Air Fryer Crescent Roll Pigs in a Blanket with Queso
Have a party app on the table in about 20 minutes with these air fryer pigs in a blanket: lil smokies wrapped in store-bought crescent roll dough, sprinkled with chives, and served with a 5-minute homemade chili cheddar queso that has a little kick. No oven to preheat and they come out golden and flaky in two quick batches!
Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
I love entertaining, but also, I’m no Martha Stewart. I love taking shortcuts (shh). So for me, the key to a successful spread is tasty appetizers that look (and taste) impressive but are actually quick and easy to make.
This air fryer version took the oven out of the equation and I haven’t looked back: crisper bottoms, no sheet pan to wash, faster, SO EASY. The queso is my favorite part. Excuse me if I use these as a vessel for endless cheese dip! It’s just cheddar, milk, chili powder, and garlic powder in a saucepan. I love the switch-up from the ketchup-and-mustard version everyone has had a hundred times.
JordanA Few Ingredient Notes
- Crescent rolls: One 8-ounce tube makes 16. Cut each triangle in half lengthwise so the dough is a skinny strip; a full triangle is too much dough for the smokie and you end up with more bread than sausage. The lil smokies are already cooked, so the 7 minutes in the air fryer is all about the dough. I accidentally bought honey butter crescent rolls for these once and loved them.
- Chives: Chopped fresh chives go on the dough before you wrap, so they end up on the outside where they crisp up a little. You can omit this, but this little unexpected ingredient makes these look like you tried.
- Chili cheddar queso: Shredded cheddar, milk, chili powder, and garlic powder, melted together on the stove over low heat while the piggies cook. Shred the cheddar from a block if you can. The pre-shredded kind is coated in starch to keep it from clumping in the bag, which makes it not melt as nicely. Keep the heat low and stir the whole time! Cheese that gets hot too fast gets grainy, and it’s impossible to get it back.
- Butter: Melted and brushed on your piggies before they go in. This is what gets crescent dough to a deep golden color and adds that crispy top.
Recipe Substitutions
- Cheese: Pepper jack works in place of the cheddar and makes the queso spicier. Skip mozzarella, which gets stringy in a milk-based sauce.
- Spices: For a less spicy cheese sauce, swap out the chili powder for smoked paprika. On the other hand, add other seasonings like red chili flakes if you want to crank the heat up.
Make It a Game Day Spread
The queso is the dip, but if you want a second one on the tray, my homemade Chick-fil-A sauce is the one to put out. For a full Super Bowl or holiday party spread, these go next to air fryer jalapeño poppers and a bowl of Maryland crab dip (Baltimore girl, I gotta represent). Leftover queso is a good excuse to make air fryer low-carb tortilla chips.
How to Make Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
- Prep dough. Unroll the dough, separate the triangles, and cut each one in half lengthwise so you have 16 skinny triangles. Sprinkle the chives over the dough now, before you wrap; they stick to the tacky surface and end up on the outside.
- Roll. Set a smokie on the wide end of the dough and roll toward the point. Finish with the point tucked underneath so the seam sits against the basket and can’t unroll while it cooks.
- Air Fry. Preheat to 350° F while you roll; a hot basket sets the dough fast so it doesn’t sag into the holes. Eight at a time, single layer, an inch of space between each, then brush the tops with melted butter. They’re done at 6 to 7 minutes when the tops are deep golden and look flaky instead of shiny, and the bottoms are set where they touched the basket. The second batch goes in right after.
- Make cheese sauce. While the second batch cooks, warm the milk and cheddar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring the whole time, until it’s smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the chili powder and garlic powder off the heat. It thickens as it cools, so if it sits a while, loosen it with a splash of milk.
Leftover queso is a good excuse to make air fryer low-carb tortilla chips. And yes, pigs in a blanket can be dinner: add crispy air fryer potato wedges and something green. You’ll find more game day appetizers here.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Wrap them, set them on a plate with space between each one, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Air fry straight from the fridge and add a minute or two. Make the queso fresh. It takes 5 minutes and never reheats as smoothly as it starts.
No. The tops brown in the moving air and the bottoms set and brown where they sit on the basket. Flipping halfway just risks the dough unrolling and that would be a disaster! If yours are still a little pale on the bottom, give them one more minute to cook.
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Air Fryer Pigs in a Blanket
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces crescent rolls 1 tube
- 2 tablespoons chives chopped
- 16 little smokies
- 1.5 tablespoons butter melted
Queso Dip
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Instructions
- Lightly spritz the air fryer basket with olive oil and preheat the air fryer to 350° F while you roll.
- Slice each crescent triangle in half lengthwise and sprinkle the chives on top. Wrap the dough around each smokie starting at the wide end and tuck the point underneath. The chives can be on the inside or outside; I do the outside.8 ounces crescent rolls, 2 tablespoons chives, 16 little smokies
- Place 8 crescent dogs in the basket in a single layer, seam side down, with about an inch of space between each one so they get crispy (we don't want soggy piggies!). Lightly brush the tops with the melted butter. Cook in two batches. The second batch goes in as soon as the first comes out.1.5 tablespoons butter
- Air fry at 350° F for 6 to 7 minutes, until the tops are deep golden and flaky and the bottoms are set. Repeat with the second batch.
- Meanwhile, heat the milk and cheese in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted, smooth, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Take it off the heat and stir in the chili powder and garlic powder.1 cup cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup milk, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- Carefully remove the crescent rolls from the air fryer basket and serve with the queso dip.
Notes
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- You can also use regular hot dogs and cut them into smaller pieces
- You can roll your crescent rolls with the chives on the inside or outside. I did the outside.
- Make sure to cook the crescent rolls in a single layer. Otherwise, they may get soggy and stick together.
- Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat in the air fryer at 350° F for 3 to 4 minutes until hot. Loosen leftover queso with a splash of milk over low heat.
- A standard 5-quart basket holds about 8 with space between them. A larger basket may fit all 16 in one batch.
Nutrition
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