Every year around New Years, I look forward to all of the amazing appetizers that I love to make. Spinach dip, potato skins, or even a good taco dip, they're endless room at my table for appetizers. One of my absolute favorites are "pigs in a blanket," or essentially puff pastry wrapped cocktail franks. While I love the frozen versions found at your local stores, I love making them from scratch, but instead of using puff pastry, we use crescent roll dough.

Crescent Roll Mini Hot Dogs

Personally, you can't host a party or entertain without cocktail franks aka pigs in a blanket. Technically, this is a pigs in a blanket recipe, but we're calling them mini hot dogs. They're bite size, sharable, and you can definitely eat them all in one sitting... not that I'm speaking from experience. They're just too go to stop!

What type of dough do I need?

You don't need a specific brand, but you DO need crescent roll dough. You can find this dough near the pre-made chilled cookie and pudding section at your local grocery store, Trader Joe's, or any other stores you frequent, but be sure to buy crescent dough versus biscuit dough. I've never experiment with biscuit dough, so crescent it is!

Do I need cocktail franks?

Yes, and here's why. They're literally made for this type of appetizer. Buying larger hot dogs and cutting them can be a little tedious. Plus, similiar to the dough, you can find mini hot dogs or cocktail franks (they're the same thing) at virtually any grocery store as well. Check near the bacon or pre-packaged cold cut sections. You can throw them in the freezer until you need them. They're also a great small snack for kiddos when in a pinch.

Kitchen Tools

You don't need much to make these yummy mini hot dogs, which is always a great feeling not to have a million gadgets going at once. You will need:

1. Baking sheet
2. Parchment paper
3. Sharp Knife: to cut the crescent dough into triangles
4. Basting Brush: to brush the garlic butter mixture on top of the cocktail franks

Ingredients

This appetizer is a low-ingredient recipe, as you'll only need 4, maybe 5 ingredients:

• Crescent Roll Dough: You'll cut each pre-cut triangle into smaller triangles, which yields way more mini hot dog bites
• Cocktail Franks: The whole reason this recipe exists!
• Garlic: For the topping on the hot dogs
• Butter: To add a golden brown bake
• Basil: This is optional for on top of the mini hot dogs

Directions

Directions are very straightforward! You'll be devouring these babies in no time

1. Preheat the oven to 375º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Open the canisters of crescent dough, and slice each of the crescent triangles into smaller triangles. Each of the pull-apart crescent rolls should yield 6 smaller triangles. Set aside
3. Pat dry the mini cocktail franks and begin placing the hot dogs 3/4 of the way down of each smaller triangle.
4. Roll inward to wrap the hot dog in the crescent roll dough. Place on the baking sheet and repeat these steps until all of the hot dogs are used. If there's crescent dough left over, feel free to freeze or use as desired.
5. In a microwave-safe dish, melt the butter then add in the minced garlic.
6. Spoon a little of the garlic butter mixture on top of each of the mini hot dogs and top with fresh basil. Bake for 15 minutes.

FAQ

Can I use an air fryer for these hot dogs?

I'm sure you can! After you assemble the pigs in a blanket, bake in the air fryer according to directions on the fryer, or based on your knowledge of using one. I don't have one, nor have I tested this recipe with one, but I am confident it will be fine!

What dip should I serve with these?

I like a classic spicy brown mustard, but you can opt for any others you think would pair well like ketchup, some sort of aioli, or keep them as is.

Hungry for more?

Looking for a cocktail to pair with this appetizer? Check these out!

• Grapefruit Gin Fizz
• Tropical Mezcal Margarita
• Sparkling Spiked Lemonade