Reindeer Pigs in a Blanket
Make your holiday table extra fun with these reindeer pigs in a blanket for a cute and tasty Christmas appetizer perfect for parties, kids, and family gatherings.
Servings: 24 pieces
Ingredients
- 1 can of crescent roll dough
- 1 14oz pack Lil Smokies or cocktail wieners
- 1-2 cups pretzels
- ½ cup ketchup
- 48 candy eyes
- Melted butter (optional, for brushing the tops before baking)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Break the pretzels in half to make antlers (two halves for each reindeer), and set them aside.
- Drain the Lil Smokies and pat them dry with paper towel so the dough sticks better.
- Unroll the crescent dough onto a cutting board. Keep it in one large rectangle and pinch together any perforated lines so it forms a solid sheet.
- With a knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough in half to create two large squares, then slice each square into 12 long strips, giving you 24 total.
- Wrap each Lil Smokie with one dough strip, starting at one end and winding to the other. Set them on the prepared baking sheet about 3 inches apart.
- Gently insert two pretzel “antlers” into the top of each wrapped Smokie. Push them far enough into the dough and sausage so they stay secure during baking.
- Optional: Brush the tops with a bit of melted butter for a golden finish.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the crescent dough is puffed and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let the pan rest on a cooling rack.
- Cool for about 20 minutes before decorating, the candy eyes and ketchup “noses” will slide off if they’re too warm.
- To decorate, place a small dab of ketchup just under the antlers and press two candy eyes on top.
- Add a small dollop of ketchup toward the bottom for the nose.
- Serve warm with extra ketchup or mustard on the side and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Remove the candy eyes and ketchup before storing and reapply after reheating.
- Freezing: Not recommended because of the decorations. If needed, remove eyes and ketchup, freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months, and re-add decorations after reheating.
- Reheating:
- From fridge: Warm in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes or air fryer for 5 minutes.
- From frozen: Heat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes or air fryer for 10 minutes.
- Make Ahead: Wrap the Lil Smokies and add pretzel antlers up to 3 days ahead; store covered in the fridge. You can also bake them ahead but wait to add eyes and ketchup until after reheating.
- Variations:
- Use cut-up hot dogs instead of Lil Smokies.
- Swap crescent dough for puff pastry.
- Make edible eyes with small cheese rounds and black olive pieces instead of candy eyes.