Ghost Hot Dogs: How to Make Them Right (and Avoid the Horror Show)

Move over Mummy Hot Dogs! Ghost Hot Dogs are the new trending spooky kid-friendly Halloween treat this year. These little hot dog pieces wrapped in dough with cute eyes and mouths, are literally everywhere this Halloween.

Try these Viral Ghost Hot Dogs this Halloween

They might look easy, but are surprisingly hard to get right. You have probably seen the fails on social media: ghosts that collapse, rip, or end up looking like a massacre. But don’t worry, there are a few tips and tricks to make them just perfect. Once you get the hang of it, even the kids can help out in making them.

Ingredients

Standard size Hot Dogs, get 100% beef ones that hold up well to baking with dough. I personally prefer Nathan’s Famous. Alternatively, buy mini smoked sausages.
Refrigerated Pillsbury Crescent dough sheets (not the crescent dough rolls with perforations)
Toothpicks to make them stand upright while they bake (if needed)
A thin metal straw to create the ghost eyes and mouth
Optional: Egg wash to give your ghosts that shiny golden look
Your favorite sauces for dipping – ketchup, mustard, or ranch!

These simple 2 ingredient ghost hot dogs are both spooky and cute!

Procedure

Preheat the oven. You want the oven warm and ready as soon as the hot dog is draped.
Cut the hot dogs in half or 3rds. This is the number one solution to stop them from falling over in the oven. Standard sized hot dogs are too tall and tip over. Aim for roughly 1.5 inch long hotdog per ghost and use both the rounded ends. Do not use the middle section for ghosts.
Ensure that cut pieces can stand upright. Each hot dog piece needs to stay upright on the baking tray. If needed, add small toothpick pieces through the bottom and make X-shaped stand to support it.
Prepare the crescent dough. Divide the refrigerated dough sheet into roughly 8 to 10 squares. Each square has to be large enough to cover the hot dog on all sides. Allow extra for a drape touching the pan.
Let the dough come to room temperature. Refrigerated dough is notoriously hard to work with. Resting it for 10-15 mins before draping make sit more malleable. On the flip side, if the dough is too soft and stretchy, chill it a bit.
Drape gently without stretching or pulling. Carefully place the dough over the hot dog without adding force. More it stretches, more the chances of rips. Let the dough settle around the hot dog. I like to chill the covered hot dogs for a couple of minutes before adding the face.
Add your best ghost face. Gently, press the metal straw into the dough and punch out holes for the eyes and mouth. In the beginning, you have to do this after covering with dough, so you can punch holes in the correct place. However, if making a large piece and working with identical sizes of hot dogs and dough triangles, you can even do them before. They should be looking cute as a bunny by now.
Egg wash time (optional). Use mixture of 1/3 whole milk and 2/3 egg whites to create an egg wash and use it to brush your ghosts for that finished look.
Ready, Set, Bake. Bake the ghost hot dogs at 350°F for about 15 minutes as soon as they’re ready. They should not be too close to the top of the oven. When they are ready, the dough should puff up and look golden. If they’re getting too brown on top, move the baking sheet to lower rack.

Step 2. Divide the dough in squares — Step 1. Cut the hot dogs

If your Edible Ghosts are falling apart

You’re using too tall or too lean hot dogs, which is making them topple.
Pie dough, crescent roll dough, or any other dough might not work as well. Buy the refrigerated crescent dough sheets.
Don’t stretch or pull or apply any kind of pressure on the dough. Smoothly press, if needed.
Use a flat baking sheet or any pan with flat surface so the ghosts stand upright.
Your hot dogs are releasing too much moisture while they bake. Get 100 % beef hot dogs and reduce baking time slightly till the dough is just baked through.
Too big eye holes can stretch the dough out and affect its integrity. Use smaller holes for well-defines faces.