Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket

Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket made with little smokies and crescent dough are a simple snack recipe for game days or an after school snack. 

Football season is just about ready to start and so I’m in full-on football food mode. Pigs in a blanket are such a retro classic little appetizer. Kids love them for a snack too. In my opinion the best ‘little piggies’ are made with crescent roll dough. First, the air fryer puffs them up to perfection. Second, these air fryer pigs in blanket are quick and easy to make. And third, both kids and adults love these bite sized snacks.

Mix and match with different varieties of crescent rolls. And use little smokies, mini hot dogs, or even full size sausages or hot dogs (cut into halves or thirds). Also, there are a lot of combinations when you start thinking about dipping sauces for your pigs in a blanket!

In addition, I’m including instructions for air frying pre-packaged pigs in a blanket that you can find in the frozen section. It took me a few tries to get those right. So keep scrolling for the correct time and temperature.

Why this recipe works

My recipe is meant for snacking. These are mini pigs in a blanket. Finger food that is ready to be dipped. Little hot dogs or little smokies (my personal favorites) are wrapped up warm and snug in strips of refrigerated crescent roll dough. Since you make them yourself, you can mix and match your flavor combination. In my pictures, I have cheddar little smokies combined with Sweet Hawaiian crescent dough flavor. And regular little smokies smoked sausage are wrapped in original crescent rolls.

The air fryer cooks these little pigs quickly and efficiently. Lining the air fryer basket with paper liners makes for easy transfer to a serving platter. Plus it prevents sticking. And there’s no need to flip them over. These are perfect party food. Wrap a bunch ahead of time and air fry them in batches as needed.

Air fryer pigs in a blanket ingredients

• Cocktail Hot Dogs – These are mini-sized hot dogs or cocktail smoked sausage. They usually come in a 14 oz package, with about 24 hot dogs in the package. There are many types and brands to choose from. For my recipe I used two varieties of Hillshire Farm Lit’l Smokies – Original and Cheddar
• Crescent Rolls – Use crescent roll dough found in the refrigerator section at your grocery store. Again, there are a variety of brands and types. For my recipe I used Pillsbury Crescents – Original and Sweet Hawaiian
• Sauces for Dipping – Ketchup and mustard are the most popular condiments to serve with pigs in a blanket. But you can also serve these with cheddar cheese sauce, honey mustard, Ranch dressing, or BBQ sauce. Get creative fellow foodie!

Instructions for making air fryer pigs in a blanket

Take the dough out of its package and separate it into 8 triangles. Use a sharp knife to cut each triangle into three smaller triangles (lengthwise). Roll each small hot dog or cocktail-size smoked sausage up in one crescent triangle of dough (start at the widest part of the triangle). Air fry the pigs in a blanket in batches. Place them in an air fryer basket lined with paper. Keep some space in between each pig. Fry each batch at 350 degrees F for about 8 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden brown.

How do you cook frozen pigs in a blanket in an air fryer?

There are several brands and varieties of frozen pigs in a blanket. These Nathan’s Beef Franks are what I can purchase at my Kroger. There are oven and convection oven instructions on the box. I messed up two batches of these to get the time and temperature right for the air fryer. Because they are very different than both sets of instructions on the box.

First, don’t use a paper liner in your air fryer basket with these. The paper is perfect for the crescent pigs. But it makes these frozen pigs soggy. Place the puff pastry wrapped beef cocktail franks in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Air fry them at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and crispy. These do not puff up as nicely as the crescent pigs in a blanket. And honestly, I much prefer the ones that are homemade with the crescent dough.

Pro Tips

Can you bake pigs in a blanket in the oven?

Don’t have an air fryer? No problem! I’ve included the cook time for ovens on the recipe card below. You should be able to fit all 24 mini pigs in a blanket in a single layer onto one baking sheet. Make sure the baking sheet is non-stick, line it with parchment paper or a silicone, oven-safe baking mat, or spray the sheet with cooking spray.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the mini pigs in a blanket for 12 – 15 minutes in the oven. Or until they are puffed and golden brown. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce.

Cheesy Mustard Dipping Sauce

The sauce in my pictures is a combination of cheddar cheese sauce and yellow mustard. Mix about three tablespoons of cheese sauce with one tablespoon of mustard. Then warm it in the microwave. If you need more sauce, just double or triple the amounts. Have fun and create your own sauce combinations for these air fryer pigs in a blanket!

What to serve with pigs in a blanket

• Set them out for a football tailgate party with other finger foods like sausage balls, veggies with dip and Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip
• As an after school snack with a rainbow fruit salad
• Baked Beans
• Cheesy Potatoes
• Deviled Eggs

Storage directions

Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can reheat them in the microwave. I use the “pizza” setting on my microwave for reheating these. Alternatively, you can reheat the already made pigs in a blanket in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for 2-3 minutes.

Freshly made air fryer pigs in a blanket are the best. They are quick and simple to make in small batches as needed. I do not recommend freezing already made pigs in a blanket.

Kitchen Tools

• I use a Philips XXL Air Fryer in my own kitchen to test all of my air fryer recipes
• These are the air fryer paper liners I used to make these pigs in a blanket
• You could use air fryer parchment paper liners instead
• Use a heavy, sharp chef’s knife to cut the crescent roll dough into smaller triangles

More air fryer recipes

• Breakfast Sausage in Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Pork Chops
• Meatloaf in the Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Potato Skins
• BBQ Chicken Legs

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