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–+ servings

Dr Pepper Meatballs

Overhead photo of two dozen Dr Pepper meatballs garnished with slices of jalapeno pepper and lime wedges.
Get ready to wow with this recipe for Dr Pepper meatballs! Featuring juicy, tender jalapeno flavored beef meatballs drenched in an irresistible soda glaze that brings the perfect blend of sweetness and heat. These easy-to-make cocktail balls are effortlessly baked and easy to reheat, making them a party favorite that’s as convenient as they are delicious.
Author: Cheyanne Holzworth
Total Time: 45 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Equipment

  • 2 Mixing Bowls
  • 1 Wire Rack
  • 1 Rimmed Baking Sheet
  • 1 Large Saucepan

Ingredients

Jalapeno Meatballs

Dr Pepper Glaze

Instructions

  • Make Panade: Place the bread crumbs into a small bowl and then pour the milk over breadcrumbs. Use a whisk or spoon and stir the ingredients to fully combine.
    Then set the bowl aside and let the breadcrumbs soak in the milk while you continue on preparing the recipe.
  • Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Adjust the oven rack to the center position. Then preheat the oven to 400-degrees F.
    Place a wire rack on top of a large rimmed baking sheet. Then, spray the wire rack generously with non-stick cooking oil and set the pan aside.
  • Start Jalapeno Meatball Mixture:  In a large bowl, whisk the egg.
    Then, add the onions, jalapeños, parsley, Worcestershire, and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a scant ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir the ingredients well to combine.
  • Add Ground Beef and Breadcrumbs: Add the soaked breadcrumbs (panade you made in step 1) and ground meat to the egg mixture. 
    Next, use your hands to gently mix everything together until the ingredients are *just* blended, but NOT over-mixed. (Note: Avoid over-mixing or overly holding the ground beef mixture. 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 a 1 ½ tablespoon-sized meatball. Then use your hands to gently roll the mixture into a small ball. Once you've rolled the meatball, transfer it onto the prepared wire rack.
    Continue shaping and forming meatballs until all the meat is used - transferring the meatballs onto the prepared rack and arranging them so they are about a 1/2-inch apart.
  • Bake Meatballs:  Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven 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, Make the Dr Pepper Glaze: To a large saucepan, add alll the ingredients for the dr pepper soda glaze. Then, season to taste with salt and pepper. 
    Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, immediately lower the heat to maintain a simmer. 
    Simmer, whisking occasionally, until coca cola glaze has thickened to a syrup consistency and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10-12 minutes. 
    Taste the glaze and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. 
    If needed, keep the sauce warm on the stove while the meatballs finish baking - stirring occasionally
  • Glaze the Meatballs: Pour enough sauce over the meatballs to generously coat them and then gently toss to coat.
  • Garnish and Serve: Transfer the dr pepper glazed jalapeno meatballs to a serving platter and garnish with thinly sliced jalapenos, chopped fresh parsley, and/or snipped chives. Enjoy immediately with any remaining dr pepper sauce on the side.
    Overhead photo of two dozen Dr Pepper meatballs garnished with slices of jalapeno pepper and lime wedges.

Notes

  • Onion: Make sure you grate the onion using the large holes on a box grater.
  • Jalapeno Peppers: If you don’t like a ton of heat, remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeno before mincing.
  • Ground Meat: For the most flavor, use a combination of meats – ½ a pound ground beef (80/20 chuck) and ½ a pound pork.
  • Dr Pepper Glaze:  The recipe makes a good amount of sauce.  If you don’t like saucy meatballs, cut the sauce recipe in half. Alternatively, you can 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!
  • Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You'll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
  • Got questions? I've got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification - please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I'm happy to help when I can! 
  • Yield: approximately 25 Meatballs
  • Recipe Serves:  6-8
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and the nutrition facts are an estimate based upon 8 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal    Carbohydrates: 35g    Protein: 15g    Fat: 4g    Saturated Fat: 2g    Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g    Monounsaturated Fat: 2g    Trans Fat: 0.2g    Cholesterol: 59mg    Sodium: 581mg    Potassium: 410mg    Fiber: 1g    Sugar: 28g    Vitamin A: 266IU    Vitamin C: 7mg    Calcium: 58mg    Iron: 2mg
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American