Get ready to redefine your breakfast experience! This incredible Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket recipe isn’t just a meal; it’s a sweet and savory sensation that has quickly become our family’s favorite. Imagine tender, flaky cinnamon roll dough wrapped around juicy breakfast sausage links, baked to golden perfection, and then generously drizzled with a decadent cream cheese frosting and a homemade Maple Butter Sauce. It’s a combination that hits all the right notes, making every bite an unforgettable delight. Perfect for busy weekday mornings, special weekend brunches, or even a festive holiday breakfast, these delightful sausage dunkers are guaranteed to bring smiles to everyone at the table.
There’s something truly magical about bringing together the contrasting flavors of sweet and savory. It’s a culinary philosophy we’ve embraced before, like with our famous Cinnamon Bread Bacon Stuffing that graces our Thanksgiving table. This recipe for Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket takes that same beloved concept and adapts it for breakfast, creating a harmonious blend that tantalizes the taste buds. It’s a versatile dish that’s easy to prepare, making it a fantastic option for any occasion when you want to impress without the stress.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Johnsonville Italian Sausage. The opinions and text are all mine.
What Exactly are Breakfast Pigs in a Blanket?
The term “Pigs in a Blanket” typically refers to small sausages, often hot dogs or frankfurters, wrapped in pastry dough and baked. These savory bites are a popular appetizer, especially for parties or game day gatherings. However, our version takes this classic concept and reinvents it for the breakfast table, creating an entirely new experience. Instead of traditional savory pastry, we embrace the sweet, spiced comfort of a cinnamon roll, elevating the dish to a delightful sweet and savory fusion.
When my husband, Cade, and I were brainstorming ideas for our next collaboration with Johnsonville, we were keen on developing a kid-friendly Christmas breakfast recipe. Naturally, “Pigs in a Blanket” came to mind, but initially, I envisioned them made with pancakes. It was Cade who enlightened me that the traditional definition usually involved hot dogs or franks enveloped in crescent roll or puff pastry dough. Who knew? After all these years, I was surprised! But that revelation only fueled our creativity, leading us to this unique breakfast interpretation: Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket Dunkers, perfectly complemented by a luscious Maple Butter Sauce.
This innovative recipe perfectly marries the rich, sweet notes of cinnamon rolls with the savory kick of breakfast sausage links. The combination is undeniably delicious, offering a breakfast item that’s both fun to eat and incredibly satisfying. It’s a playful twist on a familiar favorite, making it an ideal choice for a festive holiday morning or any day you want to add a little extra joy to your breakfast routine. The contrast of textures – the fluffy, tender cinnamon roll and the firm, flavorful sausage – along with the sweet and savory taste profile, creates a truly irresistible dish that will have everyone reaching for more.
The Essential Ingredients for Your Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket
One of the best aspects of this recipe is its simplicity. For the main sausage dunkers, you only need two primary ingredients, making it incredibly straightforward to prepare. The accompanying maple butter sauce, while optional, elevates the entire dish and requires just a handful of common pantry staples. Most likely, you’ll have everything you need on hand, minimizing last-minute grocery runs. Let’s dive into the specifics of what you’ll need to create this breakfast masterpiece:
- Grands Cinnamon Rolls: We recommend using refrigerated Grands Cinnamon Rolls for their convenience and consistently fluffy, tender texture. These rolls come with their own cream cheese frosting, which provides a delightful finishing touch. The pre-made dough saves valuable time, especially on busy mornings, allowing you to enjoy this delicious breakfast with minimal effort.
- Johnsonville Turkey Fully Cooked Breakfast Sausage: Our choice for this recipe is Johnsonville’s fully cooked turkey breakfast sausages. Opting for pre-cooked sausages is a fantastic time-saver, ensuring a quick and easy preparation process. They offer a savory, flavorful complement to the sweet cinnamon rolls without needing any prior cooking. However, if you prefer, you can certainly use uncooked pork or turkey sausage links, just be sure to cook them thoroughly before wrapping them in the cinnamon roll dough. This ensures they are fully cooked and safe to eat when the cinnamon rolls are done baking.
Crafting the Perfect Maple Butter Sauce
This homemade Maple Butter Sauce is a game-changer for these dunkers, adding an extra layer of sweetness and richness that ties all the flavors together. While the cinnamon rolls come with their own frosting, this dipping sauce takes the experience to another level. Here’s what you’ll need for this irresistible sauce:
- Maple Syrup: This is the star of the show, so don’t skimp! Always opt for real maple syrup, preferably Grade A. The pure, rich flavor of genuine maple syrup is incomparable and crucial for the sauce’s authentic taste.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk might seem like an unexpected ingredient in a sweet sauce, but it plays a vital role. Its subtle acidity helps to balance out the sweetness from the sugars, preventing the sauce from being overly cloying. It also contributes to a lovely creamy texture.
- Butter: Butter adds richness and a silky smooth consistency to the sauce. If you have salted butter on hand, it can further enhance the flavor by providing a tiny hint of salt to balance the sweetness.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar brings a deep, molasses-rich sweetness and a subtle caramel note that complements the maple syrup beautifully.
- White Sugar: Granulated white sugar ensures the sauce achieves the desired level of sweetness and contributes to its smooth texture.
- Corn Syrup: Just a touch of corn syrup is used to help thicken the sauce, giving it that perfect pourable consistency ideal for dipping and drizzling. It also helps prevent crystallization, ensuring a smooth sauce every time.
- Cinnamon: A pinch of cinnamon adds warmth and a familiar comforting spice that harmonizes perfectly with the cinnamon rolls.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract rounds out the flavors, adding a fragrant, sweet aroma and depth to the sauce.
You’ll find the precise measurements for all these ingredients in the detailed recipe card at the very end of this post. Keep scrolling, and you’ll discover all the step-by-step instructions and ingredient quantities to make these delightful breakfast dunkers and their sensational dipping sauce!
Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Sweet & Savory Sausage Dunkers
Preparing this crowd-pleasing breakfast recipe is astonishingly simple, requiring minimal effort for maximum deliciousness. In just a few easy steps, you’ll have a new family favorite ready to enjoy. Even novice bakers will find this recipe foolproof. Here are the basic, straightforward steps to create your delightful Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket:
- Preparation is Key: Begin by preheating your oven to the temperature specified on the cinnamon roll package, usually around 350°F (175°C). While the oven heats, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. This simple step prevents sticking and makes cleanup a breeze, ensuring your golden dunkers lift off the pan easily.
- Unwrap and Unroll: Carefully open the tube of refrigerated cinnamon rolls. Gently separate each individual cinnamon roll and unroll the dough strip completely, extending it into a long “rope.” This creates the perfect length of dough for wrapping.
- Slice for Success: Once each cinnamon roll “rope” is unrolled, slice it in half lengthwise. This ingenious trick provides two thinner, longer strips of dough from each original roll, giving you more surface area to wrap around the sausages and creating a more balanced “pig in a blanket.”
- Assemble with Care: Take one half of a cinnamon roll dough strip and carefully wrap it around a single breakfast sausage link. Start at one end of the sausage and coil the dough tightly and evenly around it until the sausage is completely covered.
- Pro Tip: As you unroll and slice the cinnamon rolls, some of the cinnamon-sugar filling might fall off. Don’t waste it! Simply pick up any stray filling and gently press it into the dough as you wrap it around the sausage. This ensures every piece gets that delicious cinnamon flavor.
- Bake to Perfection: Arrange the assembled cinnamon roll-wrapped sausages seam-side down on your prepared baking sheet, ensuring they have a little space between them. Bake them in the preheated oven according to the package directions, typically for 15-20 minutes, or until the cinnamon rolls are puffed, golden brown, and cooked through.
- Simultaneous Sauce Prep: While your pigs in a blanket are baking, this is the perfect time to prepare your homemade Maple Butter Sauce. This allows everything to be ready at the same time for immediate enjoyment.
- Drizzle and Serve: Once the pigs in a blanket emerge from the oven, hot and golden, remove them from the baking sheet. While still warm, take the cream cheese frosting that came with the cinnamon rolls and drizzle it generously over the top of your golden-brown dunkers.
- Enjoy the Dip: Serve your freshly baked Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket immediately with a side of the warm, luscious Maple Butter Sauce. Encourage everyone to dunk, dip, and savor the irresistible combination of sweet cinnamon and savory sausage!
Maple Butter Sauce: Simple Steps for Sweet Perfection
While these delightful cinnamon roll dunkers are perfectly delicious on their own, our homemade maple butter sauce truly elevates them to another level. We are utterly obsessed with this sauce, and once you try it, you will be too! It adds a luxurious sweetness and depth that makes every bite feel indulgent. Here’s how to whip it up:
- Combine and Boil: In a medium saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients: maple syrup, buttermilk, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk the ingredients continuously to ensure they are well combined and smooth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
- Simmer to Thicken: Once the sauce reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer for about 1 minute. This brief simmering time allows the sugars to fully dissolve and the sauce to thicken slightly, achieving that perfect, luscious consistency. Once simmered, it’s ready to serve immediately with your warm cinnamon roll pigs in a blanket.
Do you absolutely need the sauce? No, not strictly. These breakfast dunkers are fantastic even without any additions. However, both Cade and I are “sauce people” – we love to dip, dunk, and drizzle! So, creating a rich syrup to complement these sweet and savory treats was a natural choice for us. The sauce adds a wonderful dimension of flavor and moisture. If you’re looking for alternatives, you could certainly use plain maple syrup or try our equally delicious Buttermilk Syrup for a different but equally delightful dipping experience.
For a complete rundown of all the instructions, including ingredient measurements and detailed notes, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card located further down this page. You’ll also find convenient options to print or save the recipe there, ensuring you can easily access it whenever you’re ready to whip up this breakfast sensation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket
Here are some common questions and helpful tips to ensure your Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket turn out perfectly every time:
Can I Use Uncooked Sausage Links?
Absolutely! While we specifically chose fully cooked turkey breakfast sausages for this recipe, primarily for the convenience they offer on busy mornings (especially during holidays like Christmas when we prefer to relax in our pajamas, watch movies, and play with the kids!), you can certainly use uncooked sausage links. Whether you opt for pork or turkey, it’s essential to cook the raw sausages thoroughly beforehand. Ensure they are fully cooked according to package directions before you wrap them in the cinnamon roll dough. This prevents uneven cooking and guarantees your breakfast dunkers are both delicious and safe to eat.
Can I Make My Own Cinnamon Rolls?
Yes, without a doubt! If you love baking from scratch, using homemade cinnamon roll dough will elevate this recipe even further. Our World’s Best Cinnamon Rolls recipe is phenomenal and would make these pigs in a blanket truly exceptional. However, for those times when convenience is key, store-bought refrigerated cinnamon rolls are a fantastic shortcut. They deliver excellent results and significantly cut down on prep time. You can use either plain cinnamon rolls or those that come with cream cheese frosting, depending on your preference. Both options work beautifully with this recipe.
How to Keep Pigs in a Blanket from Getting Soggy
My absolute best tip for preventing soggy pigs in a blanket? Eat them all as soon as they’re ready! While that’s certainly the most delicious solution, in all seriousness, the key to keeping them crisp is proper cooling and storage. Once your cinnamon roll pigs in a blanket are baked to golden perfection, transfer them immediately to a wire cooling rack. This allows air to circulate around all sides, preventing condensation from forming and making the pastry soggy. Avoid covering them with foil or placing them in an airtight container while they’re still warm, as this will trap steam and moisture. If you need to keep them warm for a short period, simply leave them on the baking sheet in a very low oven (around 200°F or 95°C) until ready to serve.
Can I Prepare Pigs in a Blanket Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! These cinnamon roll pigs in a blanket are a fantastic make-ahead option, which makes them perfect for holidays or busy mornings. You have a couple of choices for preparing them in advance:
- Assemble and Refrigerate (Unbaked): You can assemble the pigs in a blanket the night before you plan to bake them. Simply wrap the sausages in the cinnamon roll dough as directed, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, uncover and bake them fresh!
- Bake and Reheat (Fully Cooked): Alternatively, you can completely bake the pigs in a blanket the day before. Once baked, let them cool completely on a wire rack. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, place them in a baking dish, cover with foil, and reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through. The maple butter sauce can also be made up to a week in advance and stored in a mason jar in the fridge. Gently warm it before serving.
How Long Can Pigs in a Blanket Sit Out?
For food safety reasons, cooked pigs in a blanket should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. After this time, harmful bacteria can begin to multiply rapidly, making the food unsafe to eat. If they have been sitting out for longer than two hours, it is best to discard them. Always store any leftovers promptly in an airtight container in the refrigerator to maintain their freshness and safety.
Can You Freeze Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket Dunkers?
Yes, these cinnamon roll pigs in a blanket freeze wonderfully! Once they are completely cooled after baking, you can tightly wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. To reheat, you can warm them directly from frozen in a preheated oven (around 350°F or 175°C) until heated through, or thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. This makes them an excellent option for meal prepping and enjoying a quick, delicious breakfast anytime!
We are absolutely confident that your family will fall head over heels for the delightful combination of flavorful sausages nestled within sweet cinnamon blankets, especially when dunked into that luxurious buttery maple syrup. Johnsonville continues to make our holiday season so incredibly easy and delicious, and we couldn’t be happier! If you’re on the hunt for a breakfast that the entire family, particularly the little ones, will adore, then you simply must try this spectacular Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket recipe. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and savory, guaranteed to make any morning feel like a celebration!
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Cinnamon Roll Pigs in a Blanket Dunkers
Ingredients
- 1 Package Grands Cinnamon Rolls, with cream cheese frosting
- 1 Package Johnsonville Turkey Fully Cooked Breakfast Sausage
For the Syrup
- 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup, Grade A
- 1/2 Cup Buttermilk
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Cup White Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Corn Syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C).
- Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Open the cinnamon rolls and unroll the dough from each roll.
- Cut each cinnamon roll “rope” into two pieces.
- Wrap each sausage with one half of the dough strip. If any cinnamon filling falls off, gently press it into the wrapped sausage.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- If desired, drizzle with the cream cheese frosting that came with the cinnamon rolls.
- Dunk into the maple butter sauce and enjoy!
For the Sauce
- Place the maple syrup, buttermilk, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the cinnamon and vanilla extract.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce slightly thickens. Serve warm with the dunkers.
Recipe Notes
You can assemble the dunkers a day ahead on a baking sheet, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Alternatively, you can completely bake everything and then store in the fridge in an airtight container. When you are ready to serve, just place in a baking dish with foil over the top and warm in a 350-degree F (175 C) oven for 10-15 minutes.
The syrup can be made up to one week ahead and stored in the fridge in a mason jar. Gently warm before serving.
Nutrition Information (Approximate)
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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