Stop! Did you know you can make Pigs in a Blanket in the Air Fryer? Pigs in a Blanket are not just a treat for game day or football season but a versatile snack perfect for any gathering, big or small. And they are SO easy to make in the Air Fryer. Let me show you!
With just a can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and Lil Smokies Cocktail Weenies, you can whip up a batch of these delightful snacks in no time.
The buttery crescent dough becomes irresistibly golden and flaky in the air fryer, perfectly enveloping the smoky, savory flavor of the juicy cocktail sausages.
It's an easy recipe that requires minimal effort, making it perfect for those busy days or when you want to enjoy the party without being stuck in the kitchen.
My Lil Smokies Crescent Rolls oven baked are a very popular recipe and for good reason. So here are the update directions in making them for the Air Fryer!
If you're looking for more easy snacks and appetizers to make in your air fryer, check out my Air Fryer Tortilla Chips, Frozen Garlic Knots Easy Air Fryer Recipe, Air Fryer Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, Air Fryer Jiffy Cornbread Recipe, and my Cheese Stuffed Breadstick Air Fryer Recipe!
Ingredients Needed for Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket Recipe
- Can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. This will make the buttery, flaky 'blanket' part of your Pigs in a Blanket. They wrap perfectly around the sausages and turn golden brown when air-fried.
- Lil Smokies Cocktail Weenies. Also called Little Smokies, Lit'l Smokies, Cocktail Sausages, or Mini Sausage. These small sausages are ideal for bite-sized appetizers, and their smoky flavor goes hand-in-hand with the buttery crescent rolls.
How to Make Easy Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
- Carefully unroll the Crescent Roll Dough and separate it into triangles.
- Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut one crescent roll triangle lengthwise into three narrow triangles that are roughly equal in size.
- Repeat for all pastry dough triangles.
- Place 1 Lil Smokie on the thin or shortest side of each triangle.
- Carefully roll up. Repeat the process to make 12 Pigs in a Blanket.
- Line the air fryer with an 8-inch round of cooking parchment paper with holes in it, or spray the basket with baking spray. Place Pigs in a Blanket in bottom of air fryer basket.
- Bake at 330 degrees F for 4–5 minutes. The dough will turn golden brown when it is ready. While the first batch is air-frying, prepare the next 12 Pigs in a Blanket and repeat the process.
- Using tongs, carefully remove them from the hot air fryer and place them on a wire rack to cool. Serve Pigs in a Blanket warm with BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Mustard, or your favorite dipping sauce combination.
FAQs
While the ingredients and preparation process for these two pastries are similar, they cannot be used as substitutes for each other. Aside from the yeast giving the croissant layers a boost, puff pastry has a savory flavor rather than a sweet flavor due to the lack of sugar. Use Puff Pastry Dough if you cannot find Crescent Roll Dough.
Absolutely! Just cut the hot dogs into smaller pieces to fit the crescent roll dough.
Skip the meat and use Vegetarian Sausages or even Halloumi Sticks as a filling.
Yes, you can prepare them in advance and refrigerate them for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months. Just make sure they're thawed and then pop them in the air fryer when you're ready to serve.
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Place the Pigs in a Blanket in an airtight container or Ziploc bag once they have cooled to room temperature and store in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat them in the air fryer at 330 degrees F for 1-2 minutes for the best texture.
Freezing: Allow the Pigs in a Blanket to cool to room temperature and place them in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag in the freezer for 3 months. Thaw them completely before reheating them in the air fryer at 330 degrees F for 1-2 minutes for the best texture (thawing overnight in the fridge is the easiest way).
Make Ahead: You can prepare Pigs in a Blanket in advance and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To refrigerate, store them in a Ziploc bag or an airtight container in the fridge, and just pop them in the air fryer when you're ready to serve. To freeze, store them in a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container, and thaw them completely before cooking in the air fryer (thawing overnight in the fridge would be fine).
Substitutions & Variations
- Dough Variations. Instead of using Crescent Roll Dough, you can use homemade or store-bought puff pastry dough, cut into strips.
- Changing the Weenies. You can substitute a Lil Smokie with a mini hotdog or even slices of full-size Hot Dogs, turkey sausage, or pork sausage. Use veggie sausages for a vegetarian option, or even Halloumi Sticks or a similar firmer cheese.
- Add some Seasoning. For extra flavor and visual appeal, sprinkle some seasonings on top, like Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, or mixed herbs onto the Pigs in Blankets before you put them in the air fryer. You can even add seeds like Poppy Seeds or Sesame Seeds, or use some Everything Bagel Seasoning as the perfect catch-all for seeds and seasoning. Make sure to press the seeds and loose herbs gently into the dough to ensure that most remain in place when air-fried.
- Experiment with Fillings. Add a thin slice of cheese inside the dough before rolling it around the sausage for a gooey, cheesy center. A small slice of pickle or jalapeño inside the dough with the sausage will give an extra flavor burst and some tang or heat.
- Wrap in Bacon. For an indulgent treat, wrap the sausage in bacon before rolling it into the dough.
- Sweet and Savory. Try adding a drizzle of maple syrup to the sausage or a sprinkle of brown sugar on the dough for a sweet and savory combination.
Pro Tips
- Like an oven, preheating your air fryer can give you better, crispier results.
- Arrange the Pigs in a Blanket in a single layer with enough space between each one. This ensures that the hot air can circulate evenly, cooking each piggy perfectly.
- It's not necessary to flip these Pigs in a Blanket over when air-frying them in a basket air fryer that has good airflow.
- They take 4 minutes to cook in my Cosori 5.8-quart basket air fryer. Each air fryer can cook a little differently, so add an additional minute to the cooking time if you need to.
- If you'd like directions for how to bake these in the oven, check out my Lil Smokies Pigs in a Blanket post.
- Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough precisely and evenly. This will help to make each Pig in a Blanket have the perfect dough-to-sausage ratio.
- Cocktail weenies or Lil Smokies are ideal because of their size. If you use different sausages, remember to cut them to the right size for rolling with the dough strips.
- If you're making these for guests, then cater to different tastes easily by serving them with a variety of dipping sauces like ketchup, mustard, honey mustard, BBQ sauce, mayonnaise, burger sauce, or a creamy cheese dip.
Have you tried this homemade Pigs in a Blanket Air Fryer recipe?
Please leave a comment below if you have tried making this recipe. I love to hear from you and enjoy reading about what you think. Be sure to tag @devourdinner when posting on social media. I can't wait to see your photos!
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Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
Ingredients
- 1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
- 24 Lil Smokies - Cocktail Weenies
Instructions
- Carefully unroll the Crescent Roll Dough and separate it into triangles.1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
- Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut one crescent roll triangle lengthwise into three narrow triangles that are roughly equal in size.
- Repeat for all pastry dough triangles.
- Place 1 Lil Smokie on the thin or shortest side of each triangle.24 Lil Smokies
- Carefully roll up. Repeat the process to make 12 Pigs in a Blanket.
- Line the air fryer with an 8-inch round of cooking parchment paper with holes in it, or spray the basket with baking spray. Place Pigs in a Blanket in bottom of air fryer basket.
- Bake at 330 degrees F for 4-5 minutes. The dough will turn golden brown when ready. While the first batch is air-frying, prepare the next 12 Pigs in a Blanket and repeat the process.
- Using tongs, carefully remove them from the hot air fryer and place them on a wire rack to cool. Serve Pigs in a Blanket warm with BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Mustard, or your favorite dipping sauce combination.
Notes
Storage:
- Storage: Cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 330 degrees F for 1-2 minutes for the best texture.
- Freezing: Cool to room temperature and store in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag in the freezer for 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating in the air fryer at 330 degrees F for 1-2 minutes for the best texture (thawing overnight in the fridge is the easiest way).
- Make Ahead: To refrigerate, assemble and store in a Ziploc bag or an airtight container in the fridge, and follow the air frying instructions when ready to serve. To freeze, store in a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container in the freezer, and thaw them completely before cooking in the air fryer (thawing overnight in the fridge would be fine).
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.
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