Copycat Sister Schubert Pigs in a Blanket
Soft and fluffy bread rolls stuffed with smoked sausages, brushed with warm butter, and topped with a dash of flaky salt to finish!
What are Sister Schubert Sausage Rolls?
If you don’t know what these are, allow me to enlighten you. Started in good ol’ Alabama, Sister Schubert has been making dinner rolls to buy in the frozen aisle of the grocery store for years—and they’re pretty darn good. Sister Schuberts have been an addition to our family table every Thanksgiving and Christmas (or really anytime we need a good roll) since my childhood. But in my opinion, nothing can ever beat the Sister Schubert Sausage Wrap Rolls—better known as pigs in a blanket.
A few years ago, Sister Schubert discontinued their Sausage Wrap Rolls, much to the dismay of my family and friends, and I was craving them so much that I developed this recipe. Honestly, they came out better than I ever expected—several times I’ve been told they’re even better than the originals!
What You’ll Need
- Bread flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which gives the dough the desired strength and texture.
- Granulated sugar. Sugar will help feed the yeast as well as flavor the bread.
- Instant yeast. I prefer using instant yeast as opposed to active dry yeast, since you can mix it directly with the other ingredients.
- Kosher salt. To flavor the bread. If you use Morton’s salt, be sure to only use half of the amount listed in the recipe—Morton’s salt is twice as strong as kosher salt!
- Whole milk. To enrich the dough and keep it softer and sweeter.
- Egg and egg yolk. To tenderize the crumb.
- Softened butter. For a richer flavor and softer dough.
- Smoked cocktail sausages. Any precooked cocktail sausage should do—I used Hillshire Farms Lil’ Smokies.
- Melted butter and flaky salt. To top the rolls with!
How to Make Sister Schubert Pigs in a Blanket
- Make the dough. We’ll start with a brioche-style dough—I highly recommend using a stand mixer for this, since you’ll be kneading it for at least 20 minutes. You’ll start my mixing the flour, yeast, eggs, and milk, then mixing until smooth. After adding the butter, the dough will be supple and stretchy, then you’ll leave it to proof overnight.
- Refrigerate overnight. As the dough rests in the fridge, it will continue to rise (though at a slower rate), and the slow proof lets the flavors to intensify.
- Shape the rolls. Divide the dough into 32 pieces (I use a kitchen scale for accuracy), and form them into balls. Working one by one, roll a piece of dough into an oval shape and place a sausage at one end. Roll the dough up to encase the sausage and place the pigs in a blanket into the prepared pan.
- Proof. Another 60-90 minute rest so that the dough can relax and have a lighter texture and structure.
- Bake and serve!
Tips and Tricks
- Use a kitchen scale. A kitchen scale will not only ensure more accuracy when shaping the rolls, but it also lets you measure ingredients without dirtying more dishes!
- Freezing instructions. The rolls can be made ahead of time and frozen either baked or unbaked.
- Freezing unbaked rolls. After shaping the rolls, wrap them in a layer of cling wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze them for up to one month. To serve, let the rolls defrost in the fridge overnight, then take them out the next morning to complete the second rise. Continue with the recipe as written (though they may need to bake longer).
- Freezing baked rolls. Wrap the rolls in cling wrap and aluminum foil and keep in the freezer for 1-2 months. To serve, let them thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the oven before serving.
If you give this recipe a try, be sure to tag me on social media—I love seeing your recreations!
Copycat Sister Schubert Pigs in a Blanket
Soft and fluffy bread rolls stuffed with cocktail sausages, brushed with warm butter, and topped with a dash of flaky salt to finish!
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Servings: 2 pans
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups bread flour 370g
- 4 teaspoons granulated sugar 20g
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast 8g
- 2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt 8g or 1 1/8 teaspoons Morton's salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk 185-210g
- 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 4.5 tbsp softened butter 65g, cubed
- 32 smoked cocktail sausages I used Hillshire Lil' Smokies, but make sure whatever you use is pre-cooked
- Melted butter and flaky salt for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Place the bread flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and lightly mix to combine. Make a well in the center of the flour, then add in the milk, egg, and egg yolk.
- Fit the bowl into a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and knead on medium-low speed for 10-15 minutes. The dough should be somewhat stiff, but if it doesn't seem to come together, you can add up to two more tablespoons of milk.
- Once the dough is pulling away from the sides of the bowl and is very smooth, add in the softened butter one cube at a time. Continue to knead for 10-15 more minutes, until it passes the windowpane test. To do this, pinch off a golf-ball sized ball of dough and stretch it between your fingers; if it's kneaded enough, you will be able to stretch it thin enough for light to pass through without the dough breaking. If the dough tears, continue to knead, then repeat the test.
- Turn the dough onto a clean work surface and shape it into a smooth round and place it into a lightly greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge overnight (8-18 hours).
- The next day, punch the dough down and turn it onto a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 32 pieces (divide the dough into two, then into two again, etc.). If using a digital scale, every piece should be around 22 grams each. Form each piece of dough into a seamless ball.
- Lightly grease two (8-inch) cake pans with baking spray (you can also use disposable pie pans) and set aside.
- If needed, dry off the cocktail sausages and set aside. Working one at a time, roll out a ball of dough onto a lightly floured work surface into an oval shape. Place a cocktail sausage at one end of the oval and roll the dough up and over to enclose it. If needed, pinch the dough together at the seam to seal. Place the sausage roll into the prepared pan, seam-side down, and repeat with the remaining balls of dough. To arrange the rolls in the pan, place 9 sausage rolls on the outer edge, followed by 5 in the middle layer, then 2 in the center of the pan (see image for reference).*
- Once formed, cover the pans and let the sausage rolls rise for 60-90 minutes, until puffed and risen. If you poke the dough, it should spring back slightly and leave a small indentation.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350℉. Once proofed, bake the sausage rolls for 15-25 minutes, until the tops are golden and the internal temperature is 190℉. If the rolls brown too quickly, you can cover them with aluminum foil while they bake.
- Once out of the oven, brush the rolls with melted butter and a sprinkle of flaky salt. Serve warm. They will last for up to three days in the fridge or 1-2 months in the freezer. Let thaw overnight, then reheat in the oven before serving.
Notes
* Freezing unbaked rolls. After shaping the rolls, you can wrap them in cling wrap and aluminum foil and freeze them for up to one month. To serve, let the rolls defrost in the fridge overnight. Take them out the next morning to complete the second rise and continue the recipe as written (though they may need to bake longer).
