All you need to make pigs in a blanket in the air fryer are some lil smokies, canned crescent roll dough, and butter! These tasty bites are sure to become an instant family favorite.
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Do you need to make a tasty snack for the kids after school or for friends on game day? You have to try making pigs in a blanket in the air fryer!
This recipe only requires three ingredients, and I genuinely don’t know which one is the star. Lil smokies wrapped up in crescent roll dough and brushed with butter is such a simple dish, but it turns out so irresistibly tasty!
Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:
- How to make pigs in a blanket in the air fryer
- Plenty of different ways you can customize this recipe
- The easiest way to store and reheat leftover pigs in a blanket
- The best dipping sauces for this scrumptious finger food
- How to make frozen brands like Hebrew National pigs in a blanket in an air fryer
If you ask me, pigs in a blanket are one of the best finger foods. They’re hearty enough to enjoy for a fun family dinner, but they also make a great snack or appetizer.
Plus, you get to serve them with all your favorite dipping sauces!
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 your 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 you don’t want it loose.
STEP THREE: Repeat until you have used all of the crescent rolls.
STEP FOUR: Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
STEP FIVE: Meanwhile, lightly brush the tops of the pigs in a blanket with melted butter.
STEP SIX: When the air fryer is preheated, lightly brush the basket with butter.
STEP SEVEN: Line the pigs in a blanket in the basket, leaving space between each one.
STEP EIGHT: Cook for 4-6 minutes, working in multiple batches if necessary.
Ways to Change Up Your Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
This simple recipe is easily customizable. You can change it up based on what you have on hand or if you just feel like trying something new!
- Want to use pastry dough instead? No problem! Crescent rolls and puff pastry dough are very similar. Pastry dough will be a little flakier due, while crescent rolls will have that wonderful homemade roll texture.
- Try making your mini pigs in a blanket with cheese for an extra burst of deliciousness! Cut a slice a bit shorter than your lil smokie, place it on the cocktail sausage, then wrap it all up.
- Smaller slices will help prevent melty cheese from dripping into your air fryer.
- Looking for a pop of flavor? Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning over the dough after you brush it with butter. You could also mix some garlic into the butter before brushing the dough.
- If you really want to step it up a notch, try making bacon wrapped pigs in a blanket! You may want to cut the bacon into smaller strips; otherwise, it could overwhelm your pigs in a blanket when you wrap them.
- Finally, you can always swap out the lil smokies for hot dogs to make full size pigs in a blanket. Just keep in mind that these will take longer to cook in the air fryer. These would also be great to wrap in bacon!
Tips for Making the Best Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
- Wait to preheat your air fryer until all the pigs in a blanket are rolled and ready to cook. Your air fryer needs to be hot and ready to keep the dough from going through the air fryer holes, so you don’t want to preheat too early.
- If you have parchment paper, you can use that to line your air fryer.
- Brushing the pigs in a blanket with butter before cooking enhances the buttery taste in the crescent roll and helps them achieve that wonderful golden-brown color.
- Remember that the number of pigs in a blanket in the basket and the size and brand of your air fryer will vary the cooking time slightly. Mine took 5 minutes when the basket was full and 4 minutes when the basket didn’t have as many.
How to Store Leftover Pigs in a Blanket
Any extra pigs in a blanket can be stored in an airtight container. Make sure to let them cool to room temperature before sealing, so the condensation doesn’t make the pastry soggy, then store them in the refrigerator for up to four days.
The Best Dipping Sauces
- 2 Ingredient BBQ Sauce
- Ketchup
- Homemade Buffalo Sauce
- Honey Sriracha Sauce
- Mustard
- Blue Cheese
- Ranch
How to Cook Frozen Pigs in a Blanket in the Air Fryer
If you have a frozen brand like Nathan’s or Hebrew National pigs in a blanket, these can also be made in the air fryer!
- Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F.
- Place the frozen pigs in a blanket in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked all the way through.
How to Reheat Pigs in a Blanket in the Air Fryer
- Place your leftover pigs in a blanket in your air fryer.
- Set the temperature to 350 degrees F.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
Other Air Fryer Finger Food Recipes You’ll Love:
- Air Fryer Quesadillas
- Air Fryer Tortilla Chips
- Air Fryer Potato Skins
- Frozen Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Blooming Onion
- Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks (or Frozen Cheese Sticks)
- Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls in the Air Fryer
- Garlic Parmesan Wings in the Air Fryer
- The Best Air Fryer Appetizers
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Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
Ingredients
- 1 package of refrigerated canned crescent rolls
- 1 package of Lit’l Smokies or Lit’l Beef Franks
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
Instructions
- Unroll your 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 your small triangle. Then roll it to the tip of the croissant. It doesn’t have to be very tight, but you don’t want it loose.
- Continue step 3 till you have used all of your crescent rolls. I had 2 single lil smokies left over.
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees. While it was preheating, brush the tops of the pigs in a blanket with melted butter.
- Line your pigs in a blanket in your basket, leaving a little room between them to prevent overlapping.
- Cook for 4-6 minutes. I had to cook 2 batches and the first was a full basket and took 5 minutes.
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!
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.