These pigs in a blanket are the quintessential party food that everyone loves (even if they won’t admit it). Go on, indulge your inner child.
Don’t even think of sneering or rolling your eyes. If you, or anyone in your family, has the internal fortitude to turn up a nose at a platter of darling little hot dogs snuggled into their flaky little dough pashminas, then you are more evolved than anyone in my family. If, however, like most every other mortal on this earth, your heart beats a little faster when you get a glimpse of these happy little morsels, and you lose your ability to concentrate on…oh, look, there’s a butterfly. And here’s a sexist comment, I guess, but I’m willing to own it. Men, in particular, get a euphoric glazed look when pigs in a blanket make an appearance. I’ll leave it to the social anthropologists to determine why this is.
Making pigs in a blanket is not rocket science, nor innovative cuisine, nor health food. (Watch out for those nitrites and sulfites and sodium.) If you want to gild the lily a bit, shove a few slivers of cheese into a slit made down the middle of each hot dog (being careful not to cut all the way through) before rolling them up in the puff pastry.–Katie Workman
LC This Little Piggy Note
This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed at home, this little piggy had…hot dogs wrapped in puff pastry? This rendition of the classic swaps puff pastry for a slice of Wonder Bread, lending the piggies a little pomp. And why not? Lil’ smokies also work well if you can’t quite bring yourself to do the hot dog thing. We’ve also considered slicing an artisanal salume, such as cacciatorini, and swapping it for hot doggies, just to lend the last-minute crowd-pleaser a little, uh, respectability. Whatever your preference, embrace it. What’s most critical here is that you make peace with whichever rendition moves you to squeal in happiness rather than have none.
☞ Contents
Pigs in a Blanket
Ingredients
- About 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour for rolling out the pastry
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (half a 17-ounce [482-g] or so package), thawed
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons cold water
- 1 pound (about 30) mini hot dogs or little smoked sausage links
- Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)
- Spicy brown mustard
- ketchup
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour the work surface and place the thawed puff pastry on the flour. (Most puff pastry sheets come folded in thirds, which can be very helpful as you want to cut it along the seams or, if there are no seams, cut the sheet crosswise into 3 equal strips.) Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of pastry until it is a little thinner, trying to maintain the squared off lines of the rectangle. Cut each piece of puff pastry into strips about 1 inch by 3 inches.
- Beat the egg and water in a small bowl.
- Place a wee hot dog or sausage on the narrow end of 1 puff pastry strip. Roll it up, pressing on the puff pastry so that it seals itself. Place the pig in a blanket on the prepared baking sheet, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining hot dogs and puff pastry strips, arranging the pigs in blankets on the baking sheet at least 1 inch apart.
- Brush the top of the pigs in blankets with the egg wash and, if desired, sprinkle with the seeds or cheese. At this point it is helpful (but not necessary) to place the baking sheet in the fridge for 15 to 30 minutes so that the pastry will puff up more when it bakes.
- Bake the pigs in blankets until they’re puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool briefly before serving with mustard and ketchup.
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Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Honestly, what’s not to love? A retro, make-ahead treat for picnics, buffets, or just a Friday night. I’m a big fan of poppy seeds on top, which is a nice addition. This also works well with what we call Wee Willy Winkies—basically little pork sausages.
I hereby declare that I’m never going back to using crescent roll dough for pigs in blankets when it’s so easy to use puff pastry sheets! If you can, I suggest using full-size, fancy, all-beef hot dogs rather than the typical mini sausages. You’ll need to stretch the dough a bit if you’re using a more zaftig dog, but trust me, it’s worth it to slice up a few hot dogs. If your oven is like mine, it’ll preheat in about 20 minutes—the time suggested that they rest in the fridge.
I sprinkled mine with poppy seeds and black sesame seeds and served them with spicy brown mustard. Addictive!
Sometimes simple is best. Take the best dog you can find, wrap it in puff pastry, and bake. Seeds? Yes. Wish I had more? You bet. And why settle for the minis? We went for regular-size “pigs” and had them for lunch.
I thought this recipe was wonderful. It was fun and easy to make. I’ll be making this again for a larger crowd. I used Hillshire Farm Lit’l Smokies and puff pastry. It was so easy. I’d like to try using different sausages and see what the flavors would be like. I also think these would be great with cheese rolled inside or served with other great condiments. The puff pastry gives a delicate texture. I also didn’t put anything on them besides the egg wash. I put them in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before baking and they puffed up beautifully.
Long ago I used to use the packaged (as in a cardboard tube in the refrigerated section) cornmeal breadsticks dough to make tiny pigs in tiny blankets for my five kids. It was a rare treat, but always enjoyed. Now that the kids are grown up, and I can no longer find packaged cornmeal breadsticks, I’ve been searching for a new version of that treat for family get-togethers. This recipe caught my eye. It uses prepared puff pastry as the wrap, and an egg wash for shine and color. The dough is easily cut to size in strips, wrapped around tiny hot dogs or sausages, brushed with egg wash, and quickly baked. Very easy, very tasty results. I like to serve these with an array of sauces…barbecue, ketchup, honey mustard….
I know, you see the words “pigs in a blanket” and you immediately think of those little frozen hors d’oeuvres or the ones made with crescent roll dough that leave a bit to be desired. Well, all I can say is that these are definitely not those. With just a little effort on your part, you get some awesome treats to serve. When I made mine I actually used smoked sausages to see how the recipe would work with them, and they take it to a whole new level. You can even break out the Dijon mustard or your latest homemade barbecue sauce. Place a little cheese inside and you’re in heaven. (I used the sesame and poppy seeds to differentiate between those with cheese in them and those without.) I found that if I chilled my rolling pin (a nonstick metal one) before trying to roll out the dough pieces, they didn’t get sticky as quickly.
Pigs in a blanket are a classic and always taste good. There’s not a whole lot to them. They’re quick and simple and probably something that someone could throw together for a party and feel confident that most people would enjoy. The recipe is presented well and is thorough for such a simple dish; there is no confusion. This would be a good recipe for any cook to have in their arsenal. I don’t have any suggestions for improvements to this recipe expect for a recommendation for experimentation with caramelized onions, blue cheese, etc.
This is an incredibly simple way to bring a classic children’s dish to a new level. Using a pizza cutter makes cutting up the puff pastry fast work. I used Hillshire Farm Lit’l Smokies and they were delicious. I topped 1/3 with grated Parmesan, 1/3 with sesame seeds, and left 1/3 plain. Refrigerating the “piggies” for the requisite 15 to 30 minutes (I did 20) before baking gives the “piggies” a nice puffed appearance. I recommend serving with Inglehoffer Sweet Hot and Stone Ground Mustards.
These little pigs in a blanket were a big hit! I was
excited to find some all-natural, nitrite-free mini dogs at Trader Joe’s. The recipe worked perfectly. I didn’t put the dogs rolled in puff pastry in the fridge to rest before baking, but that didn’t seem to negatively affect the outcome. I did use a little of the egg wash to seal the puff pastry around the hot dogs when I rolled them. I dusted about half with sesame seeds and served them with honey mustard and ketchup on the side. There were no leftovers.
Doesn’t the idea of pigs in a blanket just make your mouth water? I don’t care how sophisticated a palate you have, this classic appetizer always draws you in. While these hardly need a recipe, here are clear instructions on how to prepare this dish. I made some with hot dogs as well as some with Chinese sausages that I had on hand. The Chinese sausages with spicy mustard on the side were a nice twist on the original.
This was a really fast and easy recipe. I think if I hadn’t taken out my ruler to measure, this would’ve been even easier. I couldn’t find mini hot dogs but there were mini sausages. I didn’t use any of the optional ingredients but did serve them with ketchup and mustard. Everyone liked them.
Originally published December 25, 2012
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If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
How far ahead do you think I could roll the hot dogs in puff pastry for a party and keep them parked in the refrigerator? Is the day before workable? PS- I’ve made these before and they were sooooo good. Such a nostalgic dish from my childhood.
Dana, the day before should be fine.
Thank you David!
You bet, Dana!
Heh. A little culinary silliness but fun.
Exactly, Ruthie!
Oh, my! This woman read my mind. 😉
Years ago, I made a sort of croquembouche of pigs in blankets for a football party. I used half a dozen different “dogs,” including lil’ smokies, bratwurst, kielbasa, Viennas, hot Italian…I don’t remember them all, But I cut up the big ones, wrapped them in the pastry, baked them and stuck them on a cone form and served about six different “sauces” to go with. They were a hit, and so easy.
Go, Katie! You got the goods.
Gasp! How I wish I could have seen that, ruthie! Holy cow. Er, pig.
My SIL long ago pointed out that no matter how elegant the party or how sophisticated the other hors d’oeuvres, it’s always the pigs in blankets that get eaten first.
Exactly, Lippy!
How I miss these! My mom used to make them when I was younger. Now it’s my time to make them for my kids.
Your children will be thrilled, cookery videos!