Pigs In a Blanket Recipe – From Scratch in 1 Hour
A super easy pigs in a blanket recipe that’s made completely from scratch with a soft, homemade dough wrapped around savory hot dogs or sausages. Ready in just about an hour, you won’t believe how fluffy and delicate these turn out! You’ll love how simple and satisfying this is to make for everything from weeknight dinners, to lunches and fun gatherings. A kid favorite!
✩ What readers are saying…
“This is my go to recipe for Pigs in a Blanket. The grands Love them and whenever we are having families for dinner with kiddos we make these.” -JoEllyn W.
Pigs in a blanket is such an odd name, isn’t it? Yet it describes a hot dog or sausage wrapped in dough pretty accurately (as does another nostalgic name for them – wiener wraps).
A kid (and adult, a-hem) favorite, this pigs in a blanket recipe shows up on our menus often because they’re just a really fun food. Plus, no need to buy those squishy white hot dog buns!
Wait, how can a from-scratch, yeast dough make it onto the menu often? Because I developed them using my Quick and Tender Breadstick/Hamburger Bun Dough recipe and they are ready to eat in about an hour – really! Here’s the timeline:
- Mix the dough (5-10 min)
- Let it rest (10 min)
- Cut and shape around hot dogs (15 min)
- Let rest while heating the oven (10 min)
- Cook (15 min).
Honest-to-goodness incredible homemade pigs in blankets in about an hour!
What are “real” pigs in a blanket?
When I googled “pigs in a blanket” to make sure what we’ve always called these is what everyone else calls them, I did find out that, no, not everyone calls them the same thing.
The top results for pigs in a blanket were for those little smoky things wrapped in canned crescent dough or canned biscuits. For the most part it seems like they always have sausage in the centers? I guess if the hot dogs are all beef then the pig part doesn’t really work. Hmmm, “cow in a blanket?”
Then there were results for hot dogs wrapped in pancakes…huh? Um, no that is NOT what these are, for sure.
While this recipe was developed with hot dogs wrapped in a crisp and tender yeast-risen bun, you can just as easily use the dough around any type or size of sausage or hot dog you’d like.
And if you do use a humble hot dog (I typically use all beef, nitrate-free hot dogs), it raises them to a whole new level and my family thinks I’m the best whenever I make these, um…whatever they are called.
Pigs in a Blanket Recipe Video
Recipe Ingredient Notes
You’ll need the following simple ingredients to make this pigs in a blanket recipe.
- Flour: I like to use all white whole wheat or a combo of wheat and all-purpose. You can use only all-purpose, but lose out on the nutrient value, or use all regular whole wheat and sacrifice some of the fluffiness. Your call. (The 1/2 cup flour pictured above is to use when mixing the dough, if needed.)
- Yeast: I’ve used both active dry yeast and instant yeast and both work well. It is a lot of yeast, but that’s one of the reasons it rises so quickly.
- Honey: This helps feed the yeast and flavor the dough. Try an equal amount of cane sugar if you can’t do honey.
- Oil: To help make a tender dough. I use a neutral oil like avocado or sunflower.
- Water and salt round out the ingredients for the dough.
How To Make Pigs in a Blanket
Step 1: Make the dough. Mix all the ingredients together in a stand mixer or by hand. The dough should still be somewhat tacky- that is, sticking to the bowl in places, but not to your fingers when you gently touch the dough – so don’t add too much of the extra 1/2 cup flour if it’s not needed. Let rest.
Step 2: Cut the dough. Roll the dough out into a rough rectangle and then cut into a dozen pieces, just like for hamburger buns. This actually makes pretty large buns around the dogs – you could easily cut it into 16 pieces and use two packages of hot dogs. Before I had a counter to roll dough onto, I would use a floured towel – super easy and quick clean-up.
TIPS: The fully baked wiener wraps freeze wonderfully. However, I usually make the 8-10 hot dogs that come in a package, and then use the remaining 2-4 pieces of dough for hamburger buns or breadsticks which I cook along with the hot dogs. FOR LESS THICK BUN: Cut the dough into 16-18 pieces and use the extra for rolls, buns, or breadsticks.
Step 3: Start wrapping dogs. Place each hot dog onto one of the cut rectangles of dough.
Step 4: Pinch and Repeat. Bring the dough up around, pinching the edges close. Repeat with remaining hot dogs.
Step 4. Bake. Place the wrapped dogs seam-side down on a lined or greased cookie sheet. I place them pretty close, since I don’t care if they touch. Use two sheets if you’d like more room between them. Cook any extra buns on the same large cookie sheet, as well. (You can see that this package held 10 hot dogs, so I have 2 buns extra.
Variations
- Sprinkle tops of the dough with cheddar cheese before baking.
- Brush the tops with butter and garlic before baking.
- Add a piece or slice of cheese alongside the hotdog before rolling up.
- Use lil’ smokies and smaller pieces of dough to make appetizers.
- Wrap with a piece of almost fully cooked, but still pliable bacon.
- Use any type of cooked sausage links like chicken sausage, Italian sausage, etc. instead of traditional hot dogs.
- Roll the dough out on grated Parmesan instead of extra flour.
- Need vegetarian? Make some into pockets with cooked broccoli and cheese!
Serving Suggestions
We like to dip the dogs in mustard and this super easy homemade ketchup or Addictive Tomato Chutney (which I think is best!).
We most often serve them with other easy finger foods like baby carrots and cut veggies with ranch dip, feta dip, or hummus. French fries or potato planks make a great side, too, as well as simple chips.
Storage & Freezing
- Store: Fully baked, the pigs in a blanket can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Heat: Reheat them in a 350 degree oven, toaster oven, or air fryer for 8-10 minutes or until heated all the way through.
- Freeze Baked: These freeze wonderfully, but baking them first is the best way I think. Place the fully cooked dogs in a freezer-safe airtight container for 2-3 months. Thaw and heat again for 8-10 minutes in a toaster oven or oven.
- Freeze Unbaked: While I haven’t done this, I know it will work, especially with smaller appetizer-sized pigs in a blanket: Assemble as directed, place on a lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Once the rolls are frozen, transfer them to a container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and bake as directed in recipe OR try baking from frozen (I think this would only work with smaller sized pigs in a blanket, though): Heat the oven to 400ºF, place frozen pigs in a blanket on a lined cookie sheet and cook for about 25 minutes or until golden-brown.
- For Kid’s Lunches: You can add these to a lunch sack frozen and they will be defrosted by lunch. My kids were okay eating them cold, but if you have access to a toaster oven, that’s better I think.
Reader Raves
“I used your recipe and Lit’l Smokies to make appetizers. They were a big hit with my guests.” -Linda
“These were so yummy. The dough is great on it’s own with a crispy crust and a soft chewy texture.” – Arlene M.
“My 5 and 2 year old boys both agreed it was their favorite food they had ever tried. These boys are spoiled foodies, so that meant a lot to me…It was soo fluffy and delicate; I will never buy buns again. I especially like that theres no baking powder/baking soda.” -Mary Jane
“I have made this recipe and shared it many times. Last night we made it with the mini wienies and it was great!” -DJ W.
I hope you love this pigs in a blanket recipe as much as we do – be sure to leave a rating and review so I can know!
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Pigs In a Blanket Recipe
Equipment
- stand mixer or large bowl and wooden spoon
- large baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast both instant and active dry work
- 2 tablespoons honey or cane sugar
- 1 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons oil (neutral oil like avocado or sunflower)
- 4 1/2 to 5 cup whole wheat white flour or half all purpose/half whole wheat OR fully all purpose*
- 8 hot dogs (or one package)**
Instructions
- Mix water, yeast, and honey until yeast and honey are dissolved. Add the salt, oil, and 4 1/2 cups of flour to make a soft dough.
- Beat with a stand mixer for a minute or two (or knead a minute), adding the other 1/2 cup flour as needed to help dough be less sticky (to make by hand, mix well with a wooden spoon until you see gluten strands starting to form). TIP: Be careful with the extra flour – you may not need all of it, the dough should still be somewhat tacky, that is, sticking to the bowl in places, but not to your fingers when you gently touch the dough.
- Let the dough rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Remove the dough to a floured surface and knead by hand a few times. Press flat on floured surface (about 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick) and cut into 12 to 16 roughly even pieces, depending on how much bun you want around each hot dog (for even less bun, cut into 18 pieces).
- Press each piece into a rectangular shape just short of the length of your hot dog, lay a hot dog on a rectangle, and wrap the dough around the dog, pinching the ends to seal. Repeat for all the hot dogs. Shape the remaining dough into buns, rolls, or breadsticks.***
- Place seam side down on a large lined or greased baking sheet and let rest for 10 minutes while you heat an oven to 400 degrees. They’ll get a little more puffy, but won’t double.
- Once your oven is preheated, bake for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating if needed for even cooking, until golden on top and browned on the bottoms. Cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Pigs in a Blanket FAQs
Yes! Simply cut a slice of cheese the length of the hot dog, set it next to the meat and then wrap the dough around both the bun and the cheese.
Cook the bacon until almost crisp, though still pliable (because the dough will keep it from cooking more), and wrap with the hot dog as directed.
I’ve used both instant and active dry yeast in this recipe and both work well.
They freeze wonderfully, but baking them first is the best way I think. Bake as normal, let cool and add to a freezer safe container. Thaw and heat again for 5-8 minutes in a toaster oven or oven. You can add these to a lunch sack frozen and they will be defrosted by lunch. My kids were okay eating them cold, but if you have access to a toaster oven, that’s better I think.
Yes, you can use frozen bread dough, following their instructions before shaping around the hot dogs.
Yes, any combo of flour will work.
Between 1/3 and 1/2-inch thick. They do puff up quite a bit.
More Easy Dinner Recipes
- Roasted Sausages with Peppers and Onions Sheet Pan Dinner
- Individual Homemade Pizza & Pizza Bar Idea
- Family Favorite Maple Mustard Baked Chicken with Pouring Sauce
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published January 2012, updated in 2019 and again in 2025.
So good all homemade so healthy
Yes! Glad you liked these.
The family (Dad made and baked) RAVED about this dough!
Warning!! Do NOT double this recipe! You will be tempted to make enormous blankets for said pigs, then you will on a whim make a homemade mushroom gravy, saute some onions, and wrap it all with cheese in what will turn into increasingly larger blankets for said pigs.
If that weren’t enough, you will STILL have enough leftover, unblanketed (unpigged??) dough to bake an entire loaf of bread (which will also be raved about). So again, double this recipe at your own risk!!
Ha! I love this comment – duly noted on the doubling. 🙂 I’m so glad you all liked this.
I have been making these ever since I first saw the recipe about 2 years ago. We, the extended family and I,”have” to have them at least once a month. We buy the all beef organic hotdogs that have 5 in a pack and make 3 packs to have plenty for everyone plus leftovers to reheat for lunch.
This is wonderful, Marti – I’m so glad to know that you love them and use them for meal prepping, too. 🙂
thank you for this, going to try now.
I’ve seen them called “Franks in Blanks” or Franks in Blankets.
That makes so much more sense! Hope you enjoy them!
I used to make pigs in a blanket when my children were at home but I just used the biscuit recipe from my mom. No yeast or waiting to rise but I think I will try these as a more grown up version.
I hope you like them with this easy wrap!
This is my go to recipe for Pigs in a Blanket. The grands Love them and whenever we are having families for dinner with kiddos we make these.
I’m so glad, JoEllyn – thanks so much for reviewing!!
Easy and lovely to make and eat
Glad you tried these!
Awesome!! I do have a couple of suggestions for those who don’t want to make the bread from scratch. One is to buy frozen bread dough and thaw it out but it is time consuming unless you thaw it overnight. The quicker way is to buy pillsbury French Bread dough that is in the refrigerated section by the crescent rolls. One loaf will make 5 hot dogs. Just divide the dough into 5 equal pieces and wrap hot dogs that you have dried with paper towels. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until browned. I spread the finished hot dogs with a little bit of butter when they come out of the oven. Crescent rolls can be used too but I prefer bread dough.
Thanks for the info, Karen!
What kind of yeast?
I’m new to this and I see dry active yeast
Yes, active dry yeast is good.
I used your recipe and Lit’l Smokies to make appetizers. They were a big hit with my guests.
That sounds yummy, Linda!
CanI use all white flour instead of wheat, would I use the same amount?
Yep, just use the same amount, Mishelle.
These were so yummy. The dough is great on it’s own with a crispy crust and a soft chewy texture. I’ve been using this dough for dinner rolls and most recently cinnamon buns as well.
Great ideas for using the dough – it’s also the dough I use to make hamburger buns. 🙂
I just made these tonight. We didnt wrap them the same way and had extra dough. These were amazing and easy to make. Thank you !
I’m glad you liked them, Hailey!
Alright, dont hate, has anyone tried wrapping the dog on bacon, then wrapping the bread dough? Was wondering if the bacon cooks or stays raw, or if I should par cook it… I was going to do 8 with and 8 without.
I haven’t tried it, but in other recipes where the bacon is wrapped, they always cook it about halfway first, so that’s what I’d do. It sounds fun. 🙂
Do you use active yeast or instant yeast in pig in blanket recipe I’m new to using yeast, and don’t know the difference between them. Also thanks for this recipe, I have thought about making these for years and never could find a recipe for them. I loved these, use to have them in middle school.
I have found this recipe to work great with either active dry or instant, Debbie, so go for it with whatever you have. 🙂
I tried this recipe Friday night, I wish I could say it turned out good, but it did not. Not because the recipe is bad but because I am horrible at baking. I can cook good, but baking is a whole different ball game. I decided to google baking 101, and start from beginning LOL. I’M GOING to try these again in the near future, thanks for your recipe
Oh, no! What happened – are you sure I can’t help you through it? It really is a pretty easy recipe, though it’s a soft dough and is a bit sticky so your hands need to be well floured. Do you think you added too much flour?
I made this recipe yesterday, why were my pigs in a blanket tough? I dont understand, I followed the recipe to a “T”. I used pork sausage links which released some grease but I dont think this may have caused them to become tough, or am I wrong? Please help! I would love to try them a second time!
I don’t know, Eliza – bummer! It sounds like maybe a bit too much flour – that’s usually what makes bread tough like that. I encourage everyone to keep trying with yeast breads because it’s really about getting used to what the dough looks like a feels like.
My 5 and 2 year old boys both agreed it was their favorite food they had ever tried. These boys are spoiled foodies, so that meant a lot to me. (It placed alongside Cool River Pizza, better than organic watermelon and salmon caviar and lamb’s liver. When I say spoiled, I mean it…)
We used 100% sprouted whole wheat flour, Applegate pork breakfast sausages in lieu of hotdogs, and rolled them out on grated Parmesan instead of extra flour.
It was soo fluffy and delicate; I will never buy buns again. I especially like that theres no baking powder/baking soda.
(We dont buy those because of the aluminum and other questionable ingredients)
Thank you for posting this.
I’m so glad to read this, Mary Jane! Wow, such high praise – thank you. 🙂 (Oh, and I love your idea to roll them in parmesan – will HAVE to try that!!)