Mummy Hot Dogs
Let Me Tell You About These Mummy Hot Dogs
Okay, picture this: it’s two days before Halloween, my kids are bouncing off the walls, and somehow I’ve been volunteered to bring a “spooky treat” for class snack time. I panic-Google something easy and up pops Mummy Hot Dogs. I looked at my fridge, saw the stack of hot dogs (left form campfire night), and a tube of crescent dough, and just went for it. That first batch looked somewhere between adorably creepy and “did the mummies get lost in the desert?” but everyone devoured them anyway! Now it’s a thing—my niece even asks for them in June, go figure. Honestly, they’re just silly good fun. And the kind of recipe you can totally mess up (on purpose!) for a laugh.
Why I Keep Making These (And You Might Too)
I break these out anytime I want something kid-pleasing that doesn’t take a million steps. My family goes bananas for these, especially if I let them stick on the little “eyes” themselves (sometimes an olive slice, sometimes just a blip of mustard, whatever). I actually make a batch whenever I need to trick my youngest into eating something “not plain.” Oh, and if anything falls apart, I just tell everyone the mummy is unraveling, so it always gets a giggle instead of grief. Also, less clean-up than pizza night. Way less.
What You’ll Need (Don’t Stress If You Substitute)
- 1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough (though I’ve swapped biscuit dough before—it sorta works; my Nana swore by Pillsbury but honestly store brand is just as tasty)
- 8 hot dogs (turkey, beef, or even veggie dogs—I use whatever’s on hand)
- 1 egg, beaten (optional, for that shiny look, but I forget like half the time)
- Black sesame seeds, mustard, or sliced olives for eyes (use ketchup dots if you’re outta everything else!)
How I (Usually) Make Mummy Hot Dogs
- Preheat your oven to 375°F/190°C. Or, okay, 400 if your oven is slow like mine (don’t worry, just keep an eye so they don’t get too crispy).
- Roll out the crescent dough. If it’s pre-cut triangles, pinch the seams together. Then I use a pizza cutter (or actually a butter knife, if I can’t find it) to slice thin strips—about as wide as my pinky.
- Wrap each hot dog with dough strips, kind of like you’re bandaging up a tiny, edible mummy. Leave a gap near one end for the “face”—it doesn’t matter if it’s messy! If you’re like me and always break a strip, just squish the ends together. Nobody’s grading your mummies.
- Brush ‘em with egg wash for shine, but honestly half the time I skip this and they’re still fine.
- Pop them onto a lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they’ve gone adorable-golden and puffed up.
- Let them cool a bit (my greatest challenge: waiting—it’s like a siren song). Dot on two “eyes” near the exposed face area. I usually do this with a toothpick dipped in mustard so they look all wide-eyed and silly.
Some Notes From My Infinite Trial and Error
- If you wrap the dough too thick, the inside won’t cook all the way—learned that after biting into a doughy surprise mid-party.
- Canned dough can be sticky. Actually, it works better if you pop it in the freezer for five minutes before unrolling.
- Forgot the egg wash? No worries. They won’t look as shiny, but nobody in my house has ever complained.
- On second thought, veggie dogs do need a few more minutes—those take a while to get hot, somehow!
Fun Experiments & Not-So-Great Attempts
- I tried stuffing the hot dogs with cheese before wrapping. Magically delicious but, wow, what a mess! Oozing cheese everywhere, dog stuck to pan. Bit of a disaster, honestly.
- Once, I sprinkled everything bagel seasoning over the top before baking, and, well, half the kids loved it, the other half thought it was “dirt.” Approach with caution.
- Sliced jalapeños as ‘scary’ eyes? Looks awesome, but, um, maybe skip if you’re serving kids or anyone with a heat intolerance. Lesson learned the spicy way.
What You Need (and What You Can Do Without)
- Baking sheet—though I’ve totally used an old pizza tray, cover with foil if it’s seen better days
- Parchment paper or some nonstick spray
- A pizza cutter is handy for slicing dough strips, but honestly, I just use scissors sometimes—works fine, but don’t tell my mother-in-law
- Oven, clearly (although my friend once tried this in a toaster oven—took forever, but did eventually work!)
How To Store (But Honestly, Ours Never Last)
If you, somehow, don’t eat every single one right away, just toss them in an airtight container. They last in the fridge about two days, but honestly, in my house that’s a theoretical situation—they vanish fast. I like them cold as a sort of guilty midnight snack, but you can reheat in the oven for a bit if you want the dough crispy again.
How I Like To Serve ‘Em (Steal My Lazy Trick)
I usually plop these straight on a platter and serve with a few saucers of ketchup, mustard, or, if I’m feeling fancy, some spicy aioli. Sometimes, for autumn movie nights, I make “blood” dip with a squirt of sriracha in the ketchup—kids think it’s hilarious. Last year, we put out a “graveyard” board with tortilla chips and these stacked up all wonky—big hit.
What I Learned The (Kind Of) Hard Way
- Don’t rush the dough cutting—if you make the strips too wide it’ll look more like a sleeping bag than a mummy. Trust me.
- Give them space on the tray. Squishing them leads to uneven cooking and weird dough blobs where mummies are stuck together. Not as cute.
- The “eyes” go on after baking! (I always forget and try before, they slide right off.)
Questions Real People Have Actually Asked (Yes, You Can Freeze ‘Em!)
- Can I make these ahead? For sure! I usually prep them and stick the tray in the fridge for a few hours, then just bake when needed. You can bake and reheat, but they’re best fresh. Which is just my two cents.
- Can you freeze mummy hot dogs? Yep, wrap the baked mummies well and freeze. Reheat in oven for 10 minutes at 350°F—don’t use the microwave or they go weirdly soggy. Learned that the sad way.
- Is there a gluten-free option? You bet—almost every store has a gluten-free crescent dough now (I usually grab the LiveGFree one from Aldi or Pillsbury’s gluten-free biscuits and just roll ‘em out myself). Not exactly the same, but good enough.
- Can I use puff pastry? Sure, but watch closely—puff pastry can burn faster. I did it once and ended up with some mummies crispier than a summer day in Phoenix. Still tasty though!
Okay, slight digression—I recently read that mummified cats were a thing in ancient Egypt. Can you imagine a mummy cat dog? Sorry, my brain wandered there. Anyway, back to snacks: try these, make a mess, Instagram it, or just eat’em straight form the tray like we do. Life’s too short for perfect mummies anyway!
Ingredients
- 8 beef or turkey hot dogs
- 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 16 small candy eyes or black sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for dusting)
- Ketchup, for serving
- Mustard, for serving
Instructions
-
1Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
2Unroll the crescent roll dough and cut it into thin strips, about 1/4-inch wide.
-
3Lightly dust your work surface with flour. Wrap each hot dog with the dough strips, leaving a gap at one end for the mummy’s face.
-
4Place the wrapped hot dogs on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the dough with the beaten egg for a golden finish.
-
5Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and cooked through.
-
6Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, then place two candy eyes or black sesame seeds near the exposed end of each hot dog. Serve warm with ketchup and mustard.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!!
