Southern lunchroom pennies are a wonderfully simple, old-school snack made by coating sliced hot dogs in biscuit dough and baking them until golden and crisp around the edges. They earned their nickname in many Southern kitchens and school lunchrooms because the sliced rounds resemble little coins, and they remain popular because they are inexpensive, quick to assemble, and almost impossible to stop eating once they come out of the oven.
Serve these savory bites warm as an appetizer, after-school snack, or easy lunch alongside yellow mustard, honey mustard, or a little ranch for dipping. They also fit right in on a holiday snack table with deviled eggs, cheese cubes, pickle trays, and crisp celery, and for a fuller meal you can pair them with tomato soup, coleslaw, or a simple green salad.
Southern 3-Ingredient Savory Lunchroom Pennies
Servings: 8
Ingredients
1 (16.3-ounce) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 (14- to 16-ounce) package beef or pork hot dogs
4 tablespoons melted butter
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking tray or sheet pan with foil for easy cleanup.
2. Separate the biscuit dough and roll each biscuit into a rope about 12 inches long.
3. Cut each hot dog in half crosswise, then place a piece of hot dog at the end of each dough rope and wrap the dough around it in a spiral until covered.
4. Slice each wrapped hot dog into bite-size rounds about 3/4 inch thick and arrange the pieces cut-side down on the prepared tray, leaving a little space between them.
5. Brush the tops and sides with the melted butter.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the dough is puffed and deeply golden brown with crisp edges. Serve warm.
Variations & Tips
Use the right biscuit dough: Standard refrigerated buttermilk biscuits work best because they bake up fluffy while still holding their shape around the hot dog. Avoid the very large flaky-layer style if you want neat, compact pennies.
Cut for even baking: Try to keep the slices close to the same thickness so they finish at the same time. If some pieces are much larger than others, the smaller ones can overbrown before the rest are done.
Make them crispier: For extra crunch, place the pennies cut-side down with a bit of space between them and bake until the bottoms are nicely browned. A dark metal pan usually gives better color than glass.
Add a little flavor: Even though the classic version is only three ingredients, you can sprinkle the buttered tops with garlic powder, black pepper, or a pinch of paprika before baking if you want a little more savory character.
Serve for a crowd: This recipe doubles very easily for holidays, game days, and family gatherings. If making a large batch, rotate the pans halfway through baking so all the pieces brown evenly.