Pigs in a Blanket with cheese will be all the rage at your next party. This crescent roll recipe is easy, fun, and oh-so-delicious. These Lil’ Smokies wrapped in sharp cheddar, crescent roll dough, and brushed with Parmesan ranch butter are sure to be a hit.
What’s in This Pigs in a Blanket Recipe?
Pigs in a blanket are such a fun finger food. We’re using Lil Smokies with cheese and ranch Parmesan butter to put a creative twist on a classic party appetizer.
- Crescent Rolls: Refrigerated crescent roll dough is the perfect easy hack for fluffy, flaky pigs in a blanket. You can also make your own crescent rolls if you prefer.
- Cheese: We like to use sharp cheddar cheese because it offsets the richness of the buttery crescent dough.
- Lil Smokies: Perfectly sized cocktail sausages for these two-bite appetizers. You can also make your own in a crockpot.
- Butter: Salted butter helps the seasoning and cheese stick to the crescent rolls.
- Ranch Seasoning: Adds that classic tangy and herbal flavor that compliments these pigs in a blanket so well.
- Cheese: Parmesan cheese a bit of salty umami flavor.
Variations on Pigs in a Blanket with Cheese
It’s easy to change up the flavor of these pigs in a blanket by using a different type of cheese and/or seasoning. Try using Monterey jack, pepper jack, Swiss, or American cheese. Swap the ranch seasoning for everything bagel seasoning, Italian seasoning, or za’atar to change up the flavor!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover pigs in a blanket in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 5-7 minutes, or until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze pigs in a blanket in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag to store for up to 3 months. Reheat directly from frozen, adding a few minutes to the final bake time.
Serving Suggestions
We have found these pigs in a blanket are perfect dipped in ranch dressing or barbecue sauce! Serve them alongside matchsticked carrots and celery to add a bit of roughage. They pair so well with other dippable appetizers, like pepperoni pizza rolls, baked turkey meatballs, or jalapeno poppers.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
This recipe for cheesy pigs in a blanket is dead simple! We use store-bought crescent roll dough, cheese, cocktail sausages, and a bit of butter, ranch seasoning, and cheese for an extra kick of flavor. You’ll have this tasty app on the table in just 30 minutes!
Pigs in a Blanket Recipe
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Ingredients
- 24 ounces refrigerated crescent rolls (2 cans)
- 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese cut into quarters
- 30 lil smokies cocktail sausages
- 4 tablespoons salted butter melted (½ stick)
- ½ ounce ranch seasoning (½ packet) – click for recipe!
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Roll out the crescent roll dough and separate by the triangles provided. Cut each triangle in half to create to smaller same shape triangles.24 ounces refrigerated crescent rolls
- Starting at the bigger end of each triangle, lay a small square of cheese, topped with a sausage, then roll up on itself. Lay on the baking sheet. Continue until all 30 pigs in a blanket are on your baking sheet.30 lil smokies, 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
- Combine the melted butter, ranch seasoning, and Parmesan in a small bowl.4 tablespoons salted butter, ½ ounce ranch seasoning, 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Brush the rolled up pigs in a blanket with the butter.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the dough is browned and cooked through.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Not a fan of lil smokies? Use Vienna sausages or hot dogs instead!
Nutrition Information
How to Make Pigs in a Blanket Step by Step
Cut the Dough: Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Roll out 24 ounces of crescent roll dough and separate by the triangles provided. Cut each triangle in half to create to smaller same shape triangles.
Roll the Douggh: Starting at the bigger end of each triangle, lay a small square of cheese (from 8 slices cut into quarters), topped with a lil smokies sausage, then roll up on itself. Lay on the baking sheet. Continue until all 30 pigs in a blanket are on your baking sheet.
Brush the Dough: Combine the 4 tablespoons of melted salted butter, ½ ounce of ranch seasoning, and 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan in a small bowl. Brush the rolled-up pigs in a blanket with the butter.
Bake the Dough: Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the dough is browned and cooked through.
Traditionally, this recipe has little smokies, hot dogs, Vienna sausages, or breakfast sausages wrapped in some sort of pastry, such as crescent dough, biscuit dough, or pancake mix. So they are pigs (pork) wrapped in a blanket of dough, hence the cute name!
You sure can! While I love lil smokies for their smoky barbecue flavor, you can also use Vienna sausages or hot dogs in this recipe. You could also use turkey or chicken-based sausages.
This appetizer takes just about 15 minutes to bake!
Yes, pigs in a blanket can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to bake.
This is an awesome, easy to make recipe. Thanks for sharing it.
I have not made these yet, but love the recipe. I only have one question. If I want to make these ahead and freeze them do I cook them first or leave them on a cookie sheet until almost frozen and put them in a container or just put them in a container and freeze?
We would spread them out on a cookie sheet until frozen, then transfer to an airtight container!
How do you make the ranch for dipping the pigs in a blanket? Or is it extra butter, Parmesan cheese and
Ranch mixture?
We just used ranch dressing, but ranch seasoning mixed into sour cream would also be delish!
What is the green seasoning you put on top in the end ?
It’s parsley!
Great recipe thank so much so yummy
Thanks for stopping by!
A real hit at our mini Super Bowl party
They look delicious, Mary!
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Thanks you, Tanya! I’m glad you love it!
Wow… I just read through the comments (to make sure I’m not repeating a question that anyone; or everyone, else may have already asked…
Firstly – I’d like to say that I felt compelled… no… strongly obliged, to tell you that I had absolutely no problem finding the directions for making the ranch/butter dipping/basting sauce….
Now – onto the question that I don’t believe anyone else has asked yet In the comments section – What if you don’t have the ranch seasoning, and (I’m assuming) the closest substitute I can currently find in my kitchen is just regular ol’ Ranch dressing? Could that be an appropriate substitute, and if so then what amount should i be using?
Also – Do you have any additional suggestions of any kind when it comes to any sort of modifications or additions that could be made to this recipe?
FYI- I adore nothing more than a well-seasoned dish– particularly those that can still manage to surprise me by needing little; if any, salt. Dips and sauces will always be my absolutely favorite part of any meal though, so I always do whatever I can to make sure that those are either (the ever-elusive) natural crowd-pleasers, or that the selection I have to offer has enough just enough of a variety to have something for everyone (but not so much variety that anyone feels like they “missed out” on something
It will likely work, but the flavors will be muted. To get the same amount of ranch flavor in the dish as you’d have gotten from the dry mix, you’d have to use as much as the dry packet would make which is typically a couple of cups of dressing!
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Thank you so much!! I’m glad you are enjoying the site and recipes!