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These baked pigs in a blanket are made with puff pastry, Dijon mustard, cheese, chives, and cocktail sausages (lil smokies). Crisp, flaky, and ready in about 35 minutes. The perfect party appetizer, snack, or game-day favorite.
A Better-Than-Classic Pigs in a Blanket Recipe
If you think pigs in a blanket are just a basic, forgettable party snack, this recipe will change your mind. This is what I make when I want an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer that feels a little more elevated, like my baked chicken wings and hot honey chicken.
Instead of crescent roll dough, I layer two sheets of puff pastry with Dijon mustard, sharp cheese, and fresh chives, then wrap them around cocktail sausages. The result is extra-flaky, flavor-packed, and blows the classic version out of the water.
These Lil Smokies are perfect for game day, Super Bowl parties, holidays, kids' parties, casual entertaining, or anytime you need a reliable appetizer that everyone will go for first.
Serve these pigs in a blanket with honey mustard or your favorite dipping sauce, and pair them with family-favorite appetizers like my corn dip, party pasta salad, sheet pan nachos, cheese ball, or Mexican street corn pasta salad.
What Sets This Recipe Apart
- Puff Pastry: Traditionally, pigs in a blanket are made with store-bought crescent roll dough, but I found that using puff pastry creates a flakier, crispier, more polished result.
- Filling: A lot of pigs in a blanket recipes keep the filling very simple or non-existent, but I layer two sheets of puff pastry with Dijon mustard, sharp cheese, and chives. This adds flavor directly into the pastry instead of leaving the inside plain, as most versions do. I use Gruyère cheese, which really sets this part apart.
- The Dijon is especially important here - it has a sharper, more balanced flavor than yellow mustard, holds up well in the oven, and cuts through the richness of the sausage, cheese, and buttery pastry.
- The Everything Bagel seasoning adds even more texture and flavor. The sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, and onion give the outside a savory crunch that contrasts perfectly with the flaky, buttery interior. It also makes these Lil Smokies look more polished on a party platter.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Puff Pastry: I use Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets (the 17.3-oz box with two sheets). You can substitute the puff pastry for Crescent roll dough, but the puff pastry adds a crispier, flakier texture.
- Cocktail Sausages (Lil Smokies): Any pre-cooked mini sausage works extremely well for this recipe.
- Cheese: Use sharp Cheddar or Gruyère cheese. You can also use Smoked Gouda, Pepperjack, or any low-moisture cheese you love.
- Dijon mustard: Yellow, whole-grain, or stone-ground mustard can also be used.
- Everything Bagel Seasoning: If you don't have it, use a mix of poppy seeds and sesame seeds, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Fresh Chives: Thinly sliced scallion greens (green onions) are the best substitute.
- Egg Wash: One large egg beaten with a tablespoon of water.
How to Make Pigs in a Blanket (Step-by-Step Photos)
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- LAYER: On a lightly floured surface, unfold one puff pastry sheet and brush it all over with the Dijon mustard. Sprinkle evenly with the chives and shredded cheese, then place the second puff pastry sheet on top to make a sandwich.
- ROLL + CUT: Gently roll the pastry into about a 12-inch square, then cut it into 2-inch squares to make about 36 pieces.
- FILL + WRAP: Brush one corner of each square with egg wash, place a cocktail sausage diagonally in the center, then fold the pastry over and press firmly to seal.
- BRUSH + TOP: Arrange the wrapped sausages on the prepared baking sheets about 1½ inches apart. Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning.
- BAKE: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the puff pastry is golden brown and crisp. Serve warm with honey mustard or your favorite dipping sauce.
Variations
- Herby: Fold in fresh thyme, rosemary, parsley, or all three.
- Spice kick: Add diced jalapenos or sprinkle in some crushed red pepper prior to adding the cheese.
- Pizza-style: Instead of mustard, use pizza or pasta sauce in its place. You can also add chopped basil into the puff pastry.
Pigs in a Blanket
These easy Pigs in a Blanket are wrapped in golden, flaky puff pastry layered with Dijon mustard, sharp cheese, and fresh chives. Ready in 35 minutes. Perfect party appetizer, game day snack, or holiday finger food.
Ingredients
- 17.3 oz puff pastry sheets thawed (2 sheets total, 1 package). I prefer Pepperidge Farms brand
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 bunch chives finely chopped (or 4 scallions)
- 1 cup sharp Cheddar or Gruyere cheese shredded (Gruyere or Cheddar)
- 14 ounces cocktail sausages or "lil smokies"
- 1 large large egg beaten, plus 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
- 3 tablespoons Everything bagel seasoning
For serving
- Honey mustard or your choice of dipping sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside
- On a lightly floured surface, unfold or unroll one puff pastry sheet. Brush the Dijon mustard evenly over the entire sheet, including the edges.
- Sprinkle the chives evenly over the mustard-covered puff pastry, then follow it with the shredded cheese.
- Unfold or unroll the second puff pastry sheet and gently place it on top of the first sheet, aligning the edges to create a mustard-and-cheese "sandwich."
- Using a rolling pin, gently roll the layered sheets into a roughly 12" × 12" square (slightly larger is fine).
- Using a ruler if desired, cut the pastry into 2" × 2" squares to yield approximately 36 squares.
- Dab the top-left corner of each square with egg wash then place a cocktail sausage diagonally in the center of each square, with the egg-washed corner positioned to the left of the sausage.
- Fold the corner opposite the egg-washed corner over the sausage first, then fold over the egg-washed corner, pressing gently but firmly to seal. If needed, pinch the pastry edges to secure. You really want a good seal so the puff pastry doesn't burst when baking. *SEE NOTE
- Transfer the puff pastry sausages to the parchment paper lined baking sheets, spacing about 1½ inches apart. Brush the remaining egg wash all over the rolled pastries, then sprinkle evenly with everything bagel seasoning.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
- Enjoy warm with honey mustard, ketchup, or your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Egg wash: Not only does the egg wash help with browning, but it helps seal in the cocktail wieners.
- Even spacing: Make sure not to overcrowd your baking sheet with the pigs in a blanket. Use 2 prepared baking sheets if needed.
- Puff pastry squares: If you are using larger sausages, feel free to make the squares slightly larger.
- Sealing it in: When rolling your two puff pastry sheets together, make sure they are sealed together. This helps prevent cheese from oozing out all over the place (unless you love those crispy cheese crusts). See step-by-step photos above this recipe card.
- Pinching the puff pastry around the sausage: It's important to really secure the puff pastry when you are wrapping it around the sausages. If it's not completely sealed, the puff pastry will expand and open, leaving the sausage sitting on top of a puff pastry square, rather than being encased in it.
Storage Tips
- Fridge: Store cooled pigs in a blanket in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- To reheat from the fridge: Either microwave them or put them in a toaster oven until heated to your desired temperature.
- Freeze Baked Pigs in a Blanket: Store the cooled pigs in a blanket in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. To reheat, preheat your oven to 350°F and heat until warm and crisp again.
- Freeze Assembled Unbaked Pigs in a Blanket: Place the baking sheet with the assembled but uncooked pigs in a blanket in your freezer until they are all frozen solid. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag and store for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen using the same temperature settings as the recipe, but add 3-5 extra minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information
Pigs in a Blanket
Amount per Serving
Calories
126
% Daily Value*
Fat
10
g
15
%
Saturated Fat
3
g
19
%
Trans Fat
0.001
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
5
g
Cholesterol
16
mg
5
%
Sodium
254
mg
11
%
Potassium
34
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
6
g
2
%
Fiber
0.3
g
1
%
Sugar
0.3
g
0
%
Protein
4
g
8
%
Vitamin A
48
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
0.1
mg
0
%
Calcium
41
mg
4
%
Iron
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
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