Pigs in Blanket with hot dogs wrapped in Homemade Crescent Rolls! This appetizer can be made like mini pigs in a blanket using Lil smokies or make the classic pigs in a blanket recipe using pork or beef smoked sausage. You will love this Pig in a Blanket recipe, from scratch!
We love crescent roll recipes even more now that we have a Pillsbury crescent rolls copycat! This crescent roll dough can be used for wrapping hot dogs, stuffed with ham and cheese, or making a Pigs in a Blanket wreath! It can be as simple as a finger food appetizer or wrapped and served for a festive Christmas dinner! The possibilities are so many with this universal pastry dough!
What is Pigs in a Blanket?
Pigs in a blanket are hot dogs or small sausages in crescent rolls. Typically these small appetizers are wrapped around sausages like Lil smokies (cocktail franks) or pork frankfurters (hot dogs). Sometimes they are called piglets in a blanket or pork sausage links in blankets. This simple combination is a popular American hors d’oeuvre traced back to 1940 when pork sausage links were wrapped in biscuit dough. Today, there are so many similar dishes throughout the world that make “sausage in dough” with different types of add-ins and bread pastries. We love this savory version dipped in ketchup and Chick-fil-a sauce!
How To Make Dough For Pigs In A Blanket:
To make pigs in a blanket dough, you will need to prepare this simple pastry dough which is known as canned crescent rolls. Crescent roll recipes are easier to work with than croissant dough or biscuit dough recipes and call for simple ingredients. Pigs in a blanket dough can be made ahead of time and refrigerated so, you make the dough the night before a party or gathering! Check out our homemade crescent rolls recipe with helpful tutorial pictures and storing tips. If you don’t have time to make pigs in a blanket from scratch, simply buy refrigerated Pillsbury crescent rolls.
Best Sausages To Use for Pigs in a Blanket:
Small hot dogs are the most popular sausages to use. Typically, franks are steamed making them easy to bite into and kid-friendly. A good pork-free option would be to use Nathan's Beef Franks or kosher hot dogs. Other smoked sausages are Polish Kielbasa, Lil smokies (also called cocktail sausage), and Chorizo links (Spanish-style sausages). Well-marbled links like bratwursts will be juicier when cooked.
Ingredients:
What is in pigs in a blanket? All you need for crescent roll pigs in a blanket are hot dogs and crescent pastry dough. They can be filled with cheese but we typically leave them plain and just serve them with dipping sauces instead. These can really be wrapped with any bread dough or even puff pastry if that’s all you have.
- Homemade Crescent Rolls- are not as fluffy as some other bread recipes making them perfect for serving hors d’oeuvre!
- Hot Dogs- I usually buy the full-length franks and cut them in half. For mini-size appetizers cut regular hot dogs into thirds or use Lil smokies. When using smaller sausages you will need to divide the dough into smaller portions.
Gluten-free Tip: wondering how to make pigs in a blanket without crescent rolls? Use a gluten-free crescent roll mix or simply wrap bacon around the hot dogs.
How To Make Pigs in a Blanket:
This recipe for pigs in a blanket is one of the easiest appetizer recipes to make with quick prep! It doesn’t take long to cook these in the oven and baking usually takes 15-20 minutes. If you have an air fryer you can cook these at 350°F for 8 minutes, flipping once in between. I love this USA pan it’s truly non-stick and doesn’t require any additional paper liners or mats.
- Cut the homemade crescent dough into two equal pieces and roll each piece into a 12×8 rectangle. Store one for later and use one for this recipe.
- Cut dough into 8 triangles using a bench scraper, (into 4 rectangles then each rectangle across diagonally.) This will make the canned sheet of dough you’d buy at the store.
- For halved hot dogs cut each triangle in half to make 16 triangles or for Lil smokies cut each triangle into thirds to make 23 triangles. You could also just roll out an 11-inch circle and cut it into the desired amount of wedges.
- Place the hot dog onto the widest side of the dough and roll it up.
- Transfer wrapped sausages into a 13×9 sheet pan or if making a double batch into an 18×13 pan.
- Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
How To Cut Crescent Rolls for pigs in a blanket from store-bought dough: cut each perforated triangle in half for (halved) hot dogs or into thirds for smokies.
Can You Make Pigs In A Blanket Ahead Of Time?
Homemade pigs in a blanket are perfect for making ahead of time! The night before baking prepare the crescent dough and store it in the fridge wrapped in parchment paper. Then on the day of baking follow the recipe instructions. You can make the dough for homemade crescent rolls and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days before using it in your favorite crescent roll recipes.
Can You Freeze Pigs In A Blanket?
You can freeze these before or after baking. Assemble and wrap each frank with unbaked dough and allow the dough to proof for 30 minutes. Then place the hot dog crescent rolls onto a freezer paper-lined baking sheet and flash freeze. Transfer rolls to a freezer bag and then keep frozen for up to 30 days.
To reheat frozen pigs in a blanket: preheat the oven to 400°F and bake frozen rolls for 22-25 minutes.
What Goes With Pigs In A Blanket?
So, you just made a big bowl of these appetizers and are wondering what to serve with pigs in a blanket? No doubt you need a good dipping sauce to accompany this type of food but here are some more ideas for sauce and what goes best to eat with this dish! These can also complete a main course meal as the bread side.
- Serve these small finger foods with your favorite dipping sauce like yellow mustard, Chick-fil-a sauce (an aioli condiment with bbq sauce), Spicy Mayo, creamy horseradish, spicy mustard sauce, honey mustard sauce, or Ketchup. We even have a homemade BBQ sauce recipe that you can make at home! A hot cheese dip is a good dip option too!
- Fill with cheese and other vegetables for a meal. Stuff them with jalapenos or other hot and smoky sausage links for some heat.
- Serve with a side of fried cabbage or sauerkraut.
- Eat them with Chicken Lo mein noodles or buttered pasta.
- Serve it with a bowl of Chili as a bread side.
- Enjoy it as an easy meal with a delicious green leaf salad.
More Flaky Pastry Dishes To Make:
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- Chicken Pot Pie Casserole with Biscuits
- Bisquick Recipe- make the pancakes and cook them on a griddle, then wrap them with breakfast sausage links to make pigs in a blanket breakfast. Serve with maple syrup.
- Nutella Rogaliki- similar to a sweet Czech pastry called Kolachy cookies.
- Breakfast Quiche Recipe
FAQ:
How To Keep Pigs In A Blanket Warm For a Party?
Pigs in a blanket can be kept warm in the oven in an oven-safe dish, covered at 250°F. Try not to exceed 90 minutes as that can dry out the bread. You could also place all the wrapped and baked appetizers into a 7-quart slow cooker and set it on the “keep warm” temperature. If you are serving over 50 people then you may want to keep these warm in a [eafl id="23623" name="buffet steam pan" text="buffet pan"].
How Long to Cook Pigs in a Blanket?
Pigs In A Blanket Recipes don’t take long to cook. The safe temperature to cook these would be 375°F if baking raw and 400°F if frozen. Generally, I crank up the oven temperature to 400°F for faster cooking. The bake time for these is anywhere from 15-25 minutes depending on what state they are in. You want the crust to look a little browned.
Pro-Tips for Making Pigs in a Blanket:
- If making ahead store homemade crescent dough wrapped well in the fridge so it doesn’t dry out.
- Briefly pat dry the hot dogs from any liquid so the dough rolls easily on them.
- For large pigs in a blanket use a whole hot dog and roll in a whole triangle of crescent dough.
- Since the homemade crescent dough is sticky, use a pastry mat to cut and unroll the crescent dough.
- Bake the pigs in a blanket in a non-stick sheet pan or line it with a silicone mat.
- For a sesame, seed topping, brush the tops with milk before baking and sprinkle with sesame seeds so they adhere to the dough. You can also just spray the tops with water.
- Wrap the hot dogs up on the widest end of the dough to make the French “croissant shape.” It’s important to start with an even triangle.
- Use puff pastry if that’s the only dough you have available.
- This homemade crescent dough is so easy to make! Give it a try!
- These make the perfect to-go snack for children and adults!
- Freeze unbaked pigs in a blanket for a potluck or quick meal.
How To Make Pigs In A Blanket:
Pigs In A Blanket Recipe
Equipment
- 1 18x13" sheet pan
- 1 Bench scraper (to divide dough)
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 8 hot dogs (cut in half and patted dry)
Instructions
Instructions:
Make the homemade crescent dough and use half of the dough. Roll out the dough to a 12x8 rectangle and cut into 8 triangles (cut into fours then each fourth in half diagonally to make 8 classic triangles.)- Finally, cut each triangle in half again to make a total of 16 triangles.
- Cut all the hot dogs in half by slicing them crosswise.
- Place each hot dog onto the widest part of the triangle and roll up.
- Transfer pigs in a blanket onto a non-stick 18x13 pan.
- Bake at 400°F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- To Make Lil Smokies Pigs in a blanket: cut each triangle into thirds to make 23 triangles.
- For Large Pigs in a blanket: leave the hot dog whole and wrap it in a whole triangle of crescent dough. Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes.
