Carla Hall's Roasted Carrots-in-a-Blanket

This fun, carrot-y spin on traditional pigs-in-a-blanket swaps franks for baby carrots that have been roasted in spices for a sweet, slightly tangy flavor. Wrapped up in a light and flaky pastry, this two-bite appetizer is an Easter menu game-changer.

Carla Hall Roasted Carrots in a Blanket
Photo: McCormick
Prep Time:
20 mins
Cook Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs
Servings:
32

Leave it to celebrity chef Carla Hall to come up with a veggie-forward version of pigs-in-a-blanket. Developed in partnership with McCormick, the Top Chef alum's finger-licking take on the beloved appetizer is one any bunny will enjoy. Plus they're super easy (and fun!) to make.

Hall's Carrots-in-a-Blanket are a healthier spin on the classic, bite-sized app featuring a blend of spices so rich and flavorful, that even the most staunch carnivores will find themselves hopping back up for more.

"The texture of the carrots, all of those spices, are a symphony of flavors," Hall says in an IGTV demonstration of the Easter-inspired recipe. "You want to get your kids to eat carrots? Make these."

Like their meat-based cousins, these Carrots-in-a-Blanket are served with a tangy, mustard-based dipping sauce. For heartier portions, you can double or even triple the amount of baby carrots you tuck into your little pastry blankets.

Ingredients

Carrots-in-a-Blanket

  • 2 tablespoons  unsalted butter, melted

  • 2 tablespoons orange juice

  • 2 teaspoons honey

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1 16 ounce package baby carrots

  • 3 8 ounce cans refrigerated crescent roll dough

Carrot Mustard Sauce

  • 1/2 cup stone ground dijon mustard

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

  • 1/4 cup water

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix butter, orange juice, honey, spices, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add carrots; toss to coat well. Arrange carrots in single layer on large parchment-lined sheet pan.

  2. Roast 20 to 25 minutes or just until carrots are tender. Allow carrots to cool slightly.

  3. For the Carrot Mustard Sauce, transfer 1/2 cup of the roasted carrots to blender container or food processor. Add mustard, spices, extract and water. Cover. Purée until completely smooth. Set aside.

  4. Unroll crescent dough onto clean surface (do not separate triangles). Brush about 2 tablespoons of the Carrot Mustard Sauce evenly over each sheet of crescent dough. Reserve remaining Sauce for serving. Use a pizza cutter to cut along perforations, then cut each triangle lengthwise into 3 separate triangles. Place 1 cooled carrot on the wide side of each dough triangle, then roll towards pointy ends to wrap carrots in dough. Place wrapped carrots tail-end down about 1-inch apart on parchment-lined sheet pan.

  5. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until dough is golden brown, rotating pan halfway through cooking. Serve warm Carrots-in-a-Blanket with remaining Carrot Mustard Sauce for dipping.

Tips

Want a bundle of carrots in each blanket instead of just 1? Use only 2 cans of dough and wrap 2 to 3 carrots per dough triangle.

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