Air Fryer Pigs in Blankets

A delicious festive treat, these Air Fryer Pigs in Blankets are an essential on Christmas Day but also too good to not make year round. Cook your favourite store bought sausages wrapped in bacon in the air fryer.

What are pigs in blankets?

Pigs in blankets in Britain may vary from other countries. Here our pigs in blankets are sausages wrapped in bacon. They are usually made from cocktail sausages but chipolatas are also a popular option.

They are a beloved addition to Christmas lunches here and helps to elevate them from the usual Sunday lunch. However I don’t think pigs in blankets should just be saved for one day a year and should be enjoyed whenever you like! I had them for breakfast on my wedding day!

If you are here hoping for the US version of pigs in blankets, my Air Fryer Sausage Rolls are the most similar.

why cook these pigs in blankets in an air fryer rather than an oven?

Air fryers have been gaining momentum over the last few years but have sky rocketed in popularity in the last few months. People are looking for more cost affective ways of cooking and air fryers are a great option.

Air fryers cook food quicker than a standard convection oven which is great for saving energy and pennies but also for busy families that want to be able to cook food quickly.

Another advantage is that air fryers are smaller than ovens so you’re not heating up a full-sized oven and instead a smaller air fryer. This means you’re using less energy because you’re heating up a smaller appliance as well as cooking the food faster.

Pigs in blankets are most popular at Christmas when there is a lot of food to try and fit in the oven. By air frying these, they are one less thing to have to squeeze into the oven.

helpful tips more than a recipe

I struggle to refer to these Air Fryer Pigs in Blankets as a recipe as they are as simple as cooking shop bought pigs in blankets in an air fryer. There is zero preparation or real skill needed.

Instead, this is more like helpful information to help insure you cook the pigs in blankets to perfection in your air fryer.

Of course you can absolutely make you own pigs in blankets. If you use cocktail sausages or chipolatas, the cooking time should be the same as below. If you use thicker sausages they will take 15-18 minutes to cook. See my Air Fryer Sausages for more tips.

DO YOU NEED TO PREHEAT AN AIR FRYER?

That depends on your air fryer, some require preheating whilst others don’t. I have a Ninja 7-in-1 multicooker and I have never preheated mine.

If your air fryer does require preheating, check the pigs in blankets after 8 minutes. If your air fryer is warm, food is likely to cook a few minutes faster.

can you use an air fryer liner?

Air fryer liners are a great time saving addition because they are usually easier to wash than the basket of your air fryer.

Most reusable air fryer liners are silicone and although they are handy to have, I wouldn’t recommend using them for all recipes. For these pigs in blankets you should be fine to use a liner, but they might take a little longer to cook.

I would also definitely recommend turning them half way through cooking if you use a liner to ensure the bacon is crisp all around.

I’ve written a whole post on whether you should use an air fryer liner, check it out for more information.

what to serve with these pigs in blankets

The most obvious way of serving these Air Fryer Pigs in Blankets is as part of your Christmas lunch. The following are the perfect accompaniments to make a delicious roast dinner at any time of year.

• Simple Air Fryer Whole Roast Chicken
• Honey Glazed Ham
• Air Fryer Sausage Meat Stuffing
• Air Fryer Roast Potatoes
• Pressure Cooker Red Cabbage with Apple
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
• Air Fryer Roast Carrots
• Roasted Air Fryer Parsnips
• Air Fryer Roast Beef

I also think they would make a great addition to a buffet or as a canape at a party. They would also be great on a cheeseboard served alongside some Sweet Chilli Jam.

You could also use them instead of the chorizo in my Chorizo Breakfast Burrito with Egg & Peppers. Get as creative with these pigs in blankets as you like!

Other recipes you might like

• Bacon Wrapped Halloumi
• Bacon Wrapped Pineapple
• Air Fryer Potato Peel Crisps
• Loaded Tater Tots
• Honey & Mustard Cocktail Sausages

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