National Pigs in a Blanket Day is on Saturday, April 24, 2027, and it falls on April 24 every year. It celebrates little sausages wrapped in dough and baked until golden. They’re a party favorite and an easy snack to make with kids.
When Is National Pigs in a Blanket Day?
It’s always April 24. It’s an unofficial food day, usually marked with a tray straight from the oven.
Who Started National Pigs in a Blanket Day?
No founder or start year has been documented.
Background: where the snack came from
The American version, cocktail sausages baked in flaky pastry, likely descends from the British sausage roll. Sausage rolls appear in Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management as early as 1874, Tasting Table notes.
Merriam-Webster dates “pig in a blanket,” meaning a frankfurter baked in dough, to 1926. Some people credit a 1957 Betty Crocker cookbook with the first pastry-wrapped version, but the snack existed before that.
American vs. British Pigs in Blankets
The day celebrates a dish that means two different things depending on where you are. In the U.S., it’s a hot dog or cocktail sausage wrapped in dough.
In Britain, “pigs in blankets” are small sausages wrapped in streaky bacon, usually pork chipolatas. They’re a traditional side for the Christmas turkey. A sausage in pastry there is simply a sausage roll.
Both versions share the same appeal: a bite-size, salty, golden snack that disappears fast at parties. In the U.S., they’re a fixture at game-day spreads, kids’ birthdays and holiday open houses.
How to Celebrate National Pigs in a Blanket Day
- Make the classic: cut crescent dough into strips, roll around cocktail sausages and bake at 375°F until golden.
- Try the British way: wrap chipolatas in thin bacon and roast until crisp.
- Add an everything topping: brush with egg wash and sprinkle everything bagel seasoning before baking.
- Go cheesy: tuck a strip of cheddar inside the dough with each sausage.
- Set out dips: honey mustard, ketchup, spicy brown mustard and cheese sauce.
- Make breakfast pigs: wrap breakfast sausage links in pancake batter on a griddle.
- Cook them safely: bake until the pastry is deep golden and the sausages are steaming hot all the way through.
- Freeze a batch: freeze unbaked rolls on a tray, then bag them for quick snacks later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make pigs in a blanket ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble them, cover and refrigerate for a few hours, then bake just before serving so the pastry stays crisp.
What dough works best?
Refrigerated crescent dough is easiest. Puff pastry gives flakier layers, and biscuit dough makes a softer, bready wrap.
Are pigs in a blanket and sausage rolls the same?
In Britain, a sausage wrapped in pastry is called a sausage roll. Pigs in blankets there are sausages wrapped in bacon.