Make Pigs In A Blanket 10X Better With This Crescent Roll Swap

Some appetizers never go out of style, and pigs in a blanket definitely land in that category. Whether you're using flavorful sausages as the star or inferior hot dogs (yep, I said it), they tend to fly off the table at most get-togethers. Yet, being such a classic finger food, many don't ever contemplate changing up the recipe, and sadly, they're missing out. By simply swapping out one staple ingredient for another, you can make pigs in a blanket that are 10x better than the traditional recipe.

Don't worry about properly cutting crescent rolls for these pigs in a blanket, because you won't need them. This version of the dish creates a harmonious blend of sweet and savory flavors by transforming canned cinnamon rolls into a jacket around the sausage. All those notes of cinnamon and sugar complement the savory, slightly spicy nature of sausage, and you end up with a balanced profile sure to raise some eyebrows.

The beauty of these little gems (aside from the leveled-up taste) is that the process for making them is almost identical to using crescent rolls. Cut your sausages in half, creating two smaller pieces. Then cut your unrolled cinnamon rolls into four 5 ½-inch sections. After tightly wrapping each portion around the tiny sausages, bake them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for roughly 15 minutes. Once slightly cooled, take the packet of icing that comes with most canned cinnamon rolls, warm it up, and pour it onto your new favorite appetizers. They are equally appropriate for a game day snack or breakfast fare.

The brand of cinnamon rolls used for this version of pigs in a blanket is less important than sourcing the right size. Look for labels that say "Jumbo" or "Large," and make sure they are the kind you unroll out of the can. If they're too small, properly wrapping them so everything holds together after they're baked might be a problem. You can make your own homemade cinnamon rolls, but if you're into saving time, the store-bought varieties are ideal.

Another time saver would be buying precooked sausages, so they only need to warm up in the oven while the cinnamon rolls bake around them. There's nothing wrong with using uncooked sausages (especially if there's a variety near and dear to your palate), but for the sake of convenience, precooked is the way to go. If you want to make your pigs in a blanket a true breakfast dish, use tasty breakfast sausages as the hero.

Pigs in a blanket are at their best when accompanied by a satisfying dipping sauce, which generally means something savory or spicy, like a mustard-based sauce (or just mustard). However, when using cinnamon rolls as the outer layer, consider leaning into something sugary. Think more along the lines of a honey or maple butter that will add to the sweet elements of the dish, while the creamy butter complements the taste of the savory sausage.