Make Homemade Hot Pockets With This Classic Canned Ingredient

Making your own rendition of easy, tasty hot pockets is quite simple when you start with refrigerated crescent roll dough. It's really all you need to create your own stuffed snacks right in your kitchen. You'll use that familiar tube of dough (pre-cut triangles work but a solid sheet is better) to make the process fast, letting you put more thought into what delicious filling you want inside. Preparing the dough takes mere moments before you move on to assembly.

Simply lay the dough out and put your filling on one side. Leave some space around the edges, about ½ inch or so. Don't pile the filling too high or it might squeeze out when baking. From there, fold the empty side over the ingredients and press the edges together tightly. To seal it, you can use the backside of a fork to crimp the edges down. 

It's a good idea to poke a couple of small holes in the top of the pocket with the fork as well, to let steam out while it bakes, helping prevent microwave blowouts. Don't worry, there's a clever lemon hack for cleaning if it happens. For a nice, shiny look, you can brush the tops with a beaten egg before baking to give them a crisp, golden finish. The finished crescent dough pocket gives you a dish that's flaky, soft, and buttery.

Once you get the basics down, you can start playing with the fillings, from savory to sweet. For a deeply satisfying pocket, stuff a Honey Butter crescent roll with prosciutto and provolone to create an elevated version of a ham and cheese. Coat the inside with a brush of honey for a sweet blend. If you have access to it, you can grab Parisian ham and try to make a version of the classic jambon-beurre sandwich. Of course, pizza fillings are always popular, think pepperoni, spicy Italian salami, mozzarella, and a spoonful of marinara sauce.

Make breakfast pockets using scrambled eggs, cheddar, and bacon or sausage for your own take on a bacon, egg, and cheese. Shredded chicken mixed with sweet barbecue sauce or enchilada sauce would go well with a Sweet Hawaiian crescent roll. Taco-seasoned ground beef with cheese makes a good filling for a Mexican theme. Or stack on shaved ribeye, provolone, onions, and peppers for a Philly cheesesteak hot pocket. If you're looking for a vegetarian option, sautéed spinach and feta cheese with earthy mushrooms and black beans makes a nice, filling dish.

Dessert pockets are just as easy with fruit fillings like apple or cherry pie stuffing. Fresh blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries mixed with a little sugar and some lemon zest work nicely, especially when topped with whipped cream. Pair cream cheese with strawberries, add a swirl of Nutella or tempered chocolate, or even some marshmallow fluff for a decadently sweet pocket. No matter what you do, let the homemade hot pockets cool for a few minutes before biting in.