Pigs In a Blanket Yeast Dough Recipe

I often make these sausage rolls for dinner, because my family loves them. Pigs in a blanket are also the perfect party food, served with mustard or ketchup.

I use homemade yeast dough to make these soft and delicious savory snacks. Egg wash makes the surface of the rolls nice and shiny. You can sprinkle pigs in a blanket with black or white sesame seeds, cumin, coarse salt, grated cheese, or poppy seeds to decorate them and enhance their flavor.

Tips for making yeast dough

• If you use strong bread flour with high gluten content, the dough will be elastic and will hold its shape.
• You can use fresh or dry yeast, both work well. For me, dry yeast is more convenient because it has a much longer shelf life than fresh yeast. I always keep a few packets in the pantry.
• Add some sugar to savory yeast dough as well, because sugar helps the yeast to grow and adds nice brown color to the crust.
• Salt also gives flavor and color and helps to stabilize the gluten structure of the dough.
• The temperature of the liquids is important because yeast is damaged at temperatures above 46°C (115°F). If the liquids are too cold (under 20°C – 68°F), the fermentation will slow down.
• The ideal temperature for rising the dough is 25°C (77°F). The dough should be covered to be protected it from drafts.

The applied egg wash will give a glossy shine to the finished product, and it will also serve as a “glue” for the sesame seeds or grated cheese used for decoration.

Equipment for making sausage rolls

• One baking sheet lined with baking paper
• Rolling pin
• Pastry brush for applying egg wash
• If you own a stand mixer, you can use it for kneading the dough.

How to make pigs in a blanket?

Prepare and measure the ingredients. Also, prepare a baking tray lined with baking paper.

a) Make the yeast dough

1. Make the preferment: mix the lukewarm milk and yogurt with the sugar and yeast in a mixing bowl. (I use the bowl of the stand mixer.) Add the 1/3 amount of flour and stir until smooth. Sprinkle the top of the preferment with some flour and cover the bowl with a cling wrap or kitchen towel.
   
2. Let the preferment sit for about 30 minutes, or until the volume is doubled and bubbles appear on the surface.
3. Add the oil, the remainder of the flour, and the salt and stir to combine.
4. Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface (do not add too much additional flour) or in a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook for about 10 minutes. It should be firm and shiny.
5. Form a ball and put the dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover it with cling film and let rise for about 30 minutes, then knead it for a few seconds to punch out the accumulated gas. Cover the bowl again and let the dough rise for 30 minutes more. It should be doubled in size.

b) Shape the pigs in a blanket

1. Prepare the egg wash in the meantime: whisk the egg in a small bowl.
2. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form a ball, then roll out the dough into a 0.5cm (0.2 inch) thick circle and divide it into equal triangles.
   
3. Put a piece of hot dog sausage onto each triangle and roll them up. The length of the sausage depends on the dimensions of the triangles you make. I divided each hot dog sausage into 3 pieces.
4. Place the rolled-up pigs in a blanket onto the prepared baking tray.
   
5. Brush the egg wash onto the pigs in a blanket and let them rise for about 30 minutes at room temperature. In the meantime preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
6. Sprinkle on top with black or white sesame seeds, cumin, or grated cheese.
   
7. Place the baking tray into the oven and bake the rolls for about 15 minutes or until golden brown, then remove the tray from the oven and let them cool down before serving.

Can I make sausage rolls ahead of time?

Pigs in a blanket are best when consumed fresh, the same day you made them. If you end up with some leftovers, keep them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days, then heat them up in a microwave to refresh them.

Conclusion

I make these rolled-up hot dogs very often because we love them, so I hope you`ll try them out too. If you have any questions or comments related to this recipe, please leave them in the comments below. If you found this recipe helpful please share it on Social Media.

For some more savory snacks, I recommend my Cottage Cheese Scones recipes.