Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
Air fryer pigs in a blanket bake up golden and flaky in about 8 minutes, faster than the oven and with no preheating of a big sheet pan. Wrap cocktail sausages or hot dogs in crescent dough, cook them in two batches and you have a game day appetizer or a quick kids' lunch. This recipe covers fresh, mini and frozen pigs in a blanket, with the temperatures that keep the dough cooked through.
- Temperature
- 350°F180 °C
- Total time
- 31min
- Prep time
- 15min
- Servings
- 6
- Internal temp
- 165°F74 °C
- Per serving
- 310kcal
Why the air fryer works for pigs in a blanket
Pigs in a blanket are a small pastry around a cooked sausage, so they need only enough heat to bake the dough and warm the filling. In a conventional oven you wait for a full sheet pan to preheat and often end up with dough that is browned on top but pale underneath. In the air fryer, hot air circulates around each roll, so the dough puffs, browns on every side and the sausage heats through in a few minutes.
Because cocktail sausages and hot dogs are already cooked, the goal is a fully baked wrap and a sausage that is hot all the way to the center at 165 °F. Crescent dough turns golden at 350 °F, which is the sweet spot between a cooked inside and a burned outside.
How to make pigs in a blanket in the air fryer
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Cut the dough Unroll the crescent dough and press the perforations together to form one rectangle. Cut it into 24 thin triangles, about 1½ inches wide at the base. Pat the sausages dry with a paper towel so the dough sticks.
- Wrap Place a sausage at the wide end of each triangle and roll it up toward the point. Leave the ends of the sausage peeking out, and place the point underneath so the roll does not unravel.
- Brush Whisk the egg with 1 tbsp of water, brush it over the dough and sprinkle with seasoning. Brush the basket lightly with the melted butter so the dough does not stick.
- Preheat and cook Preheat the air fryer to 350 °F for . Place 12 pigs in a blanket in the basket, seam side down, with space between them. Cook for , until the dough is deep golden. There is no need to flip.
- Check The dough should be golden with no raw, pale streaks, and the sausage should be hot at 165 °F in the center. Repeat with the second batch and serve warm with mustard and ketchup.
Times and temperatures
| Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mini sausages in crescent dough | 350 °F (180 °C) | 8 min |
| Full-size hot dogsCut hot dogs in half first | 350 °F (180 °C) | 10–11 min |
| Puff pastry | 375 °F (190 °C) | 8–10 min |
| FrozenShake halfway, no thawing | 360 °F (180 °C) | 8–10 min |
Times are a guide and depend on the size and wattage of your air fryer. Done at 165 °F (74 °C) in the center. See also air fryer cooking times for all foods.
Tips
- Cut the dough thin. A narrow triangle wraps the sausage two or three times and bakes through. Wide triangles leave a doughy layer.
- Dry the sausages. Moisture on the surface makes the dough slide off and turn gummy. A paper towel pat takes five seconds.
- Cook in batches. Twelve minis fit in a standard 4–6 qt basket with space between them. Crowding makes the dough stick together.
What to serve with pigs in a blanket
Pigs in a blanket are party food, so serve them with yellow mustard, ketchup, honey mustard or ranch for dipping. For a more complete lunch, add potato wedges and a crisp coleslaw, or put them on a snack table next to chicken wings and nachos for game day.
Storing and reheating
Cooked pigs in a blanket keep for 3 to 4 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Unbaked wrapped ones freeze on a tray, then in a bag for up to 2 months; cook them from frozen, adding 2 minutes. Reheat cooked ones in the air fryer at 330 °F for 3–4 minutes, until the dough is crisp and the sausages reach 165 °F.
Variations
- With cheese: Tuck a thin strip of cheddar next to each sausage before rolling it up.
- Hot dogs: Cut hot dogs in half and wrap each half in a wider piece of dough. Cook for 10–11 minutes at 350 °F.
- Sweet and savory: Brush with melted butter and honey mustard right after cooking.
- Spiced: Sprinkle with garlic powder, smoked paprika or everything bagel seasoning before cooking.
If it does not turn out right
- The dough is still doughy under the sausage
- The wraps were too thick or crowded. Cut thinner triangles, leave space in the basket and add 1–2 minutes if needed.
- The dough unrolls during cooking
- Place the seam or the point of the triangle on the bottom of the basket so the weight of the sausage holds it closed.
- The bottom sticks to the basket
- Brush the basket lightly with butter before each batch, and let the pigs in a blanket cool for 1 minute before lifting them out.
Questions and answers
How long do you cook pigs in a blanket in the air fryer?
Mini pigs in a blanket made with crescent dough take 8 minutes at 350 °F. Full-size hot dogs wrapped in dough need 10–11 minutes at the same temperature.
How do you cook frozen pigs in a blanket in the air fryer?
Cook store-bought frozen pigs in a blanket at 360 °F for 8–10 minutes without thawing, shaking the basket halfway. They should be golden and hot at 165 °F in the center.
Can I use biscuits, puff pastry or pizza dough instead of crescent dough?
Yes. Puff pastry cooks at 375 °F for 8–10 minutes. Biscuit dough needs a thinner wrap and 9–10 minutes at 330 °F. Pizza dough works at 370 °F for 8–10 minutes.
How do you reheat pigs in a blanket in the air fryer?
Reheat at 330 °F for 3–4 minutes until the dough is crisp and the sausages reach 165 °F.
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