Easy Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket Recipe (Mini Hot Dog Bites)

​Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket are a crowd pleaser for party finger foods and for a simple kid-friendly meal.

We actually call them affectionately “weenie winks” which my best friend’s mom called them, but you probably know them as pigs in a blanket or pigs in blankets.

Either way, you’ll love this recipe! Not only is it sourdough and delicious, but the dough is light and fluffy, not greasy like store bought crescent dough.

Ingredients for Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

Here are the ingredients you will need:

How to make Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

The process of making this savory sourdough recipe has the following steps: Starter preparation, Ingredient Prep, Making the dough, Kneading, Bulk fermentation, Shaping, Proofing, Baking, Cooling.

Sourdough Starter Preparation

You will need a healthy, established sourdough starter for making this recipe. If you need to buy one or make one, here are my resources to get started!

For the starter needed to make the dough, add one tablespoon of either active starter or discard to a 1-pint container.

Feed it with water and all-purpose flour.

Let it sit at room temperature for 6 to 12 hours until it doubles in size, develops large bubbles, and smells fruity. The timing varies depending on your kitchen conditions.

Learn more about sourdough starters in these posts:

• What is a sourdough starter?
• How to Know When your Sourdough Starter is Ready (8 signs)

​

Want more sourdough starter info?

You can get my free Quick Start Sourdough Guide to begin learning some of the key parts of the cycle of sourdough starter.

Learn the phases, the signs of an active, how to care for a sourdough starter to keep it alive and thriving, as well as how to make your own sourdough starter.

Also, learn more about sourdough starters in these posts:

• What is a sourdough starter?
• How to Know When your Sourdough Starter is Ready (8 signs)

​​

Ingredient Preparation

Once your sourdough starter is active, prepare the milk.

Add more whole milk than the recipe calls for to allow for evaporation. Heat the milk over medium to medium-high heat until it is steaming and proteins begin to stick to the pot. Temperature will be 130 to 140 degrees F. Don’t let it foam.

Transfer 100g of your scalded milk to the bowl of a stand mixer, large bowl, or a separate glass carafe to cool down to 90-100 degrees F.

Making the Dough for Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

Once your milk is cooled and in the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, add the water, the sugar, 100g of the active starter, and flour mixture. Stir with a dough hook attachment about 4 times around the bowl or with a large spoon if you are mixing by hand for 1 to 2 minutes until ingredients are beginning to combine and it looks like a shaggy dough mixture. Add the vanilla and egg (if you’d prefer to omit the vanilla for this savory recipe, you can. It won’t impact the texture of the final dough).

Continue mixing the dough until it becomes completely combined and soft. Make sure to scrape your mixing bowl with a bench scraper at various points.

Kneading the Dough

Once all the ingredients except the softened unsalted butter are added, it is time to knead your dough into a smooth, soft ball.

When using a stand mixer, use low to medium-low speed (I recommend the lowest 2-3 speeds) to knead your dough. It will take 5 to 8 minutes to get combined and soft until it pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Kneading by hand will take 8 to 12 minutes.

Now, it is time to knead in the softened unsalted butter. Add it one tablespoon at a time with kneading in between each addition.

Continue kneading until the butter is completely incorporated into your dough and it pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl or kneading surface and is a soft smooth ball.

Bulk Fermentation for Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

Place the dough in an airtight container or cover a large bowl with plastic wrap. I recommend a 4-qt Cambro container for bulk fermentation.

Let the dough rise at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours until it doubles.

For more details on this stage, see this post: How to tell when sourdough is done with bulk fermentation

​Baking Sheet Prep

Prepare the mini hot dogs by draining out the excess liquid and placing them into a bowl.

Prepare two baking sheets by lining each baking sheet with parchment paper.

Shaping Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

1. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal halves.
2. Sprinkle a small amount of flour (I like using a flour dusting shaker for this) on top of the dough.*
3. Use a rolling pin to roll out each half of dough into a circle that is about 11-12 inches wide.
4. If you are using two packages of hot dogs (mini dogs), you’ll use the rolling pizza cutter to cut each round of dough into 20 wedges**.
5. Take a mini hot dog and place at the wide end of the bottom of one of the wedges of dough.
6. Then holding the bottom of the dough and the hot dog, roll the hot dog into the dough. Press the point of the triangle securely to the roll of dough and place on the prepared parchment lined pan.
7. Repeat with the remaining hot dogs. Keep 2-3 inches of space between each hot dog wrap. Cover with plastic wrap.

*After completing the bulk ferment, it should not be too sticky, if you have very sticky dough, assess whether it needs more fermentation time.

**See section “Can I make plain crescent rolls with this recipe?”

Proofing Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

Baking Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

​Place the hot dog rolls onto the center rack (if you can’t fit both trays, place the second into the fridge until the first batch is done).

Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown.

*Optional topping: At end of preheat, whisk an egg and a sprinkle of water in a small bowl to create an egg wash. Brush the egg wash evenly over the rolls with a pastry brush. Sprinkle on additional seeds or other topping.

Cooling Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

Serve your homemade pigs in a blanket with ketchup and mustard.

Variations

​Here are some ideas for changing up this savory sourdough snack:

• You can use full size hot dogs cut into fourths instead of mini hot dogs
• Use the dough to wrap hot dogs with thin strips of dough to create mummy dogs
• Wrap a section of mozzarella string cheese or cheddar cheese for a delicious cheesy flavor that’s a mix up on traditional grilled cheese
• Try a hot sandwich wrap instead by rolling a piece of ham or turkey around a piece of cheese and then wrap the dough around the meat and cheese roll instead of a hot dog

Can I make plain crescent rolls with this recipe?

To make some (or all of the dough) into sourdough crescent rolls, instead of cutting the round of dough into 20 small pieces, cut them into 8 equal wedges and roll from the wide end of the triangle to the point.

Lightly press the pointed tip to the roll and follow the remaining steps for proofing and baking as written in the recipe.

See the detailed instructions in this recipe: The Easiest Super Soft Sourdough Crescent Rolls Recipe

5 tips for the best Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

1. Drain your mini hot dogs well before shaping them into the rolls to avoid introducing too much moisture to dough.
2. During baking, hot dogs swell and as they cool they shrink. This can make the roll slip off easily. To avoid this, skewer each serving with a toothpick to keep roll in place on an appetizer tray.
3. This recipe uses a 100% hydration starter. This style of starter is familiar to most sourdough bakers making it easier to attempt this recipe.
4. *You may have noticed I used all-purpose flour in this recipe, not bread flour. All-purpose flour makes these sourdough pigs in a blanket softer and less chewy than bread flour.
5. Dough that has perfectly fermented, should not be sticky after the bulk ferment. Only a very light amount of dusting flour should be needed during shaping.

Benefits of Sourdough in this recipe

Sourdough adds incredible flavor and texture to this classic appetizer, making it a treat for foodies.

The long fermentation process makes the dough more digestible, breaking down gluten proteins and reducing digestive irritation.

Unlike conventional recipes that rely on added sugar and fats for flavor, sourdough develops rich, complex flavors naturally over time.

Additionally, sourdough timelines are more forgiving, reducing the risk of overproofing.

Weenie Winks or Pigs in a Blanket?

I’d love to know, what do you call this appetizer in your house?

Let me know in the comments!

Savor and Share

Share this easy savory treat recipe with a friend! This sourdough recipe from my master recipe helps give sourdough bakers an advantage in the kitchen by making sourdough baking feel easier!

After you try it, send me a note, leave a review comment, or tag me on facebook or instagram @livingbreadbaker

More savory sourdough recipes

• Savory Sourdough Cheese Herb Babka Bread Recipe
• Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread Recipe (Cheesy Crust)
• Sourdough Meat Filled Braided Bread (easy dinner recipe)
• Easy & Soft Savory Sourdough Cheese Twist Rolls
• Easy Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe and Guide for Oven Baking
• No Lye, Easy Soft Sourdough Pretzels with Stiff Starter
• See this recipe and over 30 other easy sourdough recipes that are perfect for kid-friendly lunches and snacks

Just getting started with sourdough?

A competent guide transforms sourdough baking from overwhelming to uncomplicated and fun!

Get My Free Quick Start Sourdough Guide: Learn the key terms and concepts in sourdough baking, including the differences between active sourdough starter and sourdough discard, and how to care for your starter.

Get My Free Sourdough Starter Making Workbook: Follow the steps in my workbook to make your own sourdough starter from scratch in 7 days or less!

Start Baking Sourdough Confidently—Take the Intro to Sourdough Course for Just $27!

Time Planning Help for Sourdough Baking

The #1 need for sourdough bakers is help with time planning, so I created a resource for you.

Sourdough Time Planning Workbook: Perfect for new or experienced bakers, this workbook includes 8 templates ready to fill in and a baking journal. The templates cover 4 different ways to make classic sourdough country breads, 3 time planning worksheets for enriched sourdough bread depending on serving time target, and a blank template. The baking journal goes over baker’s percentages and how to take notes on your sourdough bakes.

Get a free sample of the workbook: Use this sourdough time planning worksheet sample to simplify your baking.

Get my free menu planning template: I use this template to plan my groceries, all our meals, and cooking and sourdough baking prep.

Living Bread Baker posts mentioned

When is sourdough bulk fermentation finished?

When is sourdough finished proofing?

What is a sourdough starter?

Easy Sweet & Soft Sourdough Bread Master Recipe

Savory Sourdough Cheese Herb Babka Bread Recipe

Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Bread Recipe (Cheesy Crust)

Sourdough Meat Filled Braided Bread (easy dinner recipe)

Easy & Soft Savory Sourdough Cheese Twist Rolls

Easy Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe and Guide for Oven Baking

No Lye, Easy Soft Sourdough Pretzels with Stiff Starter

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4-qt Cambro container

Earlywood Designs French rolling pin

Food scale

Parchment baking sheets

FREE Sourdough Quick Start Guide

Sourdough Time Planning Workbook & Baking Journal

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Print Recipe

Easy Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket Recipe (Mini Hot Dog Bites)

Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket are a crowd pleaser for party finger foods and for a simple kid-friendly meal.

We actually call them affectionately "weenie winks" which my best friend's mom called them, but you probably know them as pigs in a blanket or pigs in blankets.

Either way, you'll love this recipe! Not only is it sourdough and delicious, but the dough comes out light fluffy and not greasy like store bought crescent dough.

Servings: 40 hot dog bite rolls

Author: Jenny Prior

Equipment

• Large Bowl or stand mixer
• Glass measuring carafe for holding scalded milk
• Rounded plastic dough scraper
• 4-qt Cambro container for bulk fermentation
• Rolling Pin
• Rolling pizza cutter tool
• Baking pans
• Parchment Paper
• Silicone Oven Mitts
• Cooling Rack

Ingredients

Starter preparation

• 15-20 g 1 T. sourdough starter
• 60 grams 7 tablespoons all-purpose or bread flour
• 60 grams 1/4 cup water

Dough

• 100 g whole milk warmed (see step 2)
• 40 g water
• 30 g sugar
• 100 g active sourdough starter
• 375 g all purpose flour see tips*
• 4 g 1 t. vanilla
• 7 g 1 t. salt
• 1 egg
• 45 g 3 T. unsalted butter, softened

Filling

• 40 mini hot dogs

Topping

• Optional: egg poppyseeds, everything but the bagel seasoning

Instructions

• 6-12 hours (at least 6-8 hours in warmer months, 10-12 in cooler months) before you make your dough, mix together 60 grams of all-purpose flour (7 T.) and 60 grams of water (1/4 cup) with 20 grams of sourdough starter (about 1 T.) in a glass jar or clean container. Let this sit at room temperature to become active for 6-12 hours.
• Once your sourdough starter is active, prepare the milk. Add more whole milk than the recipe calls for to allow for evaporation. Heat the milk over medium to medium-high heat until it is steaming and proteins begin to stick to the pot. Temperature will be 130 to 140 degrees F. Don't let it foam. Transfer 100g of your scalded milk to the bowl of a stand mixer, large bowl, or a separate glass carafe to cool down to 90-100 degrees F.
• Once your milk is cooled and in the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, add the water, the sugar, 100g of the active starter, and flour mixture. Stir with a dough hook attachment about 4 times around the bowl or with a large spoon if you are mixing by hand for 1 to 2 minutes until ingredients are beginning to combine and it looks like a shaggy dough mixture. Add the vanilla and egg (if you'd prefer to omit the vanilla for this savory recipe, you can. It won't impact the texture of the final dough). Continue mixing the dough until it becomes completely combined and soft. Make sure to scrape your mixing bowl with a bench scraper at various points.
• Once all the ingredients except the softened unsalted butter are added, it is time to knead your dough into a smooth, soft ball. When using a stand mixer, use low to medium-low speed (I recommend the lowest 2-3 speeds) to knead your dough. It will take 5 to 8 minutes to get combined and soft until it pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. Kneading by hand will take 8 to 12 minutes. Now, it is time to knead in the softened unsalted butter. Add it one tablespoon at a time with kneading in between each addition. Continue kneading until the butter is completely incorporated into your dough and it pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl or kneading surface and is a soft smooth ball.
• Place the dough in an airtight container or cover a large bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 4 to 8 hours until it doubles.
• Prepare the mini hot dogs by draining out the excess liquid and placing them into a bowl. Prepare two baking sheets by lining each baking sheet with parchment paper.

Shaping Sourdough Pigs in a Blanket

• Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal halves.
• Sprinkle a small amount of flour (I like using a flour dusting shaker for this) on top of the dough.*
• Use a rolling pin to roll out each half of dough into a circle that is about 11-12 inches wide.
• If you are using two packages of hot dogs (mini dogs), you'll use the rolling pizza cutter to cut each round of dough into 20 wedges**.
• Take a mini hot dog and place at the wide end of the bottom of one of the wedges of dough.
• Then holding the bottom of the dough and the hot dog, roll the hot dog into the dough. Press the point of the triangle securely to the roll of dough and place on the prepared parchment lined pan.
• Repeat with the remaining hot dogs. Keep 2-3 inches of space between each hot dog wrap. Cover with plastic wrap.
• Let the covered hot dog rolls sit at room temperature for the proof or second rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour*. If you aren't baking right away, place covered hot dog rolls into the fridge and then take out 1 hour before baking. Dough should rise to create more volume and the dough should feel soft to the touch, enough for a finger to leave an indentation when poked.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F***. ​Place the hot dog rolls onto the center rack (if you can't fit both trays, place the second into the fridge until the first batch is done). Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown.
• Cool 10 to 15 minutes before enjoying. These yummy snacks are best enjoyed warm. Serve your homemade pigs in a blanket with ketchup and mustard.

Notes

*After completing the bulk ferment, it should not be too sticky, if you have very sticky dough, assess whether it needs more fermentation time
**To make some (or all of the dough) into sourdough crescent rolls, instead of cutting the round of dough into 20 small pieces, cut them into 8 equal wedges and roll from the wide end of the triangle to the point. Lightly press the pointed tip to the roll and follow the remaining steps for proofing and baking as written in the recipe.
***Optional topping: At end of preheat, whisk an egg and a sprinkle of water in a small bowl to create an egg wash. Brush the egg wash evenly over the rolls with a pastry brush. Sprinkle on additional seeds or other topping.