipe such as a sandwich.
• Personalizing this recipe is as easy as adding hot sauce or some sliced onions.
• Meatballs are almost always a hit when served to a crowd.
• These meatballs taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to meld together.

Ingredients needed to make bourbon and apple butter meatballs.

• Apple Butter. This adds flavor, moisture, some thickening to the sauce.
• Barbecue Sauce. You can use the barbecue sauce of your choice.
• Bourbon. Cheap bourbon can be used or if you are partial to a certain bourbon, you can use that.
• Chili Powder. Adds a nice bite to balance out the other flavors.
• Meatballs. Use the frozen and precooked meatballs such as the ones found at warehouse club (where I get mine from).
• Optional- hot sauce.

Tips for making the best slow cooker bourbon meatballs with apple butter.

For the frozen meatballs, select standard or cocktail sized meatballs, not jumbo sized meatballs. They are usually about a half ounce to one once each.

More helpful tips for you.

1. When selecting a barbecue sauce, select one that will complement your apple butter in flavor. Basic or honey barbecue sauce are nice choices.
2. Use meatballs that are all (close to) the same size. This will ensure that your meatballs slow cook evenly.
3. Keep an eye on your meatballs while they slow cook and stir them occasionally. If the sauce seems to get too thick you can can add additional sauce or if it is too thin you can take the cover off the slow cooker for a short time.
4. Not a fan of apple butter? Try peach butter or a similar fruit butter.
5. After your meatballs are done slow cooking, let them rest for 15-20 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
6. My meatballs were slow cooked in a large crockpot. Depending on the size of your slow cooker, you may need to cut the ingredient amounts in half, make this in batches, or use an additional slow cooker to make this recipe.

How to make Crockpot Apple Butter Bourbon Meatballs

Prep Time: 5 minutes .
Slow Cook Time : 2-3 hours on high or 4-5 hours on low .
Servings : 32 servings .

1. I like to give my slow cooker a quick spray with nonstick or use a slow cooker liner for an easier clean up.
2. Place your frozen meatballs into your slow cooker.
3. In a medium bowl, use a whisk to combine together the apple butter, barbecue sauce, bourbon, chili powder, and optional hot sauce.
4. Pour half of the mixture from the bowl over the meatballs in your slow cooker and then use two wooden spoons or similar utensils to toss the meatballs. Then repeat this process with the remaining sauce.
5. Cover the meatballs and slow cook for two to three hours on high (or four to five on low). Keep an eye on your meatballs as they cook, stirring every half hour or so.
6. When your meatballs are done slow cooking you can stir the ingredients and allow them to set until you are ready to serve.
7. If your sauce is thin while it is cooking you can try removing the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking to allow some liquid to evaporate.

Expert Tip 👉 Have plenty of cocktail toothpicks or cocktail forks on hand to make it easy to enjoy these meatballs!

How to store Apple Butter Bourbon Meatballs

Once your Apple Butter Bourbon Meatballs have fully cooled, you can store your leftovers in an airtight container (some plastic may not work well with the sauce) or covered slow cooker. When properly stored, these meatballs should keep refrigerated for about four days or frozen for up to three months.

You may also be interested in these crockpot slow cooker recipes.

• Slow Cooker Chinese Style Spare Ribs
• Crockpot Lemon Pepper Chicken
• Slow Cooker Chorizo Queso Dip.
• Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken (Crockpot)
• Crockpot (slow cooker) Chipotle Chicken Pasta
• Crock Pot Jalapeno Popper Dip Recipe (slow cooker)

Print the recipe for Crockpot Apple Butter Bourbon Meatballs

Crockpot Apple Butter Bourbon Meatballs, a delicious 5 ingredient appetizer or meal recipe slow cooked to perfection.

Please see recipe post for further details on this recipe.