Featured Recipe
Mummy Dog Wraps
By Kate
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Hot dogs snugly wrapped in strips of a buttery puff pastry dough. Baked until golden, with little gaps creating a creepy mummy look. Eyes added with dollops of spicy mustard or ketchup. A fun, crunchy snack that plays with texture and visual tricks. Switch out hot dogs for bratwurst or sausages for a twist. Use puff pastry instead of crescent dough for flakier layers. Watch dough moisture—too wet and it won’t stick; maybe pat dry before wrapping. Swap ketchup for sriracha mayo for heat. Serve with mustard, ranch, or tangy BBQ as dipping options. A crowd pleaser for parties and quick bites.
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Prep:
15 min
Cook:
20 min
Total:
35 min
Serves:
8 servings
party food
easy snacks
Halloween recipes
Introduction
Snap open thawed puff pastry. Butter and flour crusts waiting like silent soldiers. Hot sausages, already seasoned, providing juicy heft. Strip by strip. Like bandaging a mummy after hours of prep. Don’t smother sausage with dough; gaps for eyes, ragged strips crossing like battle scars. Heat rises off the pan. That oven hums, set to 380—not too hot. Time’s a rough guess. Watch dough for golden rims curling, listen to faint crackle sizzle. Pat dry the sausages if slipping. Pre-bake egg wash for extra gloss. Eyes glued on with spicy mustard dollops—tiny yellow dots piercing a doughy fog. Serve warm. Dip frenzy guaranteed. Simple fun from scratch.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Swapping crescent dough for puff pastry introduces flakiness—layers that crisp and separate like fine leather. Puff pastry’s dough moisture content differs; if too soft, warming 10 seconds in microwave helps with easier slicing and wrapping. Hot dogs can be replaced with bratwurst, smoked sausages, or even chorizo links for deeper smoky notes. If your sausages sweat, dry them with paper towels. Dough may need a dusting of flour to stick. Egg wash is optional but browns crust nicely and adds subtle shine. No egg? Use milk or melted butter. Mustard and ketchup are classic eye adhesives—dab gently, too much and eyes run.
Method
Preparation
- Heat oven to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with parchment or lightly grease. Puff pastry should be chilled but pliable, not sticky or melting. If too cold, microwave 10 seconds to soften slightly.
- Roll pastry out on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into thin strips about 1/3 inch wide. Grab one sausage and begin wrapping strips from one end, overlapping strips like mummy bandages. Leave gaps and cross strips intermittently for ragged effect. Keep strips touching to adhere; if pastry feels damp from sausage, pat the sausage dry first or lightly dust strips with flour so they stick better.
- Wrap all sausages similarly. Leave a small bare space near one end as the 'face.'
- Transfer wrapped sausages to tray with enough space between. Brush strips lightly with beaten egg or melted butter to promote browning and crisp texture. Pop into oven. Listen for soft sizzle as pastry quickly firms up. Bake until golden—typically 17 to 20 minutes. Look for deep golden color on ridges and crisp edges. Tug a strip gently; dough should be firm but give slightly. Avoid underbaking or dough will be gummy.
- Cool on wire rack briefly—the sausage will be hot. In the meantime, dollop mustard or ketchup on back of small candy or olive slices to stick them as eyes in gaps left for face area. Press gently. Eyes add whimsy and serve as flavor punch.
- Serve warm with mustard, ranch, sriracha mayo, or tangy BBQ sauce for dipping.
- If dough slips off sausage, pat sausages dry or dust strips with flour before wrapping. If pastry browns too quickly, lower oven temperature by 10-15 degrees and extend baking time a few minutes, watching closely. Use puff pastry for flakier texture; crescent dough yields softer, more bread-like crust.
- Wrap made ahead? Store wrapped (not baked) in fridge up to two hours tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, then bake as directed.
Wrapping
Baking
Finishing and serving
Troubleshooting
Technique Tips
Don’t rush the wrapping stage—press each dough strip firmly at the joint to adhere; strips slipping apart means dough moisture is unbalanced or surface too slick. Leaving gaps near the ‘face’ is key visually and texturally—don’t cover everything solidly or lose that creepy charm. Watch baking carefully. Oven temps and dough brands vary. Golden brown edges with slight puffiness signal doneness rather than strictly timing 15 minutes. Let mummies rest off heat but serve soon; dough hardens and loses some charm if cold. Eyes add personality and flavor contrast but avoid squeezing too hard or toppings slide off. Experiment with spicy mustard for heat or sweet ketchup for tame kids.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Monitor dough moisture. If too sticky, it won’t adhere. Pat sausages with paper towels before wrapping. Ensure pastry is chilled yet pliable, not wet.
- 💡 Egg wash optional. Adds color and crispness. If no egg, milk works too. For butter brush, do it lightly. Don’t drown it in butter.
- 💡 Cut strips carefully. Aim for 1/3 inch width. Too wide? Dough won’t create the right mummy look. Very thin? It'll break during wrapping.
- 💡 Check oven temp accuracy. An oven thermometer helps. Varying temps change baking times. Watch for golden edges and slight puffiness.
- 💡 Make ahead? Yes. Wrap uncooked mummies in plastic. Chill up to two hours before baking. Avoid soggy dough by keeping wrapped tightly.
