For these pepperoni pigs in a blanket, cocktail franks are wrapped twice—first in a slice of pepperoni, and then in ready-to-bake crescent roll dough, and baked until deeply golden brown. Even a regular cocktail frank wrapped in pastry is a wonderful thing to eat, but the pepperoni adds lots of flavor and texture—those crispy edges elevate the experience even more.
Ingredients
- ready-to-bake crescent roll dough: 1 can (12 ounce can)
- cocktail franks or other mini smoked sausages (about 1 pound): 48 piece
- thin slices pepperoni (about 4 ounces): 48 piece
- butter: 2 Tbsp (melted)
- sesame seeds: 1 Tbsp
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Line a sheet pan with parchment.
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Separate crescent roll dough into 8 triangles, and place on the prepared sheet pan. Pop the pan into the freezer to firm up dough, about 10 minutes; it will be easier to cut and work with.
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Start with the longest and straightest side of a dough triangle, and cut 3 strips about 1-inch wide using a pizza cutter or sharp knife; then cut each strip into approximately 2-inch lengths. To make 48 pigs in a blanket you’ll need to get 6 wrappable pieces from each triangle of dough. Press small end pieces and trimmings together as needed to create more 2-inch strips. If dough gets too warm and soft during the process, stop and return it to the freezer for a few minutes to firm up.
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
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Wrap a cocktail frank with a piece of pepperoni, and place on one end of a dough strip. Roll up, finishing with the seam on the bottom. Repeat with remining ingredients.
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Arrange pigs in a blanket on a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet in a 6x8 pattern, leaving a small amount of space between them, for 48 total. Brush tops with melted butter, and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
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Bake in the preheated oven until beautifully golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
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Serve warm or room temperature with mustard or a mustard sauce. To make a quick mustard sauce, stir together equal parts mayonnaise and mustard. John Mitzewich
