Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket

Name: Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 1 (8-oz) can refrigerated crescent rolls; 1 (14-oz) pack cocktail wieners (little smokies) or hotdogs ((about 24))

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Air Fryer pigs in a blanket are one of my favorite appetizers for a crowd. They're super easy to make, very budget-friendly and I know they're always a hit and one of the first things cleared off of any platter!

They're a versatile finger food that can fit in with a fancy holiday gathering as much as they can for a casual game day party. My kids also LOVE them as a quick and easy after-school snack and dipping them into ketchup is their favorite part!

We're taking plenty of shortcuts in this recipe and that's part of what makes these so accessible. Store-bought crescent roll dough, along with hot dogs or cocktail franks, and an air fryer is all you need to make a batch.

pigs in a blanket dipped in ketchup and mustard.

A soft pillowy pastry wrapped around a salty, smoky wiener dipped in your favorite dipping sauce, is an addicting bite-sized finger food that makes it so hard to stop at just one!

Why This Recipe Works

A simple appetizer that everyone loves is great for easy entertaining.
They're cheap to make which means you can make a lot at a low cost.
Pigs in a blanket are great for little hands, and the kids will love to help make them too!
Making them in the air fryer is much faster than the conventional oven but results in the same great taste and texture.

Ingredients Needed

Just 2 simple ingredients are needed for this recipe!

Crescent rolls - Readily available in your local grocery store in the refrigerated section. They come in a tube, and will typically already come cut in pull-apart sections for convenience.
Cocktail wieners - Little smokies are a perfect size but you can also use hot dogs and just cut them into thirds.

How to Make Pigs in a Blanket in the Air Fryer

⬇️ Please scroll down to the recipe card to see the full ingredient amounts and instructions ⬇️

Step 1: Unroll the can of dough, following the directions on the package. You'll notice that the dough is already sectioned off into triangles so you'll cut each one of those triangles into three narrow triangles.

process of cutting crescent rolls and rolling cocktail wieners.

Step 2: Take a cocktail wiener and place it at the base of each triangle. Roll it up to the tip and place the seam side down into the air fryer basket/tray. Repeat with all cocktail wieners and leave about 1” of space in between each one. As it bakes, the dough will puff up.

wrapped cocktail wieners in the air fryer before cooking.

Step 3: Air fry at 325 degrees for 4 minutes. Flip and then continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Keep an eye out for it to turn golden brown.

Step 4: Remove from the basket and serve warm. Enjoy!

pigs in a blanket cooking in the air fryer.

Tips

You can skip cutting the crescent triangles into thirds and use full-sized hot dogs for a change. They're no longer mini but they're great for packing in school lunches as an alternative to a sandwich.
You do not need to preheat your air fryer for this recipe.
The second batch won't need as much time in the air fryer because it will already be hot.
To save a bit of time, while your first batch is in the air fryer, get to rolling the remaining batches!
Use the perforated air fryer parchment paper for easy cleanup.
Leave enough space in between each pig in a blanket so that they cook evenly and there is room for the dough to expand.

What Can I Substitute for Crescent Dough?

In all honesty, there is probably no direct substitute that will get you the exact type of dough you're used to (unless you're making homemade crescent dough) but you could try! Biscuit dough, like a Bisquick mix, pretzel dough, puff pastry, or even a pie crust people have tried and succeeded.

Let me know if you try something different and how it turned out.

What Can I Substitute for Cocktail Weenies?

If you happen to have hot dogs in your fridge or can't seem to find cocktail weenies (little smokies) by all means use hot dogs instead. You can cut them up into thirds to have enough for the amount of crescent dough.

How Can I Spruce These Up and Make them Special for the Holidays?

These air fryer mini appetizers are always great as part of a party platter. For the holidays, add them to a special charcuterie board. Serve them alongside some ramekins of a variety of sauces, whether it's simple ketchup and mustard, honey mustard, horseradish sauce, or a cheese dip. It's all about the presentation.
Last, you want to make sure to serve them warm. Provide extra napkins and toothpicks and no one will ever know how easy they were to make!

Make Ahead

Preparing these up to 2 hours ahead of time can save a ton of hassle especially if you're preparing to host a larger crowd! Assemble them and lay them on a tray. Cover with plastic wrap and add them to the air fryer when you're ready to cook them.

Storing & Freezing

Once they are completely cooled, any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For any longer than that, you'll want to transfer them to a freezer-friendly bag lay them in a single layer, and freeze them for up to 1 month. If you have more than enough for multiple layers, separate them with parchment paper.

To reheat, pop them back in the air fryer until warmed through.

RECIPE