My easy air fryer pigs in a blanket are made with lil smokies, canned crescent roll dough, and butter! I whip these up for game days, parties, and sometimes just because they’re fun to eat.
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My Easy Recipe For Pigs in a Blanket in the Air Fryer
The first time I made air fryer pigs in a blanket was for a game day party at my house. I had plenty of other snacks lined up for friends, but I wanted something I knew my kids would like too.
I especially wanted to make something I knew my daughter Leah would like. She loves hot dogs, so I knew making pigs in a blanket in the air fryer would be perfect. My son Connor will eat almost any snack, so he was good to go.
While I usually made them in the oven, I knew the air fryer would be quicker and get the tops of the crescent rolls nice and golden brown. And, I was right! I’ve now switched to making them in the air fryer all the time because it’s just easier and faster.
And, if you love good air fryer snack recipes, try my recipes for air fryer corn dogs, air fryer quesadilla, air fryer chicken wings, air fryer bacon stuffed jalapenos, and air fryer nachos.
Piggies in a Blanket in the Air Fryer Ingredients
- Refrigerated canned crescent rolls – These are my go-to because they bake up golden brown and have that soft, buttery texture that makes the recipe so easy.
- Lit’l Smokies – I usually use the classic cocktail sausages, but Lit’l Beef Franks are great if I want a bolder flavor.
- Butter – I like brushing the rolls with melted butter before air frying to give them a richer taste and a beautiful golden color.
How to Make Pigs in a Blanket in the Air Fryer
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Unroll the crescent rolls, then tear them on the perforated lines. Divide every single triangle into thirds.
STEP TWO: Place a little smokie or little beef frank at the large end of a small triangle, then roll it to the tip of the crescent roll. It doesn’t have to be very tight, but it shouldn’t be loose.
STEP THREE: Repeat using the remaining lil smokies and crescent rolls. Then lightly brush the tops of the pigs in a blanket with the melted butter.
STEP FOUR: Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F then place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer not touching. Air fry them for 4-6 minutes until the crescent roll is golden brown and cooked through.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
- To get even strips of dough, I use a pizza cutter. It makes the process so easy!
- I wait to preheat my air fryer until the pigs in a blanket are rolled. I want them to be ready to go in the air fryer as soon as it’s done preheating, so it’s hot enough to prevent the dough from sinking into the basket holes.
- I sometimes use a silicone liner or parchment paper in my air fryer basket to make cleanup simple and keep the rolls from sticking. I spray the basket with cooking spray when I don’t use them.
- Brushing the pigs in a blanket with butter before air frying is my secret to giving them extra flavor and that golden brown color.
- I make sure to leave space between rolls so they air fry evenly and the hot air can circulate on all sides. It’s better to cook in batches than to overcrowd the basket.
Air Fry Pigs in a Blanket Variations and Substitutions
- I sometimes use puff pastry instead of crescent dough if I’m looking for a really flaky pastry shell.
- To add some cheddar cheese, I cut a slice a bit shorter than my lil smokie and place it on the cocktail sausage before wrapping in crescent dough. Cutting the cheese shorter prevents it from melting out the sides of the pigs in a blanket.
- Sprinkling everything bagel seasoning over the buttered dough gives them a savory finish. I love this slightly elevated version!
- Bacon wrapped pigs in a blanket are always a hit, especially at holiday parties! I cut the bacon into smaller strips so it doesn’t overwhelm the pigs in a blanket.
- I sometimes make this dish with hot dogs instead of little sausages to give me a full-size version of the recipe I can serve for dinner. My kids go nuts when I make these!
The Best Dipping Sauces for Lil Smokies in the air Fryer
I like setting out a dipping sauce spread so everyone can choose their favorite. Honey mustard and BBQ sauce are my go-tos, but I’ll also add ranch, ketchup, or even cheese sauce when I want more variety!
Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket FAQs
How to store leftovers
I let my pigs in a blanket fully cool so the condensation won’t make the pastry soggy, then store my leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to reheat pigs in a blanket in the air fryer
I start by preheating my air fryer to 350 degrees F, then place a few pigs in a blanket back in the air fryer basket and cook until warm and crisp again. It usually only takes 2-3 minutes, and it’s so much better than using the microwave!
How to cook frozen pigs in a blanket in the air fryer
If there aren’t air fryer instructions on the frozen pigs in a blanket, I’ll preheat my air fryer to 380 degrees F, then air fry in a single layer for 8 to 10 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the sausage is warmed all the way through.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air fryer hot dogs
- Air fryer brats
- Air fryer french fries
- Air fryer chicken tenders
- Air fryer Italian sausage
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Easy Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package refrigerated canned crescent rolls
- 24 Lit'l Smokies or Lit'l Beef Franks
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
- Unroll the crescent rolls and tear them on the perforated lines. Take a single triangle and divide it into thirds.
- Place a little smokie at the large end of the small triangle. Then roll it to the tip of the croissant. It doesn’t have to be very tight, but it shouldn't be loose.
- Continue to roll the rest of the crescent rolls and little smokies then brush the tops of the pigs in a blanket with melted butter.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F, then place them in the air fryer in a single layer, not touching. Air fry them for 4-6 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the crescent rolls are cooked through.
Notes
- Use parchment paper or a silicone liner in the air fryer basket to make cleanup simple and keep the rolls from sticking. If not using one, I recommend spritzing the basket with cooking spray or butter.
- Brushing the pigs in a blanket with butter before air frying is my secret to giving them extra flavor and that golden brown color.
- Leave space between rolls so they air fry evenly and the hot air can circulate on all sides. Cook in batches if needed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftovers in a preheated air fryer at 350 degrees F for 2-3 minutes.
- Cook frozen pigs in a blanket in a preheated air fryer at 380 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
My pigs in a blanket- Roll out a tube of refridgerated biscuit dough to about 5 1/2″ in diameter wrap pre-fried sausage links of your liking in each of the dough circles. Roll up starting from edge place seam down on baking sheet and bake in accordance with the directions on the biscuit tube. In a sauce pan heat up a can of Libby’s Sausage Gravy and put on the pigs add fresh ground pepper on top of the coated Pigs and Enjoy!
I love using the roll of crescent rolls too! Sound delicious!
YUM!!!
I used 380F at 10 minutes for Hebrew National frozen and the dough did not puff hardly at all. Next time I think I’ll do 350F for about 15 minutes since the box says 20-25 minutes in a regular oven.