Gluten-Free Pigs in a Blanket

These gluten-free pigs in a blanket are super tasty. The recipe makes a homemade pastry that tastes like a cross between a biscuit and pie dough. The best part, besides the taste, is how easy they are to make. Simply mix the dough, wrap the mini-hot dogs and bake.

Pigs in a blanket are usually made with canned crescent dough or store-bought puff pastry. But if you’re gluten-free, these two options don’t work. RIght now, canned gluten-free crescent dough isn’t available and gluten-free puff pastry can be really hard to find. 

But that doesn’t mean that pigs in a blanket are off limits! You just need to make some homemade pastry to wrap around the piggies. 

Serve them as either a snack, appetizer, or main course. That’s what I usually do. I bake a tray of these and serve it alongside a big green salad. 

Ingredients You’ll Need.

Here’s what you’ll need to make a batch of these pigs in a blanket. (The full recipe with amounts is included at the bottom of the post.)

• Hot Dogs. You can either use gluten-free cocktail wieners (mini hot dogs) and regular hot dogs cut into small pieces. 
• Gluten-Free Flour. This recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour blend. Using a different gluten-free flour might cause the recipe not to work.
• Butter. Use cold butter for the dough.  
• Milk. Helps the dough come together and adds a nice flavor.
• Eggs. One egg is used in the dough. The other is brushed on the pastry before baking. This helps the pigs in a blanket to brown..
• Baking Powder. Helps the pastry to rise. 
• Sugar. One teaspoon of sugar helps the dough to brown. Feel free to leave it out if you’d like.
• Salt. Since hot dogs contain a good amount of salt, you only need a little in the dough for flavor.

Variations.

1. Cheesy. Cut a cheese slice into small pieces. Place it under the hot dog before you wrap it with the pastry. 
2. Spicy. Place a sliced jalapeno under the hot dog before wrapping. 
3. Seasoned. Sprinkle some poppy seeds or everything bagel seasoning on the dough before baking.

How to Make Gluten-Free Pigs in a Blanket. 

This is such a fun recipe to make! There’s something I just love about rolling the mini hot dogs with pastry. The first step is making the gluten-free dough. Take your time when mixing it. It’s important to get the texture right. You don’t want the dough too dry or too wet.

Prepare the dough.

1. Whisk together the gluten-free flour with the baking powder, sugar, and salt.
2. Add the cold, cubed butter.
3. Work the butter into the gluten-free flour mixture until no large pieces remain. Then stir in the milk and egg. Knead the mixture until a dough forms. If it seems dry, add a little more milk. If it’s too sticky to knead, add a little more gluten-free flour.
4. Cut the dough into four pieces.

Wrap the Dogs.

• Then roll one piece of dough into an 8×5-inch long rectangle.
• Cut it into eight 1-inch thick strips. 
• Wrap the dough around the hot dog. This is the fun part!

Place the hot dogs, seam side down, on a parchment lined baking sheet. This keeps the dough from unwrapping as they bake. 

When you’re done, brush each one with a little whisked egg.

Note: This recipe makes enough dough for about 40 mini hot dogs. Since hot dog packages vary, you might have a little dough left over.

Bake until Brown.

Bake these until the pastry is golden brown and the hot dogs are hot. A pan takes about 18 minutes to cook.

Air Fryer Variation. 

You can bake these in an air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 350℉ and bake the pigs until the pastry is brown. (Full air fryer directions and time are included in the recipe below.)

How to Make These In Advance. 

You can make these a day in advance. Just wrap the hot dogs with the pastry. Then cover them and refrigerate. When you’re ready to serve, preheat the oven and bake until brown. 

You can also freeze them. Place the wrapped hot dogs onto a bake tray. Freeze, uncovered, for two hours or until hard. Then transfer them to a freezer bag or container. Bake them from frozen in a preheated oven. Frozen pigs in a blanket take a few extra minutes to bake. 

Storing and Reheating Leftovers.

If you have leftover pigs in a blanket, transfer them to an airtight container and store for up to 3 days.

Reheat them in the microwave or in a 325℉ air fryer until hot.

Note: This recipe was originally shared in 2016. It was updated in 2024 to include new photos and a gluten-free flour blend.

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Gluten-Free Pigs in a Blanket

These pigs in a blanket are wrapped in a homemade gluten-free pastry. Serve them as a snack, appetizer or as a main course. Be sure to sure gluten-free cocktail wieners or hot dogs.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 48 minutes

Servings 8

Author Elizabeth

Ingredients

• 2 cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, see note (10 ounces; 283 grams)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup cold butter, cubed (2 ounces; 57 grams)
• ½ cup plus additional milk as needed (4 ounces; 113 grams)
• 1 large egg
• 1 (16 ounce) package gluten-free cocktail wieners or 12 full size hot dogs cut into three pieces.

Topping

• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together gluten-free flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
3. Add the butter, and using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work it into the gluten-free flour mixture until no large pieces remain. The mixture should be coarse, with tiny pebbles of butter distributed thoroughly throughout.

4. Stir in milk and 1 egg. Milk until a dough forms. If the dough is dry and won’t hold together, add a splash (about 1 tablespoon) more milk until the dough holds together.

5. Dust your counter with gluten-free flour. Knead the dough a few times on the counter and then pat into a disk. Tip: To keep the dough from sticking, dust both the dough and your hands with a little gluten-free flour.

6. Cut the dough into four pieces. Roll one piece into an 8×5-inch long rectangle. Then cut it into eight 1-inch thick strips.

7. Wrap the dough around the hot dogs. Place the hot dogs, seam side down, on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough until all the hot dogs are wrapped in pastry.

8. Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl. Brush the egg mixture on the pastry.
9. Bake for about 18 minutes, until the dough is light golden brown and the hot dogs are hot. Remove from pan and serve hot.
10. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Recipe Notes

Gluten-Free Flour. This recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Using a different flour might change how the recipe works. Be sure to use a gluten-free flour that contains xanthan gum. 

Air Fryer Directions. Preheat air fryer to 350℉. Bake until the pastry is brown, about 8 minutes. Air fry these in batches. You don’t want to crowd the basket or tray. 

Storing Leftover. Cover leftovers and store in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave or air fryer until warm.