Crescent Roll Hot Dogs

Forget about buns, the fun way to enjoy a hot dog is when it’s wrapped in a crescent roll! This recipe calls to mind how exciting this type of recipe was to me as a child. I enjoyed hot dogs and crescent rolls separately and putting them together seemed mind blowing! It was also a dish I could whip up without much, if any, help. Our crescent-roll hot dogs recipe is a deluxe version, with bits of bacon and cheddar cheese for even more flavor.

Ingredients for Crescent Roll Hot Dogs

• Hot dogs: The hot dogs are the main part of this recipe; check out our recommendations for the best hot dogs.
• Cheddar cheese: Cut the block of cheddar cheese into 8 long strips. These will turn the hot dogs into cheesy dogs. Note: It’s okay if the strips break as you’re cutting them; just use more than one smaller piece when assembling the crescent roll hot dogs.
• Bacon: If desired, use a lower-sodium bacon since several other ingredients already contribute sodium to this recipe. Cook the bacon in advance and then break it into crumbly bits once it’s cool.
• Crescent roll dough: This is the kind that’s in a tube and found in the refrigerator section at the supermarket. It’s the type that’s fun to pop open when you’re ready to whip up a recipe.

Directions 

Step 1: Prepare the hot dogs

Cut a lengthwise slit in each hot dog and then fill the slit with a strip of cheese and about 1/2 of a teaspoon of crumbled bacon.

Step 2: Cook the hot dog crescent rolls

Separate the crescent dough into eight triangles. Place a hot dog on the wide end of each triangle and roll it up towards the point. Place the wrapped hot dogs cheese-side up on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake them at 375°F until the rolls are golden brown or about 12 minutes.

Hot Dog Crescent Roll Variations

• Upgrade the dogs: Use uncured hot dogs, such as beef hot dogs or hot dogs made with turkey or no added nitrates and nitrites.
• Add more cheese, please: Once the hot dogs are wrapped, brush the crescent roll dough with melted butter and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on them.
• Everything bagel-style: Brush the wrapped hot dogs with melted butter and then sprinkle on some everything bagel seasoning for a delightful treat. These dogs are so tasty that you may not even want any ketchup or mustard!
• Fun-size ’em: Make the dogs with cocktail weenies or cocktail sausages instead of full-sized hot dogs. Cut each crescent roll triangle into 3 triangles to roll up the smaller sausages.

How to Store Crescent Roll Hot Dogs

Once they cool, store the hot dogs in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll keep for about three days.

Can you freeze crescent roll hot dogs? 

Yes, these can be frozen! The best way to do so is to set them in a single layer on a baking tray and pop the tray into the freezer for a couple hours. Once the dogs are frozen, transfer them to zippered freezer bags. They’ll keep for two to three months, frozen.

Crescent Roll Hot Dogs Tips

Is there a way to make these vegetarian?

Sure! Use plant-based hot dogs and either use a plant-based bacon or just eliminate the bacon. You can also use a plant-based cheddar cheese that melts well to make them vegan.

Could I use a different refrigerated dough?

Sure! Use canned dough for cornbread swirls to turn these dogs into corn dog twists. Breadstick dough in a can also works; just cut the dough into triangles, if necessary.

Could I flavor the dough somehow?

Sure! Lay out the dough triangles, brush them with melted butter and then sprinkle on some powdered ranch seasoning that comes in a shaker jar. If you’d like them a little less seasoned, brush on the melted butter and add seasonings only on the exposed dough after wrapping the hot dogs. Here’s a full recipe for ranch pigs in a blanket.