Savory Pull Apart Pigs in a Blanket

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Finding crowd-pleasing appetizers for game days and parties can feel like a real puzzle. Between juggling different tastes and preferences, making sure there’s enough food for everyone, and trying not to spend hours in the kitchen, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the options out there.

That’s why this pull apart pigs in a blanket recipe has become my go-to party snack: it’s super easy to put together, always gets eaten up quickly, and has that fun, interactive element that gets everyone gathering around the table.

What Kind of Pizza Dough Should I Use?

For this recipe, you can use either homemade pizza dough or store-bought dough from your local grocery store or pizzeria – both will give you great results. If you’re going the store-bought route, look for fresh dough in the refrigerated section rather than the pre-baked crusts or tubes of dough. Most grocery stores keep their fresh pizza dough near the deli or prepared foods section, and many local pizza shops will sell you a ball of their dough if you ask. Just make sure your dough is at room temperature before working with it, as this makes it much easier to stretch and wrap around the sausages. If you’re making it from scratch, any basic pizza dough recipe will work well here.

Options for Substitutions

This fun party recipe can be tweaked with several easy substitutions:

• Pizza dough: While pizza dough works great, you can use crescent roll dough or regular bread dough instead. If using crescent rolls, you won’t need the melted butter since they’re already enriched.
• Mini sausages: Regular hot dogs cut into thirds work just fine. You can also try turkey or chicken mini sausages for a lighter option. Just make sure they’re pre-cooked.
• White cheddar: Feel free to swap this with regular cheddar, Monterey Jack, or even a mix of cheeses. Each will give you a slightly different but equally good cheese sauce.
• Whole grain mustard: Dijon mustard works great here, or you can use regular yellow mustard. If you’re not a mustard fan, it’s okay to leave it out completely.
• Milk: For the cheese sauce, you can use any milk you have on hand – whole, 2%, or even half-and-half for extra richness. Just avoid fat-free milk as it might make the sauce too thin.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest challenge when making pull-apart pigs in a blanket is working with pizza dough that’s too cold – let it come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting, or you’ll struggle with dough that keeps shrinking back as you try to wrap the sausages. When making the cheese sauce, rushing the process can lead to lumps or a grainy texture – start with a proper roux by cooking the butter and flour together for at least 1-2 minutes before slowly adding warm (not hot) milk while whisking constantly. Another common mistake is overcrowding your baking dish, which can result in doughy, undercooked sections – make sure to leave small gaps between each wrapped sausage to allow for proper rising and even baking. For the best results, brush the tops with melted butter just before baking, and rotate the pan halfway through cooking time to ensure even browning across all the pieces.

What to Serve With Pull Apart Pigs in a Blanket?

This fun, shareable appetizer pairs perfectly with a variety of dipping sauces – try honey mustard, BBQ sauce, or ranch dressing alongside the cheese sauce that comes with the recipe. Since it’s on the heavier side, I like to balance it out with some fresh veggie sticks like carrots, celery, and bell peppers. For a casual party spread, you could add some potato chips, a simple green salad, or a bowl of pickles to cut through the richness. If you’re serving this as a main dish, consider adding some coleslaw or a light potato salad on the side to round out the meal.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These pull-apart pigs in a blanket are best enjoyed fresh, but you can keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The cheese sauce should be stored separately in its own container to keep the bread from getting soggy.

Make Ahead: Want to prep these ahead? You can assemble the whole thing (minus the cheese sauce) a day before, cover it with plastic wrap, and keep it in the fridge. Just bring it to room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking. Make the cheese sauce fresh when you’re ready to serve.

Warm Up: To enjoy leftovers, pop them in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes until they’re warm through. The cheese sauce can be warmed separately in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of milk if needed to thin it out.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	45-60 minutes
Total Time	65-90 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3400
• Protein: 150-170 g
• Fat: 180-200 g
• Carbohydrates: 300-320 g

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 2 pounds of pizza dough
• Approximately 70 to 75 mini sausages (around 2 packs of 14 oz each)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 cups of milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 8 ounces white cheddar
• Salt and pepper for seasoning

Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Baking Pan

Preheat your oven to 375˚F.

Meanwhile, brush the bottom and sides of a 9″ springform pan with melted butter to prevent sticking.

Set the prepared pan aside while you work on the dough.

Step 2: Roll and Prepare the Dough

Lightly flour a clean surface to prevent sticking and roll out the dough until it’s about 1/8 inch thick.

If working with a large amount of dough, you can divide it in half and roll each half separately.

Cut the rolled-out dough into 1 1/2” by 2” pieces.

Take each lil’ smokey sausage and wrap it in a piece of the prepared pizza dough, making sure to pinch the seam shut securely to enclose the sausage completely.

Step 3: Arrange and Bake the Pigs in a Blanket

Once all the smokies are wrapped, begin lining the pigs in a blanket vertically around the inside edge of the springform pan (with the seam side inward).

Continue lining them up until the entire circumference of the pan is filled, ensuring they are snug but not overly tight.

Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes.

Step 4: Finish Baking and Cool

Carefully remove the foil from the pan and continue baking the pigs in a blanket for an additional 15 minutes or until the tops are nicely browned and crisp.

Once baking is complete, take the pan out of the oven and allow the loaf to cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Step 5: Prepare the Cheese Sauce

While the pigs in a blanket are cooling, melt butter in a small pot over medium heat.

Add flour to the butter and whisk together continuously for 2 minutes to form a base.

Stir in milk gradually while whisking for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth.

Add mustard and whisk until fully incorporated.

Remove the pot from heat and begin adding small handfuls of grated cheese, whisking each addition until melted and smooth.

Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 6: Serve

Remove the pull-apart bread from the springform pan carefully.

Serve it immediately with the warm cheese sauce for dipping.

Enjoy this delicious and fun appetizer!