Candy Cane Pigs in a Blanket

Let’s Be Honest, These Are More Fun Than They Should Be

If you’d told me—even two years ago—that I’d be wrapping little sausages in dough and twisting them into candy cane shapes for a party platter, I probably would’ve laughed you right out of my (messy) kitchen. But, well, kids have a way of demanding holiday cheer, so here we are! The first time I made Candy Cane Pigs in a Blanket it was on a whim after seeing someone—maybe on Pinterest?—post a photo, and because my daughter claimed “other snacks are boring,” we baked a batch for her class. And now, weirdly enough, it’s a tradition. Go figure.

Picture this: it’s snowing, or rain if you’re in the UK (shout-out to my Mancunian mates), the kitchen smells like buttery pastry, and you’ve got a tray of these oven-fresh candy canes. They vanish right off the plate. My partner claims it’s the stripes that make them special, but honestly, it’s just soft dough, smoky sausage, and a little holiday magic. Or stubbornness. Possibly both.

Why You’ll Love Making These (Or At Least, Find it Funny)

I whip these up when I need something that looks festive but doesn’t require me to frost anything. Frosting and I are not on speaking terms. Trust me; if you’re after a crowd-pleaser (kids think they’re magic, adults get all nostalgic for school lunchrooms—should I be worried?) these are it. And when the store’s out of the fancy dough, I use whatever I’ve got lurking about the fridge. Once, I tried making them after a glass of wine—by the end, the shapes were… interpretive. Still tasted great, though. So don’t sweat perfection!

What You’ll Need (And How Grandma Did It Herself)

• 1 pack of mini hot dogs or cocktail sausages (I sometimes use chicken sausages—they’re a bit less greasy. My grandma swore by Hillshire Farm, but honestly, supermarket own-brand is fine)
• 1 tube of refrigerated crescent roll dough (puff pastry works in a pinch, just don’t tell the purists)
• 1 egg, beaten (for that shiny finish—sometimes I forget and honestly, nobody notices)
• Paprika & parsley, to sprinkle (optional, but I like the little pop of color)
• Red and white food coloring (optional, for the ‘candy cane’ look, but marbling some ketchup or sriracha on top works too! Learned that when I was out of dye at 11pm, don’t ask how…)
• Some flour, for dusting

How to Make Candy Cane Pigs in a Blanket (With a Bit of Creative License)

1. Preheat that oven to 375°F (190°C). Or 400°F if you’re in a rush, but keep a hawk eye on ‘em! Line your baking tray with parchment. Or just butter it up if you’re feeling brave.
2. Pop open the crescent dough tube (if you don’t startle at least once, are you even really cooking?). Unroll and pinch the seams together, so you’ve got one big rectangle. Don’t fuss if it isn’t perfect—life’s too short for perfect seams!
3. Cut the dough into long thin strips, about the width of a pencil. Dust with a bit of flour if it’s sticky—this is where I usually get dough everywhere, but whatever.
4. This next bit is kinda fun: wrap each sausage with a strip, spiraling it so it looks a bit like a candy cane slash barber’s pole. If you want stripes, twist a food-dyed red dough strip with a plain one, then wind them together. Someone online suggested colored cheese, but that looked wild (in a bad way). Stick to food dye or just keep it classic if you’re not feeling crafty.
5. Curl the end of each wrapped sausage to form your ‘candy cane’ shape. Sometimes they unfurl—just smoosh ‘em back. Nobody minds.
6. Brush lightly with beaten egg. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley if you like.
7. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until they’re golden brown. Technically, now’s the time to clean up—but I just put the kettle on instead.
8. Let them cool a couple minutes on the tray (they’re basically lava when first out!) then pile onto a serving plate. Watch them disappear.

Notes from Someone Who’s Messed This Up Plenty

• If the dough tears, just patch it together. Nobody inspects these that closely. Once, I forgot to pinch the seams and ended up with half the sausages rolling away—rescued most, but it was chaos for a minute.
• I used to overcook them because I thought ‘The browner the better.’ Actually, pull them once just golden. They keep cooking a touch as they cool.

If You Fancy Mixing it Up (Or Just Ran Out of Ingredients)

One holiday, I tried streaky bacon wrapped round the sausages before the dough—tasty, but the pastry got weirdly soggy. Not recommended unless you like your snacks with a side of mystery texture. Turkey cocktail sausages are good! Or you can brush with honey-mustard instead of egg (super sticky, mind). Once I even made a batch using leftover pizza dough—came out chewy, but in that good-I-made-bread kind of way.

Equipment (And ‘Improvise’ if You Must)

• Baking tray or sheet
• Parchment paper (but honestly, foil’s fine or just a bit of oil if you don’t have any—less cleanup though with paper)
• A decent knife (In a pinch, torn strips with your hands have that ‘rustic’ charm—I’ve done it, no shame)

Got Leftovers? Here’s What Happens (Spoiler: Not Much)

Supposedly, these keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 days, but I don’t really know—because there’s never any left after snack hour. If you do manage it, reheat around 5 minutes in the oven or a dry skillet. Microwave if desperate, but they go a bit sad. Oh, fun fact: these freeze! Wrap ‘em before baking, then pop straight from freezer to oven.

Serving Traditions (Or What I Do When No One’s Watching)

I always serve these in a big heap, with a dipping bowl of spicy ketchup or honey mustard (which is just ketchup plus a squirt of sriracha and, well, some honey…oops). For parties, I sometimes poke them upright into a mug lined with a napkin—looks fancy, feels cozy. My brother dunks his in ranch, but I’m not here to judge.

Lessons Learnt the Hard Way (Don’t Make My Mistakes)

• I once baked two trays at once, swapping them halfway. The upper tray crisped up fine, but the lower got a little sad and pale–don’t crowd the oven if you can help it.
• Tried to rush the assembly step, lost patience, and my stripes were all over the place. Honestly, a little care pays off (no need to go full engineer, though).

Real Questions I’ve Been Asked (No Joke!)

• Can you make these ahead? Yes, you can assemble them and keep in the fridge covered for a day or so. I wouldn’t egg-wash till ready to bake, though.
• Are they actually sweet, like candy? Nope, the ‘candy’ part is all about the look. They’re savoury—a proper salty snack. Sorry if you were dreaming of dessert!
• My dough kept sticking to the counter, help! I sprinkle flour (sometimes too much, honestly) or use parchment under the dough. Or, actually, a silicone mat if you have one, which I never do. Here’s a mat I keep meaning to buy: King Arthur Baking Silicone Mat.
• Could I use vegan sausage? Absolutely, friend. I tried Beyond Meat mini sausages once—worked a treat. Get the crescent dough that’s vegan, too, if you’re going all-out.
• Where’d you learn to twist the dough? I can’t do it! Honestly, I watched a quick YouTube demo. I like this one: Twisty Snack Video. Worst case, just wrap them however—it’s all tasty.

Quick story: one year I made these for the book club ladies. Accidentally made them backwards (don’t ask), so the stripes were on the inside. Still got eaten, but nobody let me forget it. Anyway, good luck, don’t stress the details, and enjoy every bite! (And if you discover a flavor twist that works, let me know…unless it’s pickled herring. That’s a hard pass for me.)

★★★★★ 4.50 from 27 ratings

Candy Cane Pigs in a Blanket

yield: 8 servings

prep: 20 mins

cook: 20 mins

total: 40 mins

A festive twist on a classic party appetizer—mini sausages wrapped in crescent dough and arranged in a candy cane shape, brushed with buttery garlic and topped with sesame seeds for holiday flair.

🖨️ Print Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
• 32 mini smoked sausages
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1 egg (for egg wash)
• 1/4 cup ketchup (for dipping)

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. 2
   Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate it into triangles. Cut each triangle into smaller strips lengthwise.
3. 3
   Wrap each mini smoked sausage with a strip of dough, pinching the ends to seal.
4. 4
   Arrange the wrapped sausages on the baking sheet in a candy cane shape.
5. 5
   Brush the dough with egg wash, then drizzle with melted butter mixed with garlic powder. Sprinkle sesame seeds and poppy seeds over the top.
6. 6
   Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm with ketchup for dipping.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 250 caloriescal

Protein: 7gg

Fat: 16gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 18gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Did you make this recipe?

Please consider Pinning it!!