If this isn’t your next game-day snack, I don’t know what you’re doing. These smoked pigs in a blanket take a classic party appetizer and give it a BBQ upgrade with plenty of sweet, salty, and savory flavor.

We’re keeping this one simple with Three Cheese Slow Smoked Pork Sausage wrapped in crescent roll dough, then adding a dusting of Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle Rub. They cook on the pellet grill until golden before getting finished with Heath Riles BBQ Apple Habanero Glaze for another layer of sweet heat.

They’re easy to prep, easy to serve, and just about perfect for football season, tailgates, or any time you need a quick appetizer for a crowd.

Easy Smoked Pigs in a Blanket | Heath Riles BBQ

Pigs in a blanket are already one of those snacks that disappear fast, but putting them on the pellet grill and adding a couple of my favorite flavors takes them to another level. The Three Cheese Slow Smoked Pork Sausage gives us a rich, savory base, while the crescent dough gets golden on the outside and stays soft around the sausage.

Then we’ve got the flavor. Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle Rub gives these a sweet and smoky kick before they ever hit the grill. Right at the end, we brush on Heath Riles BBQ Apple Habanero Glaze and let it set for a few minutes. That combination gives you sweet, salty, savory, and a little heat all in one bite.

Why This Recipe Works

The best game-day recipes don’t need to be complicated. You want something you can throw together without spending all afternoon in the kitchen, but it still needs enough flavor to keep everybody coming back for another one.

That’s exactly what you get here. The sausage and crescent rolls handle the classic pigs-in-a-blanket part, while the Honey Chipotle Rub and Apple Habanero Glaze bring in the BBQ flavor. Cooking everything on the pellet grill also makes this an easy recipe to throw on alongside whatever else you’ve got going for game day.

Another thing I like about this recipe is how easy it is to customize the size. Once the sausage is wrapped, you can cut the pieces as thick or thin as you want. Take your time and make them nice and even if you want, or don’t. They’re going to taste good either way.

The Ingredients

• Three Cheese Slow Smoked Pork Sausage. This is the base of our pigs in a blanket. I used Three Cheese Slow Smoked Pork Sausage for this cook, giving us plenty of savory flavor before we add anything else.
• Crescent Rolls. You’ll need one can of crescent roll dough. We’re wrapping the dough around the sausage before slicing it into individual pieces.
• Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle Rub. A light dusting is all you need. It brings sweetness, smoky chipotle flavor, and a little heat that works great with the pork sausage and crescent dough.
• Heath Riles BBQ Apple Habanero Glaze. We brush this over the pigs in a blanket near the end of the cook. It gives the outside a sweet apple flavor with a little habanero heat and creates a sticky finish.

Smoker Setup

For this recipe, I fired up my Smokin Brothers Pellet Grill and set it to 350°F.

That temperature gives us enough heat to cook the crescent dough and get some good color on the outside without making this a long cook. From start to finish, these only need around 45 minutes on the grill.

The Process

Wrap the Sausage

Start by opening one can of crescent rolls and laying out the dough. Take the Three Cheese Slow Smoked Pork Sausage and roll the crescent dough around it, pinching everything together so the sausage is enclosed.

If you have any extra sausage sticking out past the dough, use a Heath Riles BBQ Chef Knife to trim it off.

Cut the Pigs in a Blanket

Once everything is wrapped and pinched together, slice the sausage and dough into individual rounds. You can make these as thick or thin as you want. The main thing is getting them down to an easy, bite-sized portion that people can grab and eat.

Arrange the pieces on a baking sheet, leaving a little room between each one.

Add the Honey Chipotle Rub

Before these go onto the pellet grill, lightly dust the tops with Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle Rub.

You don’t need to overdo it. We’re just adding another layer to the sausage and crescent dough and building that sweet, salty, and savory flavor we’re looking for.

Smoke the Pigs in a Blanket

Set the baking sheet in the middle of the 350°F Smokin Brothers Pellet Grill and let the pigs in a blanket cook for about 40 minutes.

At this point, the crescent dough should be cooked and starting to get some good color on the outside.

Glaze and Finish

After about 40 minutes, it’s time for the finishing touch. Use a Heath Riles BBQ Silicone Basting Brush to brush a little Heath Riles BBQ Apple Habanero Glaze right over the tops.

Let them cook for about 5 more minutes so the glaze can warm up and set on the outside. Once they’ve cooked for about 40 to 45 minutes total and that glaze is looking good, pull them off the grill.

The Results

These pigs in a blanket are about as easy as a game-day snack gets, but adding a couple of extra layers of flavor makes a big difference. The crescent dough gets golden on the outside, the Three Cheese Slow Smoked Pork Sausage gives you that salty, savory bite, and the Honey Chipotle Rub brings in a little sweet heat.

Then that Apple Habanero Glaze on top ties everything together. It gets nice and sticky during those last few minutes on the grill and gives you another layer of sweet and spicy flavor.

They’re bite-sized, easy to grab, and perfect for setting out on game day. I can already tell you, they’re worth the effort.

Perfect Pairings

If you’re making these pigs in a blanket for game day, you might as well put together a full spread. Here are a few recipes I’d serve right alongside them.

• Smoked Nashville Hot Sausage Queso – Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with sausage and Nashville Hot flavor, this is an easy dip to keep everybody coming back to the snack table.
• Heath’s Party Wings – You can’t have a game-day spread without wings. These are a great way to add another smoky, savory option to the table.
• Smoked Cream Cheese with Jalapeño Bacon Jam – Creamy smoked cheese topped with sweet and spicy jalapeño bacon jam makes a great appetizer to serve with crackers or chips.
• Smoked Rotel Cream Cheese Sausage Balls – Another easy finger food that fits right into a football spread, with plenty of sausage, cheese, and Rotel flavor.
• Smoked Buffalo Chicken Dip – The creamy Buffalo flavor gives you something tangy and spicy to balance out the sweeter Honey Chipotle and Apple Habanero flavors in the pigs in a blanket.

Storing Leftovers

If you have any pigs in a blanket left after the game, let them cool completely before placing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to eat them again, reheat them until warmed through. I’d recommend using an oven, air fryer, or pellet grill rather than the microwave if you want to bring some of that texture back to the crescent dough.

Tips for the Best Smoked Pigs in a Blanket

• Keep the pieces fairly even. They don’t have to be perfect, but cutting them close to the same thickness will help everything cook at about the same rate.
• Don’t go too heavy with the rub. A light dusting of Honey Chipotle Rub is plenty. We want it to complement the sausage rather than overpower it.
• Wait to add the glaze. The Apple Habanero Glaze goes on during the last five minutes. That gives it enough time to set without cooking it for the entire 40 to 45 minutes.
• Give them some room. Spread the pieces out on your baking sheet instead of packing them tightly together. This gives the crescent dough room as it cooks.
• Serve them warm. These are at their best right off the pellet grill when the crescent dough is warm and the Apple Habanero Glaze is still sticky.

Final Thoughts

Game-day food doesn’t have to be complicated to be good. We took Three Cheese Slow Smoked Pork Sausage, wrapped it in crescent dough, added a little Heath Riles BBQ Honey Chipotle Rub, and let the Smokin Brothers Pellet Grill do the rest.

Finish them off with Heath Riles BBQ Apple Habanero Glaze, and you’ve got an easy sweet, salty, and savory snack that’s ready for the game.

Put a tray of these out at your next tailgate or watch party and see how long they last.

Equipment & Tools

Smokin Brothers Pellet Grill, Heath Riles BBQ Chef Knife, Baking Sheet, Heath Riles BBQ Silicone Basting Brush