Easy Ghost Hot Dogs with Crescent Rolls for Halloween

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Ghost hot dogs are the cutest Halloween hot dogs you can make, and you only need two ingredients, fully cooked hot dogs and a can of refrigerated crescent roll dough. You drape a little square of dough over each hot dog half, poke two eyes and a round mouth with a straw, and bake them until golden brown.

They come together in under 30 minutes. Best of all, kids can do almost every step themselves.

Ghost hot dogs made with crescent rolls on a white plate, with a small pumpkin and a dish of ketchup for dipping.

I love visiting my granddaughters. Whenever I go, I like to bring along an easy cooking project, something that gets them excited about making food and then eating what they made.

It is not always the healthiest thing, and that is okay. It is fun and creative, and they are so proud of it.

The last few times I visited, we wrapped little cocktail hot dogs in crescent rolls. So when I saw this cute ghost idea online, I knew it was the perfect fall twist on our pigs in a blanket.

Why You’ll Love These Ghost Hot Dogs

Just two ingredients: hot dogs and crescent roll dough, that is it.
Kids can help: little hands can smooth the dough, drape the ghosts, and poke the faces.
Quick: ready in under 30 minutes, so they work on a busy Halloween night.
A fall twist: all the flavor of classic pigs in a blanket with a spooky new look.
Made for parties: they are easy Halloween food for a class party, a costume party, or a fun lunch.

What Are Ghost Hot Dogs?

Ghost hot dogs are a Halloween version of pigs in a blanket. Instead of rolling the hot dog up in dough, you drape a square of crescent dough over the top so it hangs down like a little ghost sheet.

You may have seen mummy hot dogs, where thin strips of dough get wrapped around each hot dog. These ghosts are even easier, because there are no strips to cut and nothing to wrap.

Unbaked ghost hot dogs with crescent roll dough draped over hot dog halves and straw poked eyes and mouths.

Ingredients for Ghost Hot Dogs

8 fully cooked hot dogs
2 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough or crescent dough sheet

Ingredient Notes and Tips

Hot dogs: Use your family’s favorite brand. They are already fully cooked, so you are only warming them through while the dough bakes. Our family uses Hebrew National but any brand works.
Crescent dough: A crescent dough sheet has no seams, which saves you a step. With regular crescent rolls, pinch the seams together really well so the ghosts do not split open.
Keep it cold: Leave the dough in the fridge until you are ready to start. Cold dough is much easier for little hands to handle.
Pat them dry: Blot the hot dogs with a paper towel so the dough sticks better.
The straw: A regular plastic drinking straw makes nice round eyes and a little mouth.
Cool: Allow to cool for 5 minutes before you let the kids take a bite.

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Equipment Needed

Baking sheet
Parchment paper
Cutting board and sharp knife
Drinking straw

Three ghost pigs in a blanket on a white plate, an easy Halloween food idea for kids.

How to Make Ghost Hot Dogs

Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the hot dogs. Cut each hot dog in half crosswise, so you have 16 pieces.
Make the dough squares. Unroll the crescent dough and press two triangles together into a square. Smooth out the seam with your fingers so it does not pull apart in the oven. Then cut each square in half, so every ghost gets its own piece of dough.
Drape the ghosts. Stand each hot dog half on its cut end on the baking sheet. Drape a piece of dough over the top so it hangs down around the sides like a ghost sheet.
Pro tip: Leave a little space between ghosts, because the dough puffs as it bakes.
Make the faces. Use the straw to poke two eyes and a round mouth near the top of each ghost.
Pro tip: Make the holes a little bigger than you think, since the dough rises and can close them up.
Bake. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the dough is golden brown.
Pro tip: Let them cool for about 5 minutes before the kids dig in, because the hot dogs stay hot inside.

Fun Ways to Change Them Up

Cheesy: Tuck a small piece of cheese under the dough before you drape it.
Mini: Use cocktail hot dogs, like the ones we always wrap, for bite-size ghosts.
Biscuit: Roll refrigerated biscuits out thin and use them in place of crescent dough.
Mummy: Cut the dough into thin strips and wrap them around the hot dogs instead.
Turkey: Swap in turkey dogs or plant-based hot dogs.

What to Serve with Ghost Hot Dogs

Planning a whole party?

My 20 Easy Halloween Dessert Ideas and Halloween Candy Calculator will help you get ready.

Golden baked Halloween hot dogs shaped like little ghosts, cooling on a wire rack.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are ghost hot dogs made of?

Just fully cooked hot dogs and refrigerated crescent roll dough. A drinking straw makes the eyes and mouth.

How long do you bake ghost hot dogs?

Bake them at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the crescent dough is golden brown.

Why did the faces on my ghosts disappear?

Crescent dough puffs as it bakes, so small holes can close up. Make the eyes and mouth a little bigger, and press the straw all the way through the dough.

Can I make ghost hot dogs ahead of time?

You can set them up on the baking sheet, cover them, and keep them in the fridge for a couple of hours. Bake them right before you serve so the dough stays soft and fresh.

How do I store leftover ghost hot dogs?

Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes so the dough crisps back up.