Pretzel pigs in a blanket are essentially two game day favorites wrapped into one! They’re the perfect snack or appetizer for parties, holidays, or just a casual get-together.

If you’re looking for more fun appetizers and snacks to serve alongside your pretzel pigs in a blanket, try out my biscuit pretzel bites, pepperoni crescent rolls, bean and cheese taco bites, reverse stuffed shells, and cheddar bay sausage balls!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Traditional pigs in a blanket and I go way, way back. I basically lived on little sausages wrapped in flakey crescent roll dough around the holidays as a kid, and these pretzel pigs in a blanket are a tasty twist on that classic party snack.

They’re easy to make, only require a few ingredients, and everyone will love them! I swear it seems like these pretzel pigs in a blanket always disappear faster than you can make them, or at least they do in my house!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Crescent roll sheet
Cocktail franks
Baking soda
Coarse pretzel salt

Soft pretzels and hot dogs are two of my favorite game day snacks, but who wants to enjoy them separately when they can be made into one little bite?! These pretzel pigs in a blanket are a fun, bite-sized appetizer or snack love by both kids and adults!

I’m always shocked by what a can of store-bought crescent dough can do! In this case, you can make warm, crispy, doughy pretzel pigs in a blanket right at home! You could even use canned biscuits or pizza dough here! Just roll it out and cut into strips that are about three inches long and 1 inch wide. No bread making or fancy tricks required!

How to make the best pretzel pigs in a blanket:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
Add 5 cups of water to a medium saucepan, then sprinkle in the baking soda and stir to dissolve. Bring to a boil.
Unroll your sheet of crescent dough, then cut the dough lengthwise into 6 strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 5 sections to end up with 30 even pieces.
Working one by one, roll each cocktail frank in a piece of crescent dough, then place on your prepared baking sheet, seam-side down.
Once the baking soda water has come to a boil, drop the wrapped cocktail franks into the boiling water for 10 seconds. I recommend working in batches of 5 at a time here.
Remove from the water with a slotted spoon or spatula to remove any excess water, then return the boiled pigs in a blanket to the prepared baking sheet.
Whisk one egg in a small bowl, then brush onto the surface of each pig in a blanket. Sprinkle with coarse pretzel salt, and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Enjoy as is, or alongside cheese sauce, ketchup, and/or mustard for dipping!

Pretzel pigs in a blanket are a simple way to take a fan favorite appetizer and take it to the next level! You may be thinking there’s no way crescent roll dough is going to taste like a soft pretzel without compromising any flavor or texture, but it’s all in the preparation!

The thing that gives these pretzel pigs in a blanket their crunchy exterior, chewy interior, and pretzel flavor is a quick dip in baking soda water. This shortcut version is super easy! No yeast, bread making, or special dough shaping is necessary here!

My top tips:

CRESCENT ROLL SHEET: I recommend using a Pillsbury crescent roll sheet rather than the traditional Pillsbury crescent rolls with perforated lines for this recipe. If you can only find traditional crescent rolls, you’ll cut each crescent roll triangle into 3 equal strips, then proceed by wrapping one strip around each cocktail frank.
COCKTAIL FRANKS: Cocktail franks are tiny smoked sausages that taste just like mini hot dogs. You can find them in both pork and beef varieties and are commonly known as lit’l smokies!
WORK IN BATCHES: I find it helpful to only add 5 wrapped cocktail franks to the baking soda bath at a time. The crescent dough will puff up while in the water and you want to avoid over-crowding your saucepan.
BOILING: It’s important to only leave the biscuit pieces in the boiling baking soda water for 10-15 seconds. If you leave them in much longer, the crescent dough will become mushy and start to lose shape.
REMOVING EXCESS WATER: I find that using a slotted spoon or spatula to remove the boiled pigs in a blanket from the baking soda bath is helpful to drain off any excess water before placing them on your baking sheet.
EGG WASH: Brushing each pig in a blanket with egg wash not only helps the salt stick to the surface, but it also helps the crescent dough become deeply golden brown while baking.
COARSE SALT: Using a coarse salt makes all the difference in making the exterior of these pretzel pigs in a blanket taste just like a soft pretzel. Do not use fine salt for this recipe- it’ll dissolve into the dough. If you can’t get your hands on the right salt, you can top these with a sprinkle of everything but the bagel seasoning instead!

Any leftovers can be transferred to an airtight container and placed in the fridge for up to 3 days! They reheat like a charm too! I recommend popping them in a 350-degree F oven for 10 minutes or until warmed through. You can also air fry at 375 degrees F for 4 minutes.

Looking for more simple snacks? Try these out!

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