Honestly, I don’t think I have ever been to a football party where there were not pigs in a blanket served. They are a beloved classic appetizer and a favorite with little kids! They are always one of the first things to disappear and probably the EASIEST appetizer you could ever throw together.
Here in the USA just two simple ingredients make up this meat and carb heaven. Mini cocktail sausages, (also known as lil’ smokies), and pre-made refrigerated crescent dough, (the unbaked kind you find near the pie crusts.) Serve with a dipping sauce or two and you are going to please even the fussiest of eaters at your family and/or friends gathering.
Now if you live in the UK, pigs in a blanket are normally wrapped in bacon instead of crescent dough. Don’t worry, I have that meat candy recipe for you right here! My family love both of these appetizers so much, and if you are throwing any kind of party, I would highly suggest having both on hand.
A couple of tips for this recipe:
- I like Pillsbury brand crescent rolls for these. They have a different texture from the store brands I have tried.
- You do not have to use an egg wash on these if you don’t want to, but If you want more of a golden sheen on your pigs in a blanket, just brush them with an egg wash, a little milk, or some melted butter before baking.
- Dipping sauces are a must for these little babies – ketchup and mustard are good starting points, but try putting out spicy brown or Dijon mustard, Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce, or some ranch dressing. Another favorite at our house is raspberry chipotle sauce! (Not a paid advertisement – you can get it in most grocery stores.)
- You can do many slight variations of pigs in a blanket. One variation is brushing them with melted butter and sprinkling with everything bagel seasoning, ranch seasoning, or sesame seeds before baking. Another quick variation is adding a small slice of sharp cheddar cheese in with the sausages before rolling and baking. My personal favorite variation is mixing a little cream cheese with a dash of onion powder, chopped pickled jalapenos, a little shredded sharp cheddar and some crispy bacon bits and adding a generous dab of that mixture under the sausage for a jalapeno popper pig in a blanket! You can be as plain or adventurous as you like! They are all going to taste delicious!
Ingredients:
- 32 Lit’l Smokies sausages
- 2 (8oz) packages of refrigerated crescent dough
- 1 egg whisked together with 1 Tbsp water (egg wash)
- Sesame seeds or other toppings (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 and line two baking sheets with silicone liners.
- Unroll one of the rolls of crescent dough and cut each of the 8 preformed triangles in half from the skinny tip of the triangle down to the middle of the short side. (See pictures below.)
- Place a little smokie on the short end of each triangle and roll gently to the pointy tip.
- Place each wrapped smokie on one of the prepared baking sheets.
- Repeat with the other roll of crescent dough. (You should have 32 wrapped little smokies total)
- Brush each of the pigs in blankets with the egg wash, then sprinkle with sesame seeds
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven at 375 for 13-15 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces!
Pigs In A Blanket
Lil' Smokies wrapped in crescent dough and baked in the oven until golden brown are the perfect appetizer for football parties or any kind of party!
EQUIPMENT (Amazon Associate Links)
Ingredients
- 32 Lit’l Smokies sausages
- 2 (8oz) packages of refrigerated crescent dough
- 1 egg whisked together with 1 Tbsp water egg wash
- Sesame seeds or other toppings optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 and line two baking sheets with silicone liners.
- Unroll one of the rolls of crescent dough and cut each of the 8 preformed triangles in half from the skinny tip of the triangle down to the middle of the short side. (See pictures below.)
- Place a little smokie on the short end of each triangle and roll gently to the pointy tip.
- Place each wrapped smokie on one of the prepared baking sheets.
- Repeat with the other roll of crescent dough. (You should have 32 wrapped little smokies total)
- Brush each of the pigs in blankets with the egg wash, then sprinkle with sesame seeds
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven at 375 for 13-15 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces!
Notes
A couple of tips for this recipe:
- I like Pillsbury brand crescent rolls for these. They have a different texture from the store brands I have tried.
- You do not have to use an egg wash on these if you don't want to, but If you want more of a golden sheen on your pigs in a blanket, just brush them with an egg wash, a little milk, or some melted butter before baking.
- Dipping sauces are a must for these little babies - ketchup and mustard are good starting points, but try putting out spicy brown or Dijon mustard, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, or some ranch dressing. Another favorite at our house is raspberry chipotle sauce! (Not a paid advertisement - you can get it in most grocery stores.)
- You can do many slight variations of pigs in a blanket. One variation is brushing them with melted butter and sprinkling with everything bagel seasoning, ranch seasoning, or sesame seeds before baking. Another quick variation is adding a small slice of sharp cheddar cheese in with the sausages before rolling and baking. My personal favorite variation is mixing a little cream cheese with a dash of onion powder, chopped pickled jalapenos, a little shredded sharp cheddar and some crispy bacon bits and adding a generous dab of that mixture under the sausage for a jalapeno popper pig in a blanket! You can be as plain or adventurous as you like! They are all going to taste delicious!
So easy and so good!