These Pigs in a Blanket are a completely homemade version of a classic. Little smokies are wrapped up in a simple homemade crescent dough, topped with flavorful seasonings, then baked until hot, golden-brown, and flaky.
This classic appetizer is ready in just 40 minutes!
Looking for more holiday appetizers? Try these Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Buffalo Chicken Dip, or these Nacho Fries!
Table of Contents
This pigs in a blanket recipe is my completely homemade version of a classic! It’s made up of flavorful little smokies rolled up in buttery, flaky, golden-brown crescent rolls. It’s a guaranteed hit whether you’re serving it up for dinner for the kiddos, as an appetizer at a party, or as a snack!
Turns out, besides the fact that these pigs in a blanket are absolutely delicious, there are a few different reasons to love them:
- They’re completely homemade. Yep, even the crescent dough (but YES, you can use store bought if you really want to).
- The kids LOVE them. Okay, the adults do too. 😉
- They’re so quick and easy. Just 25 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to bake.
- They can be easily prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer to be quickly baked later on.
What are pigs in a blanket?
Pigs in a blanket are a classic American appetizer made up of pork sausage (the pig) wrapped in biscuit dough (the blanket).
Pigs in a blanket can be made using standard-sized hot dogs and served as a meal on its own or using little smokies and served as an appetizer! You can also use regular hot dogs and cut them into smaller pieces if necessary.
Ingredients needed:
These pigs in a blanket are made up of a simple list of ingredients—most of which you probably already have on hand.
Homemade crescent roll dough:
This homemade crescent roll dough is just about as easy as it would be to run to the door and get store-bought dough! It takes just 10 minutes to throw together.
- All-Purpose Flour: the recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of flour but you’ll actually start with just 1 cup and add more as needed. If you add it all at once, the dough will likely be too dry!
- Warm Milk: warm milk is needed to activate the yeast so that the dough can rise properly.
- Butter: make sure you melt the butter before incorporating it into the dough for a softer texture.
- Yeast: make sure you’re using instant or quick yeast.
- Sugar: the sugar helps the yeast to activate and adds a bit of sweetness.
- Salt: enhances the flavor of the crescent rolls.
Pigs in a blanket:
- Little Smokies: you can also use full size hot dogs but you will need to cut your dough differently.
- Egg and Water: makes up an egg wash that gives the outside of the rolls that delicious golden-brown color.
- Seasonings: I use a simple duo of garlic powder and dried parsley to give the pigs in a blanket just a little bit of extra flavor.
How to make pigs in a blanket
- Make the dough: Stir together 1 cup of flour, milk, butter, yeast, sugar, and salt. Slowly add in additional flour just until the dough is no longer sticky. Divide the dough into 4 portions and roll it out into a rough rectangle. Cut the larger rectangle into 7-8 skinny triangles.
- Wrap the little smokies: Place one smokie at the wide end of each triangle and roll it up. Repeat with all of the smokies and line the prepped pigs in a blanket on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Add the egg wash and seasonings: Beat the egg and water together. Stir together garlic powder and parsley. Brush the tops of the assembled pigs in a blanket with the egg wash and sprinkle on the garlic parsley mixture.
- Bake: Bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes or until golden-brown.
Pigs in a blanket FAQs
These pigs in a blanket are best served warm or room temperature. However, I don’t think anyone would really blame you if you ended up snacking on the leftovers straight from the fridge. 😉
Absolutely! Pigs in a blanket are the perfect make-ahead recipe and they can be stored either in the fridge or in the freezer.
To make ahead and refrigerate, assemble as directed, line on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days before baking. When you’re ready to serve, just bake as directed.
To make ahead and freeze, assemble as directed, then line on a baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Once the rolls are frozen you can transfer them to a container and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Yes! You can easily bake the prepped pigs in a blanket straight from the freezer. No thawing necessary. Simply preheat the oven to 400ºF and cook for 25 minutes or until golden-brown.
Cooked pigs in a blanket will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze and reheat in the oven at 400ºF until warm.
I recommend reheating already cooked pigs in a blanket in the oven for the best texture. Simply warm them for 5-10 minutes at 350ºF or until warmed through. You can microwave them, but the crescent rolls will be soggier.
Variations
- Make them cheesy. You can roll any type of cheese you like into the crescent roll dough with the little smokies. Cheddar, provolone, pepper jack, you name it.
- Add bacon. Sprinkle some crushed bacon bits into the dough before you roll it up for a smoky crunch.
- Flavor them differently. Make them extra garlicky and slather the dough with garlic butter before baking, make everything bagel pigs in a blanket by swapping the garlic powder and dried parsley for everything bagel seasoning, make them spicy by adding in diced jalapeño. The possibilities are endless!
- Make them vegetarian. You can easily swap the little smokies for a vegetarian variety.
- Use store-bought dough. I’m a huge advocate for the homemade dough but if you’re shorter on time, store-bought dough works great too!
Serving suggestions
You can serve these pigs in a blanket as a snack with ketchup, mustard, or BBQ sauce or as part of a larger meal with a side of air fryer tater tots, instant pot macaroni and cheese, broccoli salad, or roasted veggies.
These also make the perfect addition to an appetizer spread for a party. Here are a few more easy appetizer recipes to try:
- Baked Mac and Cheese Cups
- BBQ Chicken Jalapeño Popper Cupcakes
- Boneless Chicken Wings
- Easy Pizza Roll Ups
Pigs in a Blanket (from scratch!)
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Homemade Crescent Dough
- 1½ cups all purpose flour (195 grams)
- ½ cup warm milk
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 2¼ teaspoons instant or quick yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 30 little smokies
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- OPTIONAL: you can use store bought crescent dough and save on prep time.
- In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup flour, milk, butter, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add just enough flour to the dough so that it becomes smooth but no longer sticky — don't add too much!
- Divide dough into 4 portions and roll out into a rough rectangle, about 3 inches wide by 6 inches long. Cut rectangle into roughly 7-8 skinny triangles.
- Place one smoke at the wide end of each triangle and roll up, pressing end to stick.
- Repeat until all are done. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, beat egg with water. In another small bowl, stir together garlic powder and parsley.
- Brush egg over tops of pigs in a blanket and immediately sprinkle with a bit of seasoning. Repeat until all are done.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Cas says
Hi Ashley, i like your recipe; quite easy and delicious. But if i want to double the amount of dough, what should i do about the yeast? Double it as well? Thank you.
Ashley Fehr says
Yes! Just double everything 🙂
Mike Tracy says
Could I make these ahead of time and bake them later?
Ashley Fehr says
I haven’t tried, so I can’t say for sure. It would depend how far in advance you wanted to make them. An hour or two would be fine, or you can bake and reheat briefly in the oven.
Kelsey says
Great texture! 100% better than store bought and usually I like the can better!
Thank you! Cut down full size hotdogs and they look great :]
Oh and the flavor is 10/10, they’ll be gone within the day.
The Recipe Rebel says
Thank you Kelsey!
Audrey says
Add another tsp sugar and decrease salt to 1/4 tsp as with butter as the shortening the dough is a bit salty which doesn’t complement the sausages.
Audrey says
But these were quite good, I just thought a slightly sweeter less salty dough would improve them.
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks Audrey!
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks for the feedback Audrey. The amounts worked well for us but you can definitely adjust based on your taste.
Joan says
The dough is used right after mixing? It doesn’t need to rise first?
The Recipe Rebel says
No need to let it rise. Enjoy!
TxRN says
Loved this fast & easy recipe with pantry ingredients! Thanks so much 🙂
TxRN says
So easy & delish, perfect easy recipe & no processed dough!
The Recipe Rebel says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Elizabeth Walker says
Very delicious! I didn’t put the seasonings on top because my kids wouldn’t have eaten them, haha.
I am so impressed with how quick and delicious these were. I will definitely add this to my regular after school snack rotation. Thanks for a great, easy to follow recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Elizabeth! I’m glad you liked them!
Domonique says
Mine tasted very unpleasant, sort of sour or to much yeast.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m sorry to hear that! Nothing in the recipe should taste sour and the amount of yeast is correct. I would double check your ingredients to ensure they are all fresh.