Ghosts in a Blanket
Low carb, sugar-free and ready in 15 minutes — mini hot dogs draped in golden cheese dough with spooky straw-poked faces
These ghosts in a blanket keep every promise on the cover: low carb, sugar-free, ready in 15 minutes — with 12g protein, 8g net carbs and 220 calories per serving. Mini hot dogs stand upright under draped sheets of golden fathead dough, with straw-poked eyes and mouths, exactly like the little ghosts in the photo.
Per serving: 220 calories, 12g protein and 8g net carbs. Ready in 15 minutes.
Why you’ll love these ghosts
- 12g protein per serving for just 220 calories
- Low carb and sugar-free — exactly as promised on the cover
- On the table in a genuine 15 minutes
- The cutest Halloween party food on the table
- Golden, buttery cheese dough — no pastry, no flour
- Kids can poke the faces themselves
Health notes
- Fathead dough: Mozzarella, cream cheese and almond flour — the blanket is cheese, not pastry.
- Sugar-free hot dogs: Check the label — some brands hide sugar and fillers.
- Baking powder: A little lift so the dough drapes soft instead of dense.
- Sugar-free dips: Ketchup and mustard for serving — read the labels.
- Locked from the cover: The photo supplied the title, claims, time and macros, so they are kept consistent throughout the block.
Key element — drape, puddle, poke
Stand each mini dog upright and drape the dough square over the top so it falls in folds and puddles around the base — that puddle is the ghost’s sheet, so do not tuck it under. Poke the eyes and the O-shaped mouth with a straw BEFORE baking, while the dough is soft; baked dough just cracks. That order gives you the clean little faces in the photo.
Ingredients
Fathead dough
- 1½ cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella
- 2 oz cream cheese
- ¾ cup almond flour
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Ghosts
- 4 sugar-free hot dogs, halved crosswise (or 8 cocktail sausages)
- 1 straw or skewer, for the faces
To serve
- Sugar-free ketchup
- Yellow mustard
Swaps
- Cheese dogs: A sliver of cheddar tucked beside each dog before draping.
- Turkey dogs: Turkey hot dogs for a lighter ghost.
- Mummies instead: Cut the dough in strips and wrap — same dough, different monster.
- Spicy: A dab of sugar-free hot sauce under each drape.
Instructions
| 1 | Make the dough. Heat the oven to 400°F. Melt the mozzarella and cream cheese together (microwave 60–90 seconds, stirring halfway). Knead in the almond flour, egg, baking powder and salt until a smooth dough forms. |
| 2 | Stand the dogs. Line a baking tray with parchment. Stand the halved hot dogs upright, cut-side down, spaced well apart — they are the ghosts’ bodies. |
| 3 | Roll and cut. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to about ⅛ inch thick. Cut into 8 squares, roughly 4×4 inches. |
| 4 | Drape the sheets. Drape one square over each standing dog, letting it fall in folds and puddle around the base like a sheet. Do not tuck it under. |
| 5 | Poke the faces. With a straw, poke two eyes and one round O mouth into the front of each ghost, pushing through the dough to the dog beneath — like the photo. |
| 6 | Bake and serve. Bake for 10–12 minutes until golden with browned edges. Cool for 2 minutes so the ghosts firm up, then serve with sugar-free ketchup and mustard. |
Pro tips
- Wet or oiled hands stop fathead dough sticking while you knead.
- If the dough cools and stiffens, 10 seconds in the microwave brings it back.
- Poke faces before baking — baked dough cracks instead of denting.
- Space the ghosts apart; the puddled sheets spread as they bake.
- Reheat in the air fryer for 3 minutes to re-crisp the sheets.
Nutrition
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 220 |
| Protein | 12g |
| Net carbohydrates | 8g |
| Total carbohydrates | 10g |
| Fiber | 2g |
| Total fat | 15g |
| Sodium | 560mg |
Per serving (4 servings, 2 ghosts each), locked from the cover: 12g protein, 8g net carbs, 220 calories. Exact macros vary slightly with hot dog brand — check yours, as fillers change the carbs.
Variations
Mummies
Dough strips wrapped around each dog with a gap for two mustard eyes.
Pumpkins
Round dough balls around cocktail sausages with a pretzel-stick stem (count the carbs).
Cheesy ghosts
A cheddar sliver under every drape for a gooey centre.
Breakfast ghosts
Breakfast sausage links with a sugar-free maple dip.
Storage
| Method | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Up to 3 days | Airtight container; the dough softens but re-crisps on reheating |
| Freezer | Up to 1 month | Freeze baked ghosts in a single layer; thaw before reheating |
| Reheat | — | Air fryer at 375°F for 3 minutes until crisp and hot |
