These homemade potato flake sourdough pigs in a blanket take the classic party appetizer and make it even better with a soft, buttery homemade sourdough dough wrapped around mini smoked sausages.

If you love pigs in a blanket made with refrigerated crescent dough, this recipe gives you that same easy-to-eat, kid-friendly appetizer but made completely from scratch using an active potato flake sourdough starter.

And one of my favorite things about this recipe? There is no second rise!

After the dough has completed its first rise, simply roll it out, cut it into rectangles, wrap the little sausages, and bake.

These are perfect for birthday parties, holiday gatherings, church potlucks, game days, or an easy kid-friendly meal. They can even be partially baked and frozen ahead of time so you can pull them from the freezer and finish baking whenever you need them.

If you are new to potato flake sourdough, you may want to start with my Potato Flake Sourdough Starter: Everything You Need to Know post. Potato flake sourdough is a little different from traditional flour-and-water sourdough, but once you get the hang of it, it is incredibly simple to use!

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Why You’ll Love These Potato Flake Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

There is just something about pigs in a blanket that everyone seems to love. They’re simple, familiar, and one of those foods that disappears quickly when you set out a tray!

Making them with homemade potato flake sourdough dough gives them a soft, slightly chewy texture and buttery flavor that you just don’t get from refrigerated crescent dough.

A few more reasons I love this recipe:

• No second rise is needed. Once the dough is shaped around the sausages, they go straight into the oven.
• They can be made ahead. Partially bake them, freeze them, and finish baking straight from frozen.
• They’re great for feeding a crowd.
• Kids love them.
• They’re easy to serve. No forks or plates required!
• They use simple ingredients.

What Is Potato Flake Sourdough?

Potato flake sourdough is made using a sourdough starter that is fed with instant potato flakes, sugar, and water.

Unlike a traditional flour-and-water sourdough starter, potato flake sourdough starter is usually thinner and has a slightly sweeter flavor.

It works beautifully in enriched dough recipes like dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, crescent rolls, and these pigs in a blanket.

For this recipe, make sure you are using an active potato flake sourdough starter that has been fed within the previous 8–24 hours.

Tools You Will Need

• Stand mixer with dough hook attachment
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Kitchen scale
• Large mixing bowl
• Plastic wrap, beeswax wrap, or reusable bowl cover
• Rolling pin
• Pizza cutter or sharp knife
• Parchment paper
• Baking sheet

A pizza cutter makes this recipe especially easy because you can quickly cut the rolled dough into strips and rectangles without dragging or stretching the dough too much.

Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour

I use all-purpose flour for this dough. Bread flour may also work, but you may need to adjust the amount of liquid slightly to get the correct dough consistency.

All-purpose flour gives these pigs in a blanket a wonderfully soft texture.

Active Potato Flake Sourdough Starter

You will need an active starter that has been fed within approximately 8–24 hours.

The starter provides the yeast needed to naturally rise the dough.

Warm Milk

Whole milk is my preference because it gives the dough a richer flavor and softer texture, but 2% milk should also work.

You want the milk to be warm, not hot.

Granulated Sugar

A small amount of sugar  adds just a touch of sweetness to the dough.

Salt

Salt isn’t just for flavor. It also plays an important role in strengthening the dough and improving its texture.

Salted Butter

Make sure your butter is softened before adding it to the dough.

Cold butter will be much harder to incorporate evenly.

If you use unsalted butter, you may want to add an additional ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Mini Smoked Sausages

Use your favorite mini smoked sausages or cocktail wieners.

Depending on how large you cut your pieces of dough, one batch should make approximately 30–35 pigs in a blanket.

You may want to have two packages of mini sausages on hand so you have plenty.

How to Make Potato Flake Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

Feed Your Potato Flake Sourdough Starter

Before mixing your dough, feed your potato flake sourdough starter with its usual mixture of warm water, sugar, and instant potato flakes.

Allow the starter to feed for approximately 8–24 hours before using it in the recipe.

You want your starter active and ready to work before mixing your dough.

Mix the Dough

Add the flour, active potato flake sourdough starter, warm milk, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer.

Do NOT add the butter yet.

Using the dough hook attachment, mix on medium speed until the dough begins pulling away from the sides of the bowl.

Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rest for approximately 10 minutes.

This short rest gives the flour time to absorb the liquid and makes the butter easier to incorporate.

Knead in the Butter

After the dough has rested, add the softened butter.

I find that kneading the butter into the dough by hand is actually easier than trying to incorporate it with the mixer, but it can be incorporated with the mixer as long as you start out slow and increase the speed slowly as it begins to incorporate.

At first, it may seem like the butter isn’t going to mix into the dough. Keep working it in!

Knead until the butter has been completely absorbed and the dough feels smooth and soft.

Allow the Dough to Rise

Cover the dough and place it in a warm location.

Allow it to rise until approximately doubled in size.

This usually takes around 8–10 hours, although fermentation times can vary depending on the temperature of your kitchen and the activity level of your starter.

I often mix sourdough dough in the evening and allow it to rise overnight, but this can sometimes be too long, so if you are worried about it over fermenting, stick it in the fridge and pull it out during the day when you can observe the rise throughout the day.

Chill the Dough

Once the dough has risen, you can transfer it to the refrigerator for approximately 2 hours before shaping.

This step is technically optional, but I highly recommend it.

The chilled dough is less sticky, easier to roll, and much easier to cut into neat little pieces.

Roll Out the Dough

Lightly flour your countertop or work surface.

Turn the risen dough onto the counter and gently press it down to remove any large air pockets.

Rather than shaping it into a circle like you would for crescent rolls, form the dough into a rough rectangle.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle approximately 5 millimeters thick.

Don’t worry about making the edges perfectly straight. This is homemade sourdough, and the slightly uneven pieces work just fine!

Cut the Dough

Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut the dough into long strips.

Then cut across those strips to create small rectangles.

Each rectangle should be wide enough to wrap around the center of one mini smoked sausage with a small amount of overlap.

The pieces do not need to be perfectly identical.

Wrap the Mini Sausages

Place a mini smoked sausage along one short edge of a rectangle of dough.

Roll the sausage forward, wrapping the dough around its center.

You want the ends of the sausage to remain visible.

Allow the dough to overlap slightly, pinching it together so it stays wrapped around the sausage while baking.

Place the pig in a blanket seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Repeat with the remaining dough and sausages.

Try to leave a little room between each one on the baking sheet so the hot air can circulate around them while they bake.

No Second Rise!

This is one of the biggest differences between these potato flake sourdough pigs in a blanket and my potato flake sourdough crescent rolls.

You do not need to allow the shaped pigs in a blanket to rise again.

Once you’ve wrapped all of the mini sausages, they can go directly into the oven.

That makes this recipe so much quicker once you’re ready to assemble them!

Baking Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

Place the baking sheet on the middle rack.

Bake for approximately 12–15 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through and the tops are lightly golden brown.

I recommend beginning to check them around the 10–12 minute mark since ovens vary and baking time can also depend on how thickly you rolled your dough.

The bottoms should be lightly golden and the dough should no longer look wet or doughy.

Serve them warm with your favorite dipping sauces!

What to Serve With Pigs in a Blanket

Honestly, these are delicious all by themselves, but dipping sauces make them even more fun.

Try serving them with:

• Yellow mustard
• Honey mustard
• Ketchup
• Barbecue sauce
• Cheese dip
• Ranch dressing
• Spicy mustard

For a party, you could set out several sauces and let everyone choose their favorite.

How to Make Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket Ahead of Time

One of the BEST things about this recipe is that you can do most of the work ahead of time.

Instead of baking the pigs in a blanket until completely golden, partially bake them first, they should be almost done but haven’t started browning yet.

Prepare and shape the pigs in a blanket as directed.

Bake at 375°F for approximately 8–10 minutes, or just until the dough has set and is mostly baked but still pale.

You don’t want them deeply browned yet because they will finish baking later.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the pigs in a blanket to cool completely.

How to Flash Freeze Pigs in a Blanket

Once the partially baked pigs in a blanket have cooled completely, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Place the entire baking sheet in the freezer.

Freeze until the individual pieces are completely firm.

Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or airtight freezer container.

Flash freezing first keeps them from sticking together, which means you can pull out only as many as you need at a time.

How to Bake Frozen Pigs in a Blanket

There is no need to thaw them!

Arrange the frozen pigs in a blanket on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350°F until completely heated through and golden brown, approximately 6–10 minutes.

Because ovens vary, keep an eye on them toward the end.

This method is perfect when you want a homemade appetizer without having to prepare everything the day of your event.

Can I Fully Bake Them Before Freezing?

Yes!

You can also completely bake the pigs in a blanket, allow them to cool, and freeze them.

However, I prefer the partial-bake method when I know I’m making them ahead.

Finishing them in the oven just before serving gives you that freshly baked golden exterior without having to make the dough and shape everything that day.

You can also heat them in the microwave but the breading will not have the same texture as baked in the oven.

Do I Need to Cook the Mini Sausages First?

Most packaged mini smoked sausages are already fully cooked, so they do not need to be cooked before wrapping them in the dough.

Check the package of the particular sausages you are using to make sure they are fully cooked.

I also recommend patting the sausages dry with a paper towel before wrapping them if they seem especially wet. This helps keep excess moisture from getting between the sausage and the dough. If the sausages are very wet this can also make it harder to get the dough to stick when wrapping them. 

Can I Make Larger Pigs in a Blanket?

Absolutely.

You could use full-sized hot dogs cut in half and cut the dough into larger rectangles. You could also use cooked breakfast sausages.

You may need to increase the baking time slightly since the finished pigs in a blanket will be larger.

For serving children, you could also cut hot dogs into halves or thirds before wrapping them.

How Do I Know When They’re Done?

Look for dough that is lightly golden on both the top and bottom.

The outside should feel baked and slightly firm rather than soft and doughy.

Since the sausage inside is already cooked, your main concern is making sure the sourdough surrounding it has baked completely.

If your pigs in a blanket are browning too quickly on top but the dough still seems underdone, loosely cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil and continue baking for another few minutes.

Storage

Refrigerator

Store leftover pigs in a blanket in an airtight container in the refrigerator for approximately 3–4 days.

Reheat them in the oven or air fryer for the best texture.

You can also microwave them, although the dough will be softer.

Freezer

Freeze cooked or partially baked pigs in a blanket in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag.

For best quality, use within approximately 2–3 months.

Perfect for Parties, Holidays, and Easy Meals

These homemade potato flake sourdough pigs in a blanket have quickly become one of my favorite ways to use my crescent roll dough.

They’re simple enough for a fun family meal but also perfect for making a big tray to serve at a party.

And being able to partially bake and freeze them makes them even more convenient. You get the flavor and texture of homemade sourdough without needing to spend your entire day in the kitchen right before company arrives.

If you give this recipe a try, I would greatly appreciate it if you came back and gave it a 5-star review! It helps me so much!

I also love seeing all of the delicious creations you make! Share your photo over on instagram or facebook and give me a tag @littletennesseehome

More Potato Flake Sourdough Recipes

If you enjoyed these potato flake sourdough pigs in a blanket, you may also enjoy:

• Potato Flake Sourdough Crescent Rolls
• Potato Flake Sourdough Dinner Rolls
• Potato Flake Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
• Potato Flake Sourdough Sausage and Cheese Kolaches
• Potato Flake Sourdough Pizza Crust
• Potato Flake Sourdough Bread