20 Easy Pigs in a Blanket Recipes to Try

The base recipe uses two main ingredients — crescent roll dough and cocktail sausages — and goes from fridge to table in about 35 minutes. Everything bakes at 190°C (375°F) on one parchment-lined tray, so cleanup is a single sheet pan. One batch makes 24 pieces for just a few pounds or dollars, and it scales to 48 or 72 without changing the method. You can assemble them up to 24 hours ahead or freeze them unbaked, which makes party mornings painless. Every one of the 20 ideas below builds on the same cut-wrap-bake technique, so once you nail the classic, the rest are simple swaps.

This is the version everyone pictures: mini smoked sausages rolled in buttery crescent dough. Separate each tube of dough into 8 triangles, cut each triangle lengthwise into 3 skinny strips, and roll a sausage from the wide end to the tip. Bake seam-side down at 190°C (375°F) for 12–15 minutes until deep golden. An egg wash before baking gives them that glossy, bakery-style finish. Serve warm with ketchup and yellow mustard — the full method is in the recipe card below.

Swap crescent dough for a 320 g (11 oz) sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry and they instantly look fancier. Cut the sheet into strips about 2 cm (3/4 inch) wide and 9 cm (3 1/2 inches) long, wrap each strip around a sausage in a spiral, and seal the end with a dab of egg wash. Chill the assembled rolls for 10 minutes so the butter in the pastry stays cold — that is what makes the layers puff. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15–18 minutes until crisp and browned. These hold their crunch longer on a buffet table than crescent versions.

Brush the assembled rolls with egg wash, then shower them with about 2 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning before baking. No jar on hand? Mix 2 teaspoons each of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried minced garlic and dried minced onion with 1 teaspoon of flaky salt. The toasted garlic-onion crust makes these taste like a deli bagel wrapped around a sausage. Pair them with a dip of 115 g (4 oz) softened cream cheese loosened with 2 tablespoons of milk and a squeeze of sriracha.

Lay a thin strip of medium cheddar — about 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick and the length of the sausage — on the dough before rolling. Roll so the seam overlaps completely and press it shut, then bake seam-side down; this keeps most of the cheese inside. A little leakage is normal, and the lacy, crispy cheese edges are arguably the best part. Sharp cheddar, pepper jack and Emmental all melt well here. Bake at the standard 190°C (375°F) for 12–15 minutes.

Spread 1/2 teaspoon of cream cheese down each dough strip, top with a thin ring of fresh jalapeño, then roll the sausage up as usual. Deseed the jalapeño for a mild kick or leave the seeds in if your crowd likes real heat. The cream cheese melts into a tangy layer that mimics a classic popper filling. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 13–15 minutes, since the filling adds a little moisture, and serve with ranch dressing for dipping.

For a pretzel-style crust without making dough, stir 3 tablespoons of baking soda into 240 ml (1 cup) of warm water and brush it generously over the assembled rolls. Sprinkle with coarse pretzel salt and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 12–14 minutes until deep mahogany brown. The alkaline wash is what gives pretzels their signature color and chew, so don't skip it. Serve with warm cheese sauce or plenty of yellow mustard, just like a ballpark pretzel stand.

Assemble as usual, then air fry at 170°C (340°F) for 6–8 minutes in a single layer with a finger's width between each roll. Work in batches of 8–10 depending on basket size, and set them on a perforated parchment liner so the dough doesn't stick or slip through the grate. They brown faster than oven versions, so check at the 5-minute mark. This is the best route when the oven is already full of party food, and each batch finishes before the last one cools.

Wrap half a slice of thin-cut streaky bacon around each sausage before adding the dough for a smoky double-pork hit. Thin bacon matters: it crisps within the same 12–15 minutes at 190°C (375°F), while thick-cut stays chewy. Stretch the bacon slightly as you wrap so it lies flat under the dough. Brush the tops with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup during the last 3 minutes of baking for a sweet-salty glaze that disappears fastest at any party.

In the UK, pigs in blankets skip the pastry entirely: they are chipolata sausages wrapped in streaky bacon and roasted alongside Christmas dinner. Wrap each chipolata in half a rasher of smoked streaky bacon, place seam-side down on a lined tray, and roast at 200°C (400°F), or 180°C fan, for 25–30 minutes, turning once halfway. Because chipolatas are raw sausages, they need this full roasting time, unlike pre-cooked cocktail sausages. Brush with 1 tablespoon of honey mixed with 1 teaspoon of wholegrain mustard for the last 5 minutes. They are just as good chopped into stuffing or piled onto a Boxing Day leftovers sandwich.

Whisk 2 tablespoons of honey with 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and brush it over the rolls during the final 4 minutes of baking — any earlier and the sugars scorch. The glaze bakes into a sticky, sweet-sharp lacquer that means you barely need a dip. If you want one anyway, stir 120 ml (1/2 cup) mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons Dijon and a pinch of smoked paprika. That five-minute sauce outperforms anything from a bottle.

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 1 finely grated garlic clove (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder) and brush it over the rolls the moment they come out of the oven. Immediately sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of finely grated Parmesan and a spoonful of chopped parsley so they stick to the warm butter. Brushing after baking, not before, stops the garlic from burning and turning bitter. These taste like garlic bread and a sausage roll had a very good idea, and warmed marinara makes the natural dip.

Lay a thin strip of mozzarella and 2 mini pepperoni slices on each dough triangle, add the sausage, and roll it all up together. Brush with egg wash and dust with 1/4 teaspoon each of dried oregano and garlic powder before baking at 190°C (375°F) for 13–15 minutes. The inside turns into a molten pizza-parlor bite. Serve with warmed marinara — about 240 ml (1 cup) covers a full batch of 24 pieces.

Use full-size hot dogs and wrap thin strips of crescent dough around each one in a criss-cross pattern, leaving a 2 cm (3/4 inch) gap near the top for a face. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 15–18 minutes, since full-size dogs need slightly longer than minis. Once cool enough to handle, dot two mustard eyes into the gap with a toothpick. Kids genuinely help with these — messy wrapping only makes the mummies look better.

Arrange 20–24 assembled rolls in a ring on a 30 cm (12 inch) round pizza pan with the pieces just touching and the points facing outward. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 15–18 minutes — the extra few minutes account for the pieces touching each other. Slide the baked ring onto a platter, set a small bowl of honey mustard in the center, and tuck fresh rosemary sprigs and a few dried cranberries between the rolls. It takes zero extra skill but photographs like you catered the whole party.

Swap cocktail sausages for maple breakfast sausage links — brown raw ones in a skillet over medium heat for 8–10 minutes first, or use fully cooked links straight from the pack. Wrap in crescent dough and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 12–15 minutes. Serve with warm maple syrup for dipping instead of ketchup. Add a thin strip of cheddar before rolling and you have a hand-held version of a full breakfast plate — perfect for Christmas morning while presents are being opened.

Toss the cocktail sausages in 2 tablespoons of thick teriyaki sauce, then pat off the excess so the dough still seals properly. Roll, egg wash, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds before baking at 190°C (375°F) for 12–15 minutes. The glaze caramelizes lightly against the sausage and pairs surprisingly well with the buttery dough. Serve with sweet chili sauce, or extra teriyaki thinned with a squeeze of lime juice.

Toss the sausages in 2 tablespoons of Buffalo-style hot sauce (Frank's RedHot is the classic), pat them mostly dry, and wrap as usual. The vinegary heat soaks into the sausage instead of making the dough soggy. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 12–15 minutes, then serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side. Use mini chicken sausages if you want the full Buffalo-wing effect.

Spread 1/2 teaspoon of chive-and-onion cream cheese along each dough strip before rolling the sausage. The filling bakes into a tangy, creamy lining that keeps every bite moist — the fix for anyone who finds plain versions dry. Don't overfill, or it will bubble out at the seam during baking. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 13–15 minutes and finish with a scatter of extra fresh chives. These are especially good made with smoked cocktail sausages.

Use plant-based cocktail sausages, or cut veggie hot dogs into 4 cm (1 1/2 inch) lengths, then wrap and bake exactly like the original at 190°C (375°F) for 12–15 minutes. Most refrigerated crescent doughs, including Pillsbury Original, are made without animal fat, but check the label if you are cooking for strict vegetarians. Veggie sausages release less fat, so brush the tops with melted butter or oil for even browning. Nobody at a mixed party will spot the difference once they hit the mustard.

Use a gluten-free puff pastry sheet (Schär and GF Jus-Rol both work well) cut into 2 cm (3/4 inch) strips, and double-check your sausages — many UK cocktail sausages contain wheat rusk, while most US little smokies are gluten-free. Handle the pastry cold and straight from the fridge, as gluten-free dough cracks once it warms up. Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15–18 minutes. Gluten-free pastry browns less readily, so the egg wash is essential here rather than optional.

Pat the sausages completely dry with paper towels before wrapping — surface moisture is the number one cause of soggy, unsealed dough. Keep the dough cold and work with one tube at a time, leaving the second in the fridge; warm dough stretches, tears and sticks. Always bake seam-side down with 2.5 cm (1 inch) between pieces so heat circulates and the seams stay sealed. Rotate the tray front-to-back halfway through baking for even color. Pull them when they are a deep golden brown, not pale blond — underbaked dough tastes raw at the seam, where it is thickest.

Plan on 4–6 pieces per adult when these sit alongside other party food, so a batch of 24 feeds four to six people. Set out a trio of dips: ketchup, honey mustard, and a warm cheese sauce made from 240 ml (1 cup) milk, 1 tablespoon each of butter and flour, and 100 g (1 cup) grated cheddar. To keep them warm through a long party, hold them uncovered on a tray in a 95°C (200°F) oven for up to 45 minutes — a lidded slow cooker traps steam and softens the pastry. For game day, pile them on a board with celery, pickles and crisps; for the holidays, go with the wreath arrangement from idea 14.

Cool leftovers completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 175°C (350°F) oven for 8–10 minutes or an air fryer at 160°C (325°F) for 3–4 minutes; the microwave works in a 20-second pinch but turns the dough soft and chewy. To freeze baked pigs in a blanket, freeze them solid on a tray, transfer to a freezer bag, and keep for up to 3 months — reheat from frozen at 175°C (350°F) for 15–20 minutes. You can also freeze them assembled but unbaked for up to 1 month and bake straight from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the normal time. Hold the egg wash until just before baking for the best shine.