Pigs in a blanket is a classic party snack made with cocktail wieners wrapped in crescent dough, which are baked to golden brown perfection. An easy appetizer option that can be doubled or tripled to serve a crowd.
Whenever I’m entertaining I put out a variety of finger foods including beef lettuce wraps, caramel popcorn, sausage cheese balls, baked chicken wings and these traditional pigs in a blanket. Everyone always goes crazy for these savory bites! If you’re feeding adults, this is the perfect snack to accompany some fun and festive Jello shots.
You can NEVER go wrong with pigs in a blanket. It’s a hearty, savory appetizer that’s ultra popular for good reason! These little hot dog bites also happen to be super easy to make, and contain just a handful of ingredients. Looking for a main course option with similar flavors? Check out my recipe for bagel dogs!
These appetizers are as good for holidays as they are for game day. When you need to feed a crowd check out my Christmas appetizer recipes or my game day recipes. With favorites like hot spinach dip, cheese ball bites and homemade Chex mix, you will find the perfect snacks.
Table of Contents
Pigs In A Blanket Ingredients
For this classic pigs in a blanket recipe, you will need cocktail wieners (mini hot dogs), crescent roll dough, butter and sesame or poppy seeds (seeds are optional!). You can also garnish with a little fresh parsley if you want. For amounts and details see the recipe card below.
- Cocktail Wieners: You can use any cocktail wieners that you like. I tend to use Lit’l Smokies because they are readily available. Feel free to use all beef cocktail wieners or other small sausages, whichever is your favorite.
- Crescent Roll Dough: Crescent roll dough bakes up nice and fluffy. I use pre-made crescent roll dough because you will want very flat and evenly rolled dough to wrap your sausages. Crescent roll dough is also pre-cut into triangles, making it easy to use.
- Butter: Brushing butter on your pigs in a blanket helps bring together the flavor of the mini wieners and the dough.
- Sesame Seeds and Poppy Seeds: I use these seeds largely for a nice presentation. However, they do provide some additional flavor.
How Do You Make Pigs In A Blanket?
To make these easy pigs in a blanket, first spread out the crescent dough on a baking sheet or sheet pan. Next cut the dough along the perforations into triangles. From there, cut each triangle into three strips lengthwise. Wrap each hot dog in a strip of dough. Melt butter in a small bowl. Brush the pigs in a blanket with melted butter and you can sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds on top. Bake the pigs until golden brown, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Appetizer
- Make sure to wrap the sausages from the thicker part of the dough to the thinner part of the dough. You want the smaller part of the dough to go across the middle of the sausages to make a layered look.
- Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut your dough for nice even lines.
- Cut your dough triangles lengthwise down the triangles from the thick end of each triangle to the thin point of each triangle.
- Can’t find mini hot dogs? You can cut regular hot dogs into 4 or 5 pieces and wrap them in dough.
- You can line your baking sheet or cookie sheet with parchment paper if you are worried about your pigs in a blanket sticking to the sheet pan.
- You can assemble this appetizer ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for 2 hours before you bake them.
- If you want shinier pigs in a blanket, you can brush an egg wash over the wrapped dogs before they go in the oven.
Quick Tip
You can substitute biscuit dough for crescent dough if desired. I find it a little harder to work with because it’s thicker and not pre-cut into triangles. You can also use puff pastry.
Recipe FAQs
The name pigs in a blanket comes from the pork hot dogs representing pigs and people wrap them in blankets of dough. The term pigs in a blanket now refers to any small sausage or hot dog that has any wrapping.
Pigs in a blanket stay fresh in the freezer for up 2 months. Place the baked pigs in an airtight container or freezer bag. Bake the frozen appetizers at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until warmed through. You can also store this snack in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Pigs in a blanket will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Simply reheat them in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 7-8 minutes or until warmed through.
Early pigs in blankets were small sausages wrapped in bacon. If you want a version of that dish check out my bacon wrapped smokies recipe.
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Flavor Variations
While this pigs in a blanket recipe is great as-is, you can change up the flavors to suit your taste.
- Cheese Dogs: You can cut a slit into each hot dog and place a slice of cheese inside before wrapping them. You can use cheddar cheese, pepper jack or American cheese.
- Cheese Topping: You can sprinkle grated cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese over the dough wrapped wieners before they go into the oven.
- Sausages: You can use any type of miniature sausage for this recipe. I’ve used hot dogs, little smokies and chicken apple sausages, all with great results. You could even use a meatless veggie or vegan cocktail wiener.
- Garlic: For garlic flavored pigs in a blanket, mince 1 teaspoon of garlic and stir it into your melted butter. Then brush the garlic butter mixture over the pigs in a blanket and bake them.
- Dipping Sauce: While ketchup is a classic pairing with this recipe, some other great options include Dijon mustard, honey mustard sauce, ranch dressing, fry sauce or homemade BBQ sauce.
- Toppings: While I like to add a sprinkle of sesame or poppy seeds to my rolls, you can also bake them plain, or add other toppings such as everything bagel seasoning or Italian seasoning.
Every time I host a party or attend a potluck, a make a big batch of these hot dog bites. No one can resist them, both adults and kids alike! If you’re looking for more fabulous ways to use crescent roll dough, don’t miss my list of 25 crescent roll recipes!
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Cheese Ball Recipe
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Pigs In A Blanket Video
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Pigs in a Blanket
Ingredients
- 2 8 ounce cans crescent rolls
- 48 cocktail wieners
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- toppings such as sesame seeds or poppy seeds optional
- cooking spray
- 2 teaspoons chopped parsley optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Line two sheet pans with foil and coat with cooking spray.
- Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough and separate the dough into 16 triangles.
- Cut each dough triangle into thirds, lengthwise.
- Place a wiener at the thickest end of the triangle. Start at that end and roll up each wiener.
- Repeat with remaining dough and wieners. Place the pigs in a blanket on the baking sheets.
- Brush the butter over the tops of the pigs and add any toppings if desired.
- Bake each tray for 13-15 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- Can’t find mini hot dogs? You can also use larger hot dogs that are cut into 4 or 5 pieces.
- Make sure to wrap the sausages from the thicker part of the dough to the thinner part of the dough. You want the smaller part of the dough to go across the middle of the sausages to make a layered look.
- Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut your dough for nice even lines.
I didn’t have poppy seeds but I had everything bagel seasoning and put that on top. So yummy!
My mom used to make these all the time. They were my absolute favorite appetizer! I haven’t had them in so long. Thanks for the reminder to make them again!
These are so great! Easy to make and my picky daughter loves eating them! Thank you!
This will be a hit at our July 4th get together! Making ahead of time to bring!
These always make such a great app for entertaining. Kids love them, and so do the adults for nostalgia’s sake!
So delicious and I can never have just one of these. Brilliant for a party or picnic.
The ultimate party food. These were delicious!
All time a favorite, easy, and delicious appetizer recipe. Thanks for sharing.
This may sound like a stupid question or it may be answered above and I just overlooked it – when freezing them do you bake them first? Thanks!
I prefer to freeze uncooked!
It was delicious. And super easy to make, easier than I thought. My boys really liked it. I will def make these again.