Pigs in a Blanket Are Back on the Holiday Table: 12 Fun Twists, From a Christmas Wreath to Everything-Bagel Bites

Pigs in a blanket are back on the holiday table, and this time they are dressed up for the party. The little sausages wrapped in golden dough have been an American party classic since the 1950s, and Google searches for them climb about seven times higher in Christmas week than in summer. Home cooks are also asking a new question: can you make them ahead? (Yes, and we show you how.) Big recipe sites are even featuring a jalapeno popper version this fall. Below are 12 fun twists, from a wreath with a mustard dip in the middle to everything-bagel bites, pancake-wrapped breakfast links and a pull-apart Christmas tree. If you love easy dough tricks, our crescent roll recipes gallery is a perfect next stop. Each slide has a short story, what you will need and simple steps..

Pigs in a Blanket Christmas Wreath With Honey Mustard Dip

This is the version that stops guests in their tracks. Instead of lining the bites up in rows, you arrange them in a ring on a baking sheet so they bake into one golden wreath, then tuck in rosemary sprigs like evergreen and cherry tomato halves like ornaments. A bowl of honey mustard goes right in the middle. It takes the same 30 minutes as the classic, but it looks like a centerpiece. For more festive shapes, see our Christmas tree appetizers, and read the snack’s history on Wikipedia..

You will need: 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent dough, 24 mini cocktail sausages, 1 egg beaten, flaky salt, a few rosemary sprigs, 8 cherry tomatoes halved, and for the dip 1/3 cup Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons honey and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with parchment. 2. Cut the dough into 24 thin strips and wrap one around each sausage. 3. Arrange them in a tight ring around an oven-safe bowl turned upside down, then remove the bowl. 4. Brush with egg, sprinkle with salt and bake 15 to 18 minutes until golden. 5. Slide onto a board, tuck in rosemary and tomatoes, and set the stirred dip in the center.

Classic Pigs in a Blanket the Way Grandma Made Them

The classic needs only two ingredients and still wins every party. Cookbooks from the 1950s and 1960s made the mini sausage wrapped in biscuit or crescent dough a cocktail hour favorite, and it has never really left. The trick is to roll the dough snugly so it bakes into a soft spiral that hugs the sausage. Serve them warm with a little bowl of sauce and watch them vanish. They sit happily beside the other retro favorites in our grandma celebration appetizers gallery.

You will need: 1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent dough, 24 mini cocktail sausages or 6 hot dogs cut in quarters, 1 egg beaten and ketchup or mustard for dipping.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with parchment. 2. Unroll the dough and cut each triangle into 3 thin strips. 3. Pat the sausages dry and roll each one in a strip of dough, seam side down. 4. Brush with beaten egg. 5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until puffed and golden, and serve warm.

Everything Bagel Sausage Bites

A shake of everything bagel seasoning turns plain pigs in a blanket into something that looks straight out of a trendy bakery. Sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic, dried onion and coarse salt toast in the oven and add crunch to every bite. You can buy the blend or stir it together from your spice cabinet in a minute. Make extra, because it is also great on eggs and avocado toast. If you like mixing your own spices, our homemade seasoning blends gallery has the recipe and more.

You will need: 1 tube (8 ounces) crescent dough, 24 mini sausages, 1 egg beaten, and 1 tablespoon each sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried minced garlic and dried minced onion plus 2 teaspoons coarse salt.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Mix the seeds, garlic, onion and salt in a small bowl. 3. Wrap each sausage in a strip of dough and set them on a lined baking sheet. 4. Brush the tops with egg and sprinkle generously with the seasoning. 5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until deep golden.

Jalapeno Popper Pigs in a Blanket

This is the twist food sites are featuring this season, and it is easy to see why. Each little sausage gets a smear of cream cheese and a pinch of cheddar before it is wrapped, then a slice of fresh jalapeno goes on top. The cheese melts out at the edges and turns crispy, and the pepper adds a gentle kick. Remove the seeds for a milder bite. Serve with cool ranch on the side. Fans of the original should also try our jalapeno popper recipes for game day.

You will need: 1 tube (8 ounces) crescent dough, 24 mini sausages, 4 ounces softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar, 2 fresh jalapenos thinly sliced, 2 tablespoons cooked bacon bits and ranch dressing for dipping.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with parchment. 2. Cut the dough into 24 strips and spread each with a little cream cheese. 3. Sprinkle with cheddar, add a sausage and roll up. 4. Top each with a jalapeno slice and a few bacon bits. 5. Bake 14 to 16 minutes until golden and bubbly, then cool 5 minutes before serving.

Pepperoni Pizza Roll-Ups

Kids go wild for this one, and grown-ups do too. You tuck a slice of pepperoni and a bit of mozzarella under the dough before rolling, so every bite tastes like a slice of pizza. A sprinkle of Italian seasoning and Parmesan on top makes the kitchen smell like a pizzeria, and a bowl of warm marinara is the only dip you need. They are a fun choice for a movie night or the big game. Want a full dinner with the same flavors? Try our pizza flavored dinners.

You will need: 1 tube (8 ounces) crescent dough, 24 mini sausages, 24 slices pepperoni, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 1 egg beaten, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan and 1 cup warm marinara sauce.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F. 2. Cut the dough into 24 strips and lay a pepperoni slice and a pinch of mozzarella on each. 3. Add a sausage and roll up snugly. 4. Brush with egg and sprinkle with Italian seasoning and Parmesan. 5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes and serve with marinara for dipping.

Flaky Puff Pastry Bites With Honey Mustard

Puff pastry makes the flakiest version of all, with hundreds of buttery layers that shatter when you bite in. It is closer to the British sausage roll, a bakery favorite there for generations, but cut small for a party tray. Score the tops lightly with a knife so they puff evenly and look professional. A sweet and tangy honey mustard dip is the perfect partner. For more ideas with a box of frozen pastry, see our puff pastry appetizers, all made in two bites.

You will need: 1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed, 16 mini sausages or 4 hot dogs cut in quarters, 1 egg beaten, 1 teaspoon sesame or fennel seeds, plus 1/4 cup Dijon mustard and 2 tablespoons honey for the dip.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment. 2. Cut the pastry into 16 rectangles just long enough to wrap a sausage. 3. Roll each sausage up, press the seam and set it seam side down. 4. Score the tops lightly, brush with egg and sprinkle with seeds. 5. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until puffed and deep golden, and serve with the stirred dip.

Breakfast Pigs in a Blanket With Pancakes and Maple Syrup

Christmas morning calls for something fun, and these are a family favorite for good reason. Small breakfast sausage links are browned, then rolled up in thin, soft pancakes and drizzled with warm maple syrup. Kids can help roll them, and you can make the pancakes the night before. A few blueberries on the plate make them look festive. For more easy ideas for the big morning, browse our make-ahead quiche gallery and plan a relaxed holiday brunch.

You will need: 12 breakfast sausage links, 1 1/2 cups pancake mix, 1 cup milk, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter, warm maple syrup and fresh blueberries for serving.

How to make it: 1. Brown the sausage links in a skillet until cooked through, then keep them warm. 2. Whisk the pancake mix, milk, egg and butter into a smooth, slightly thin batter. 3. Cook 12 thin pancakes about 5 inches wide on a buttered griddle. 4. Roll each warm pancake around a sausage, seam side down. 5. Drizzle with maple syrup and scatter blueberries on top.

Cheese-Stuffed, Bacon-Wrapped Sausages

In Austria, a snack called Berner Wurstel takes the idea in a different direction: a sausage is split, filled with cheese and wrapped in bacon instead of dough, then fried or baked until crisp. You can do the same with party-size links and a strip of sharp cheddar. A sprinkle of brown sugar on the bacon gives it a sweet, sticky glaze. They are rich, so a few go a long way next to lighter bites. Cheese lovers should also try our homemade cheese straws for the same tray.

You will need: 12 small smoked sausages or hot dogs, 4 ounces sharp cheddar cut into thin sticks, 12 slices thin bacon, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and toothpicks.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with foil and a rack. 2. Cut a slit along each sausage without cutting all the way through. 3. Press a stick of cheddar into each slit. 4. Wrap each sausage in a slice of bacon, secure with a toothpick and sprinkle with brown sugar. 5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until the bacon is crisp, then rest 5 minutes before serving.

Twisted Bakery-Style Sausage Bread

Asian bakeries have their own famous take on pigs in a blanket: a whole sausage wrapped in soft dough, snipped with scissors into short sections and twisted so each slice fans out like a leaf. The sausage peeks through the gaps, and the loaf bakes into a golden zigzag that looks like it came straight from a bakery case. It is easier than it looks and fun for kids to help with. Use pizza dough or crescent dough. If your family loves hot dogs in any form, our hot dog dinners gallery has cozy supper ideas too.

You will need: 1 pound pizza dough, 6 hot dogs or long sausages, 1 egg beaten, 1 tablespoon melted butter, a pinch of garlic powder, chopped parsley and kitchen scissors.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment. 2. Roll the dough into 6 rectangles and wrap one tightly around each hot dog, pinching the seam. 3. Lay them seam side down and snip almost all the way through every inch with scissors. 4. Twist each section to alternate sides so the slices fan out, then brush with egg. 5. Bake 15 to 18 minutes until golden, then brush with garlic butter and sprinkle with parsley.

Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Pigs in a Blanket

This is the showstopper for a holiday buffet. Line the wrapped sausages up in rows on a baking sheet so they form a big triangle, add a short trunk at the bottom, and they bake together into a pull-apart Christmas tree. After baking, brush with garlic herb butter and scatter parsley and diced red pepper over the top like garland and lights. Everyone tears off a piece, so there is no plate of leftovers. For another bread you can pull apart at the table, try our holiday pull apart bread.

You will need: 2 tubes (8 ounces each) crescent dough, 40 mini sausages, 1 egg beaten, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons diced red pepper and 2 pretzel rods for the trunk.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment. 2. Wrap each sausage in a strip of dough. 3. Arrange them close together in rows of 1, 2, 3 and up to 8 to form a tree, with the pretzel rods as the trunk. 4. Brush with egg and bake 18 to 22 minutes until golden. 5. Brush with the garlic butter, then sprinkle with parsley and red pepper.

Make-Ahead and Freezer Pigs in a Blanket for Holiday Parties

Searches for whether you can prep pigs in a blanket ahead have shot up this season, and the answer is yes. Roll them up to a day ahead, cover the tray tightly and keep it in the fridge, then brush with egg and bake right before guests arrive. For longer storage, freeze the unbaked rolls on a tray, then pack them in a freezer bag for up to two months and bake from frozen, adding a few minutes. Our holiday freezer meals gallery has more ways to get ahead.

You will need: 2 tubes (8 ounces each) crescent dough, 48 mini sausages, 1 egg beaten, plastic wrap, a baking sheet that fits your freezer and freezer bags.

How to make it: 1. Wrap all the sausages in dough and set them on a parchment-lined tray. 2. To bake within 24 hours, cover tightly and refrigerate. 3. To freeze, freeze the tray uncovered for 2 hours, then pack the rolls in freezer bags. 4. When ready, place on a lined sheet, brush with egg and heat the oven to 375 F. 5. Bake chilled ones 12 to 15 minutes and frozen ones 18 to 22 minutes until golden.

The Ultimate Dipping Sauce Bar

The dip is half the fun, so give guests a choice. Set out three or four small bowls: honey mustard for the sweet tooth, warm cheese sauce for the kids, ketchup spiked with a little sriracha for spice lovers and a tangy barbecue sauce. Everyone can mix and match, and the tray suddenly feels like a party. Keep the cheese sauce warm in a small slow cooker so it stays smooth all night. For more crowd-pleasing dips you can make for the same spread, see our crockpot dips.

You will need: 1/2 cup Dijon mustard and 3 tablespoons honey, 1 cup shredded cheddar with 1/2 cup milk and 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 cup ketchup with 1 to 2 teaspoons sriracha, and 1/2 cup barbecue sauce.

How to make it: 1. Stir the mustard and honey together in a small bowl. 2. Melt the butter with the milk in a small pan, then stir in the cheddar until smooth. 3. Mix the ketchup and sriracha to taste. 4. Pour each sauce, plus the barbecue sauce, into its own small bowl. 5. Set the bowls around a big platter of warm pigs in a blanket and label them with cards if you like.