These Maple Hot Honey Meatballs are golden, glossy meatballs glazed in a sweet-spicy maple hot honey sauce that clings to every bite. These are the kind of party appetizer people hover around the platter for.
These meatballs bring big, bold flavor with very little effort, which is exactly what you want from a party appetizer. They are easy enough to whip up for a casual weeknight snack, yet impressive enough to serve at your next game day spread or holiday gathering. Best of all, this recipe makes a generous batch of 24, so there is plenty to go around.
Helpful Tips
- Grate the onion and garlic: Grating instead of chopping breaks them down finer, so they disappear into the meat mixture and keep the meatballs tender rather than leaving crunchy bits.
- Don’t overwork the meat: Mix the meatball ingredients just until combined, since overmixing compacts the proteins and leads to dense, tough meatballs instead of tender ones.
- Scrape the pan well: Those browned bits left behind from searing the meatballs are packed with flavor, so be sure to scrape them up as the sauce simmers for the most flavorful glaze.
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Maple Hot Honey Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons grated onion
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
For the maple hot honey sauce:
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons hot honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix just until combined.
- Form the mixture into about 24 small meatballs, roughly 1 inch each.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through. Transfer the meatballs to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the maple syrup, hot honey, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, butter, and a small pinch of salt to the same pan.
- Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Return the meatballs to the pan and toss to coat. Simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the glaze is glossy and clings to the meatballs.
- Serve warm with toothpicks, spooning any extra maple hot honey glaze over the top.
Nutrition
Angela’s passion for discovering and experimenting with new flavors and recipes is at the heart of her culinary philosophy. Residing in a quaint Oregon town, she finds joy and inspiration in her kitchen. Angela has a lot of expertise in cooking and she eagerly shares her discoveries and unique creations with you.