These juicy, tender Dr Pepper Meatballs are sticky, sweet, tangy and always a hit at a party! These cocktail meatballs are baked for easy convenience, can be made in advance for parties and reheat well!! Fair warning though, they are highly addictive!
*Updated*
This post was originally published in November 2015. I’ve updated the post below to include new photos and more information about Dr Pepper Meatballs. Plus, I’ve included step-by-step photos to show you how easy cocktail meatballs are to make!
Hi, friends! With football season well under way I figured it was high time I shared one of my all-time favorite cocktail meatball recipes with you.
If you are a fan of tender, sticky, insanely delicious meatballs, you are going to absolutely love these!
However, I feel like this recipe needs to come with a fair warning. If you serve these meatballs at your party, be prepared for them to disappear in the blink of an eye. You have been warned! You may want to do yourself a favor and double (or even triple) the recipe!
Dr Pepper Meatballs
These Dr Pepper Meatballs are seriously addicting and lick your fingers clean type of yum!!
Plump, juicy, tender meatballs loaded with savory flavors and a touch of jalapeno spice. Tossed in a sticky, sweet and tangy Dr Pepper glaze, these meatballs are nothing short of magical!
Rich and packed with a depth of flavors, these cocktail meatballs are pure comfort food at its finest! And trust me, they will disappear in the blink of an eye!
They are the perfect food for game day, or they would make a wonderful appetizer for your next holiday party!
What are Dr Pepper Meatballs?
Dr Pepper Meatballs are a type of cocktail meatball made from ground meat, breadcrumbs, grated onion, egg and seasoning.
Tossed in a sticky, sweet and tangy glaze made from Dr Pepper soda, the meatballs can either be baked, pan-fried or cooked in the crockpot depending on the recipe.
What to serve with Dr Pepper cocktail meatballs?
Cocktail meatballs pair well with a wide variety of dishes! Whether you are looking to include Dr Pepper Meatballs as a part of your tailgate spread, or enjoy them for dinner, these appetizer and side dishes will round out your menu!
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Cheesy Dip
- Chicken Wings
- Jalapeno Poppers
- Rice – regular rice, cauliflower rice or quinoa
- Noodles – any variety
- Sauteed peppers and onions
How to make Dr Pepper Meatballs?
Dr pepper meatballs are easy to prepare and can be made in advance! And, since they are baked and not pan fried, they are healthier than other cocktail meatball options!
In a hurry? If you are in a pinch and want to save time, you can use frozen meatballs instead of making your own from scratch. Be sure to prepare the meatballs according to the instructions on the meatball packaging.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spray the wire rack generously with non-stick cooking oil.
- Soak bread crumbs: Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Pour milk over the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Prepare meatballs: In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add in the onion, jalapeno, parsley, and Worcestershire. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a scant ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Add meat: Add the soaked breadcrumbs and ground meat to the egg mixture. Using your hands, gently mix everything together until just blended (but do NOT overmix!!). The meatball mixture should be moist.
- Form the meatballs: With wet hands (to keep meatballs from sticking) or a small ice cream scooper, portion out 1 ½ tablespoon-sized meatballs. Gently roll the meatball mixture between your fingers to form into balls. Continue shaping and forming meatballs until all the meat is used, transferring the meatballs onto the prepared rack, about 1/2-inch apart.
- Bake meatballs: Bake the meatballs for 20-25 minutes, or until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the meatball registers 165 degrees F. Remove the baking sheet from oven and IMMEDIATELY transfer the meatballs to a large bowl.
- While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sauce: In a large saucepan, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately lower heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce is coats the back of a spoon and is slightly thickened to a syrup consistency, about 10-12 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm on the stove while the meatballs finish baking.
- Toss meatballs in sauce: Pour enough sauce over the meatballs to coat. Gently toss. Serve with any remaining sauce on the side and garnish with fresh parsley or chives. Enjoy!
Step-by-step photos of how to make Dr Pepper meatballs:
Can you make cocktail meatballs in advance?
Meatballs can be made up to 2 days in advance.
If you want to prepare meatballs ahead of time for a party, prepare and roll the meatballs and then transfer them to an airtight container. Prepared meatballs can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, bake the meatballs, prepare the sauce, toss and enjoy!
How many cocktail meatballs per person?
The number of meatballs per person to serve at a party greatly depends on how many other appetizers you are serving. As a general rule of thumb, plan on three to five Dr Pepper Meatballs per person.
Pro-tip: Serving these at a party? Transfer the baked meatballs and sauce to a slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to the “warm” setting to keep them warm and fresh!
Do your next game day or holiday party right, and be sure to include these flavorful and fabulous meatballs on the menu!
Until next time, friends, cheers – to magical meatballs!
XOXO
Cheyanne
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The best Dr Pepper Meatball recipe 👇
These juicy, plump Dr Pepper Meatballs are sticky, sweet, tangy and always a hit at a party! These cocktail meatballs are baked for easy convenience, can be made in advance for parties and reheat well!! Fair warning though, they are highly addictive!
- 1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1/3 Cup Milk (2% or Whole)
- 1 large Egg
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion – grated or finely minced (about 1/2 cup) (SEE NOTES)
- 1 small Jalapeno - minced (SEE NOTES)
- 1 TBS Parsley Leaves - packed & finely chopped
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Pound Ground Beef, Ground Pork, or Mixture of Both (SEE NOTES)
- Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper
- 1 (12 oz) Can Dr Pepper
- 1 Cup Ketchup
- ¾ Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 ½ TBS Reduced-Sodium Soy Sauce
- 1 ½ TBS Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 ½ TBS Sriracha
- 1 ½ TBS Cornstarch
Preheat oven: Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Soak bread crumbs: Place the bread crumbs in a small bowl. Pour milk over breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Set aside.
Prepare baking sheet: Place a wire rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. Spray the wire rack generously with non-stick cooking oil.
Prepare meatballs: In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add onion, jalapeno, parsley, Worcestershire and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a scant ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir to combine.
Add meat: Add the soaked breadcrumbs and ground meat to the mixture. Using your hands, gently mix everything together until just blended (but do NOT overmix!!). The meatball mixture should be moist.
Form the meatballs: With wet hands (to keep meatballs from sticking) or a small ice cream scooper, portion out 1 ½ tablespoon-sized meatballs. Gently roll the meatball mixture between your fingers to form into balls. Continue shaping and forming meatballs until all the meat is used, transferring the meatballs onto the prepared rack, about 1/2-inch apart.
Bake meatballs: Bake the meatballs for 20-25 minutes, or until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the meatball registers 165 degrees F. Remove the baking sheet from oven and IMMEDIATELY transfer the meatballs to a large bowl.
While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sauce: In a large saucepan, whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately lower heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce is coats the back of a spoon and is slightly thickened to a syrup consistency, about 10-12 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep the sauce warm on the stove while the meatballs finish baking.
Toss meatballs in sauce: Pour enough sauce over the meatballs to coat. Gently toss. Serve with any remaining sauce on the side and garnish with fresh parsley or chives. Enjoy.
- Make sure you grate the onion using the large holes on a box grater.
- If you don’t like a ton of heat, remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeno before mincing.
- For the most flavor, use a combination of meats – ½ a pound ground beef (80/20 chuck) and ½ a pound pork.
- Dr Pepper Sauce: The recipe makes a good amount of sauce. If you don’t like saucy meatballs, cut the sauce recipe in half, or double the meatball portion of the recipe!
- To make in advance: Meatballs can be prepared and rolled up to 2 days in advance. Store meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Serving these at a party? Transfer the baked meatballs and sauce to a slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to the “warm” setting to keep them warm and fresh!
Yield: 25 Meatballs
Serves: Recipe serves 6-8; nutritional information based on 8 servings.
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