A tray of vegan pigs in a blanket is the easiest thing to bring to a party and the most disappointing when the dough turns soggy underneath. I make the pigs from scratch with a quick seitan dough that steams up tender and lightly smoky, then cut each one in half, wrap it in crescent dough, and bake the tray hot so the bottoms crisp instead of steam. Nothing here needs a fryer, and the whole thing is built to be made ahead.
The two places this can go wrong are both about moisture. Seitan holds water from steaming, so it has to cool and dry before it touches the dough, and the dough itself needs to stay cold so the fat in it doesn’t melt before it hits the oven. I park the wrapped tray in the fridge for a few minutes while the oven heats, which firms up the seam and helps the pastry puff. These are the same habits I lean on for vegan jalapeno poppers and vegan stuffed mushrooms, and they fit a platter next to vegan scotch eggs with a bowl of vegan chipotle aioli for dipping. A double batch fits two sheet pans, and these are just as good warm as they are at room temperature, which is what makes them reliable for a buffet.
Vegan Pigs in a Blanket
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the vital wheat gluten, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- In a second bowl, whisk the vegetable broth, soy sauce, tomato paste, olive oil, and liquid smoke if using. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough in the bowl for 3 to 4 minutes, until it turns elastic and holds together. It will feel springy and a little wet. Cover it and rest for 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes and the dough is easier to shape.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 5 inches long and 3/4 inch thick. Wrap each log tightly in foil, twisting the ends like a candy wrapper.
- Set the wrapped logs in a steamer basket over simmering water, cover, and steam for 30 minutes. If you don't have a steamer, set a rack in a large pot with an inch of water and cover it. Unwrap the dogs and let them cool completely, then chill them for at least 20 minutes. This can be done up to three days ahead.
- Heat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each cooled dog in half so you have 16 pieces.
- Unroll the crescent dough and separate it into 16 triangles. Roll one triangle around each piece of seitan, starting at the wide end, and place each wrap seam-side down on the sheet with a little space between them.
- Stir the melted vegan butter with the maple syrup and brush it over the tops. Sprinkle the sesame seeds evenly over the wraps.
- Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and the bottoms are crisp. Let them cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then serve with the maple-mustard dip.
Notes
Tips for Vegan Pigs in a Blanket
These are simple to put together, and the details are what keep the pastry crisp instead of heavy. Most of the work is in two habits: dry filling and a cold tray. Once you have those down, a tray comes together in minutes, and the seitan can be made days in advance.
- Cool and chill the seitan dogs before they meet the dough. They come out of the steamer damp, and any surface moisture turns the inside of the pastry gummy, so let them cool fully and then give them at least 20 minutes in the fridge.
- Keep the crescent roll dough cold. Warm dough smears and loses its layers, so work quickly, open only one can at a time, and park the wrapped tray in the fridge for 10 minutes before it goes in the oven.
- Place each wrap seam-side down with a little space between them. The seam seals against the parchment, and the gap lets heat circulate so the bottoms crisp rather than steam.
- Bake at 400F (200C), not a lower oven. The higher heat sets the pastry before the moisture inside has a chance to soak through, which is the difference between a flaky wrap and a doughy one.
- Cut the dogs in half for party size. A full dog makes a bigger wrap that browns unevenly, while halves bake through and are easy to pick up with one hand.
- If you don’t have a steamer, a rack in a covered pot does the same job. Keep the water below the rack so the logs steam and don’t sit in it, and check the pot once to make sure it hasn’t boiled dry.
Storage
These are best the day they’re baked, but they hold up well. Store cooled wraps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, then reheat them in a 375F (190C) oven or an air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes to bring the pastry back to crisp. The microwave softens the dough, so I skip it. To get ahead, steam the seitan dogs up to three days in advance and keep them covered in the fridge, or assemble the wraps and freeze them unbaked in a single layer before bagging. Unbaked, they keep for about two months and go straight into a 400F (200C) oven from frozen, adding 4 to 6 minutes to the bake. Store the baked ones in a single layer if you can, since stacking them traps steam and softens the crust you just worked for.
FAQ
Can I use store-bought vegan hot dogs instead of making seitan?
Yes, and it turns this into a twenty-minute recipe. Use 8 vegan hot dogs, skip the steaming, and cut each one in half before wrapping. Pat them dry first, and squeeze them gently in a paper towel if they look glossy, since the brine on packaged dogs is one of the reasons the dough can go soggy. Everything else, including the bake time, stays the same. A drier, firmer hot dog wraps the neatest.
Why are my pigs in a blanket soggy on the bottom?
Moisture is almost always the cause. A wet filling, warm dough, or a crowded pan all trap steam under the pastry. Cool and dry the seitan, or pat store-bought hot dogs dry, keep the dough cold, leave space between the wraps, and bake at 400F (200C) rather than a lower temperature. Baking on parchment rather than a silicone mat also helps the bottoms brown.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes, and it’s one of the best things to prep early. Steam the seitan dogs up to three days ahead and refrigerate them, then wrap and bake the day you need them. For longer storage, assemble the wraps, freeze them unbaked in a single layer, and bake them from frozen. You can also bake the whole tray a few hours ahead and reheat it in the oven to crisp the pastry back up before serving.
Can I make these gluten free?
Not with the homemade seitan, since it’s made from vital wheat gluten. For a gluten-free version, use 8 gluten-free vegan hot dogs and wrap them in a gluten-free pastry or a simple gluten-free dough, and check that every label is free of wheat. Store-bought gluten-free pastry often bakes faster than crescent dough, so start checking it a few minutes early. The method, the chilling, the spacing, and the high bake temperature all still apply.
