Christmas Pigs In A Blanket

I'll never forget the first time I served Christmas pigs in a blanket at our holiday party three years ago. Emily was helping me wrap the sausages (more eating than helping, honestly!), and when I added that honey glaze at the end, she looked at me like I'd just invented something magical. "Mom, these are SO sticky and good!" she said with her mouth full. That's when I knew this recipe was going to be a keeper.

These little bacon-wrapped sausages are seriously addictive. What makes them special? That honey glaze in the last few minutes of cooking turns them into sticky, sweet, savory bites that disappear faster than you can make them. Trust me on this one.

If you're looking for more crowd-pleasing appetizers, you'll want to check out my bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers – another party favorite that always gets rave reviews.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Pigs In Blankets Recipe
• Ingredients For Christmas Pigs In Blankets
• How To Make Pigs In Blankets
• Storage And Reheating Pigs In Blankets
• Tips For The Best Pigs In Blankets Recipe
• Variations On Christmas Pigs In Blankets
• Frequently Asked Questions About Pigs In Blankets
• Recipes You May Like
• Final Thoughts On This Christmas Appetizer
• Pigs in Blankets Recipe

Why You'll Love This Pigs In Blankets Recipe

• Super simple – Only 3 ingredients and about 10 minutes of prep time!
• Make ahead friendly – Wrap them the night before and just pop them in the oven when guests arrive
• That honey glaze – Turns ordinary bacon-wrapped sausages into something special
• Perfect for parties – Makes 30 servings, so there's plenty to go around
• Kid approved – Emily requests these year-round (I usually save them for special occasions though!)
• Works as a side dish or appetizer – Pairs beautifully with turkey or stands alone on the party table

Ingredients For Christmas Pigs In Blankets

Here's what you'll need for these bacon wrapped sausages:

• 15 rashers/strips of smoked streaky bacon – I've tried regular bacon too, but the smoked streaky kind gives the best flavor
• 30 cocktail sausages – Look for good quality ones; it makes a difference
• 2 tablespoon honey – This is the secret ingredient that takes these from good to "can I have five more?"

That's it! Three ingredients. I love recipes like this where the simplicity lets each ingredient shine.

How To Make Pigs In Blankets

Making these honey glazed pigs in blankets is really straightforward. I've messed up bacon-wrapped things before (who hasn't?), but this method works every time.

Preparing The Bacon And Sausages

1. Preheat your oven to 200C/400F (fan). Get this going first so it's ready when you are.
2. Take a rasher of bacon and stretch it out a little. I just use my hands to gently pull it lengthwise. This helps it wrap around the sausage better and get crispier.
3. Slice the bacon in half widthways. You'll get two pieces from each strip.
4. Take a cocktail sausage and wrap one piece of bacon around it. Start at one end and wrap it in a spiral. Don't stress about making it perfect – mine never look identical and they still taste amazing.
5. Place the wrapped sausage on a baking tray, seam-side down. This keeps the bacon from unwrapping while it cooks.
6. Repeat with the remaining sausages and bacon. This is where having Emily help actually speeds things up (when she's not sneaking bites).

Cooking And Glazing

7. Place the tray in the oven for 25 minutes. You want the sausage cooked through and the bacon starting to get crispy.
8. Drizzle the honey over the sausages. After 25 minutes, take the tray out and drizzle that honey all over. Don't skip this step – it's what makes these special!
9. Place back in the oven for 5 more minutes. This lets the honey get all bubbly and sticky.
10. Let them cool for a minute before transferring. The honey will be VERY hot (learned this the hard way when I tried one immediately and burned my tongue). Give them a minute, then carefully move them to a serving plate.

Storage And Reheating Pigs In Blankets

Storing Leftovers

If you somehow have leftovers (rare at our house!), let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

How To Reheat

Pop them back in the oven at 190C/375F for about 10 minutes. They'll crisp up nicely again. I don't recommend the microwave – the bacon gets weird and chewy.

Freezing Instructions

You can freeze these either before or after cooking. For uncooked: wrap the sausages in bacon, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. They'll keep for up to 3 months.

For cooked: cool completely, freeze in a single layer, then bag them up. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Tips For The Best Pigs In Blankets Recipe

Use smoked bacon. The smokiness adds another layer of flavor that regular bacon just doesn't give you.

Don't wrap too tightly. I used to wrap the bacon super tight thinking it would stay better, but it actually works better with a little breathing room. The bacon shrinks as it cooks anyway.

Line your baking tray. Save yourself cleanup time! I use parchment paper or foil.

Watch the honey timing. Adding it too early makes them burn. Adding it in the last 5 minutes is the sweet spot (pun intended).

Make extras. Seriously, these go SO fast. I always make at least 40 now instead of 30.

Try different honey types. I've used regular honey, but also tried wildflower honey once and it was really good!

Let them rest briefly. That minute of cooling time isn't just for safety – it lets the honey set slightly so it's sticky but not drippy.

Variations On Christmas Pigs In Blankets

Want to switch things up? Here are some ideas I've tried:

Maple glaze – Use maple syrup instead of honey for a different flavor profile

Spicy version – Add a tiny drizzle of hot sauce with the honey

Brown sugar – Sprinkle brown sugar over them with the honey for extra caramelization

Mustard dip – Serve with whole grain mustard on the side (so good!)

Different sausages – Mini chorizo works really well for a spicier take

Wrap twice – For extra bacon (is that even possible?), use a full strip per sausage

Frequently Asked Questions About Pigs In Blankets

Recipes You May Like

• Seven Layer Taco Dip – Another party favorite that's always a hit
• Spinach Artichoke Dip In Bread Bowl – Perfect alongside these for a complete appetizer spread
• Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip – Set it and forget it party food

Final Thoughts On This Christmas Appetizer

These Christmas pigs in blankets have become our holiday tradition. Every year, Emily asks if we're making "the sticky bacon sausages" (her official name for them), and every year I make double what I think we need because they disappear so fast.

What I love most is how simple they are. Three ingredients, minimal prep, and everyone thinks you spent hours in the kitchen. That's my kind of recipe!

The honey glaze really does make all the difference. Without it, they're just bacon-wrapped sausages (still good, but not special). With it? They're party-stopping, conversation-starting, "can you share the recipe?" good.

Make these for your next gathering. Prep them ahead if you want to save time. Serve them warm (but not lava-hot like I did that one time). And definitely make extras, because trust me – people will come back for seconds.

Happy cooking! Don't forget to save this to Pinterest so you can find it when December rolls around and you're planning your holiday menu.