Mummy Hot Dogs: The Halloween Recipe My Kids Beg For Year-Round

Okay, so here’s the thing, I never thought I’d be that mom who gets excited about making themed food. But then Halloween rolled around last year, and I was scrambling for something fun to make for my kids’ school party. Pinterest was full of those elaborate cake pops that would take me three days and probably end in tears (mine, not the kids’).

Then I stumbled across this mummy hot dogs idea, and honestly? Game changer.

My 8-year-old took one look at these things and declared them “scary dogs,” which is apparently the highest compliment in our house. Now she asks for them every few weeks, not just October. And look, I’m not complaining—they’re ridiculously easy to make, and I always have the ingredients on hand.

What Makes These Mummy Hot Dogs So Perfect

The genius is in the simplicity. You’re basically wrapping hot dogs in puff pastry strips to look like mummy bandages, then adding two tiny dots of mustard for eyes. That’s it. No fancy piping skills, no special molds, no ingredients you’ll use once and forget about.

I’ve tried making “fancy” Halloween food before. Last year I attempted those spider deviled eggs from some food blog. Disaster. Complete disaster. The olive “legs” kept falling off, and they looked more like weird alien eggs than spiders. My neighbor Sarah still brings it up when she wants to make me laugh.

But these? Even when I mess them up (which happens), they still look adorably spooky.

The Ingredients You Actually Need

Here’s what you’ll need for about 8 mummy hot dogs:

• 8 hot dogs (I use Hebrew National because they taste better, fight me)
• 2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed (Pepperidge Farm is my go-to)
• Yellow mustard (for the eyes—don’t skip this!)
• 1 egg, beaten (for that golden color)

That’s literally it. Sometimes I add a pinch of garlic powder to the egg wash because I’m obsessed with garlic, but it’s totally optional.

Quick shopping tip: Don’t buy the fancy hot dogs for this. Save your money. The puff pastry is the star here, and expensive hot dogs won’t make these taste significantly better. Also, make sure your puff pastry is properly thawed—I learned this the hard way when I tried to rush it in the microwave. Ended up with soggy, weird pastry that looked nothing like bandages.

How to Make Your Mummy Hot Dogs

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F. I know, I know—I should have mentioned this first, but honestly, I always forget until I’m halfway through prep. It’s fine, the oven heats up while you work.

Step 2: Take your thawed puff pastry and roll it out just slightly on a floured surface. Don’t go crazy here—you just want it a bit thinner so it wraps easier. Cut each sheet into thin strips, maybe 1/2 inch wide. They don’t need to be perfect. Actually, imperfect looks more like real mummy bandages.

Step 3: Here’s where it gets fun. Take each hot dog and start wrapping the pastry strips around it, leaving gaps like bandages. Don’t wrap too tightly—the pastry needs room to puff up. Leave a small area uncovered near the top for the “face.”

Pro tip: If the pastry strips break (and they will), just keep going. Mummy bandages aren’t supposed to be perfect anyway.

Step 4: Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with that beaten egg—this is what makes them golden and gorgeous. Skip this step and they’ll look pale and sad.

Step 5: Bake for 12-15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and puffy. Your kitchen will smell amazing.

Step 6: Let them cool for just a minute (seriously, the filling is molten lava hot), then add two tiny dots of mustard for eyes. Use a toothpick if you want to be precise, or just squeeze the bottle carefully.

The Mistakes I’ve Made So You Don’t Have To

First time I made these, I wrapped the pastry way too tight. They looked like sad, compressed mummies when they came out of the oven. The pastry needs room to breathe and puff up properly.

Second mistake: I tried to make the eyes with ketchup once because we were out of mustard. Bad idea. Ketchup is too thick and doesn’t look right. Yellow mustard gives you those perfect little dot eyes that actually look spooky-cute.

Oh, and don’t make these too far ahead of serving time. The pastry gets a bit soggy if they sit around. They’re best eaten within an hour or two of baking.

Why My Kids (and Their Friends) Are Obsessed

Look, I’m not saying these are gourmet food. They’re hot dogs wrapped in pastry. But there’s something magical about food that looks fun, especially for kids. My daughter’s friends always want to help make them when they come over, and honestly, it’s become this whole thing where they compete to see who can make the “spookiest” looking mummy.

The best part? Even picky eaters will try them. My nephew refuses to eat anything that isn’t chicken nuggets or mac and cheese, but he demolished three of these at my sister’s birthday party.

Making Them Your Own

Once you’ve mastered the basic version, you can get creative. I’ve tried:

• Using different mustards for the eyes (Dijon looks more “realistic” but less fun)
• Adding a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning to the egg wash
• Making mini versions with cocktail sausages for parties
• Using cheese-filled hot dogs (the kids go crazy for these)

My mom suggested trying them with breakfast sausages for a brunch version, which honestly sounds amazing. Haven’t tried it yet, but it’s on my list.

The Real Talk About Mummy Hot Dogs

Are these the healthiest thing I could make for my kids? Probably not. But you know what? Sometimes fun trumps perfectly balanced nutrition. These make my kids excited about dinner, they’re easy enough that I can make them on a Tuesday night without having a breakdown, and they’ve become this silly family tradition that makes everyone happy.

Plus, I’ve discovered they freeze really well. Make a double batch, freeze half before baking, and you’ve got an easy dinner option for later. Just add a few extra minutes to the baking time if cooking from frozen.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for an easy Halloween recipe that doesn’t require special skills or weird ingredients, these mummy hot dogs are your answer. They look impressive but are basically foolproof, and kids absolutely love them.

The only warning I’ll give you? Be prepared for them to become a regular request in your house. My kids have turned these from a once-a-year Halloween treat into a monthly occurrence. But honestly? There are worse problems to have.

Give them a try and let me know how yours turn out! And seriously, don’t stress about making them perfect—wonky mummies are the best mummies.