I love anything cheese so naturally, Cheetos are one of my favorite snacks. Essentially, Cheetos are puffed corn, made of cornmeal and heated until the pieces puff up. Then, to be transformed into Hot Cheetos, these Cheetos are mixed with a special spicy powder mixture. But which is the best Hot Cheetos? Having grown up eating Hot Cheetos simply out of the bag, it is fascinating to see many creative pairings, like dipping Hot Cheetos in cream cheese, and Hot Cheetos dishes, like Hot Cheetos elotes or Hot Cheetos grilled cheese sandwiches, becoming popular.
With so many variations of Hot Cheetos dishes, I wanted to bring it back to the basics. Walking through the chips aisle at the store, I’ve seen so many different flavors of chips pop up. And, since I would be going to a retreat with lots of people, I decided to have everyone rank their favorite Hot Cheetos. There were 8 total Hot Cheetos brand variations, and below are descriptions of the flavors and the results. Read on to reveal the best Hot Cheetos.
8. Xxtra Hot Cheetos
Advertised as “Twice as Hot”, the Xxtra Hot Cheetos look identical to the original Hot Cheetos, but with a slightly darker red powder coating. Taste-wise, the Xxtra Hot Cheetos tastes the same when you are eating it, but left a longer lingering heat sensation. Although not very popular with my group of taste testers, it was still ranked as a favorite among a couple of people who really enjoy spicy food.
7. Popcorn
So, I did not know that the Chester’s Popcorn is actually just the Flamin’ Hot flavoring mixed with regular popcorn. Popcorn and Hot Cheetos lovers may love this convenient bag, but personally, I would just stick with eating popcorn and Hot Cheetos separately.
6. Original Hot Cheetos
Surprisingly, the original, plain Hot Cheetos came in sixth place. This may be due to the fact that people already knew what they tasted like and wanted to try something different. I’m still a major fan of original Hot Cheetos though. No matter what, I did learn that Hot Cheetos dipped in cream cheese, is my new favorite way of eating Hot Cheetos. Try out that pairing if you haven’t yet.
5. Puffs
For some reason, anything in puff form seem to have more flavor. With Hot Cheetos puffs, I feel like the Flamin’ Hot flavoring is spicier and the powder rubs off onto your fingers easier. Nevertheless, if you prefer the puffs for the texture, the Hot Cheetos puffs will probably be your favorite too.
4. Fries
Everyone loves fries. Hot Cheetos fries may be cornmeal based, but they taste like their potato counterparts and are crunchier and less oily. In my opinion, the fries taste less spicy because of its smoother texture that accumulates less spicy powder. To be honest, this is my favorite kind of fries.
3. Cheddar Jalapeno
Those who do not want to get their fingers temporarily stained with a reddish tint but still wish to have a kick to their Cheetos snacking session, should try out the Cheetos Cheddar Jalepeno. It may not be part of the “Flamin’ Hot” collection, but this Cheetos flavor does have a different, milder spice and was a crowd-favorite.
2. Puffcorn Cheetos
The only difference between the Puffcorn and the normal Hot Cheetos is the base. The Cheetos Puffcorn is more fluffy and not as crunchy (think Pirate’s Booty popcorn or Trader Joe’s Corn Puffs texture). With the “Flamin’ Hot” seasoning coating the light and porous corn puffs, the corn puff Hot Cheetos was enjoyed by many of my friends.
1. Flaming Hot Límon Hot Cheetos
Topping all of the Hot Cheetos flavors is the Flamin’ Hot Límon. This classic Hot Cheetos is the same texture and seasoning as the plain Hot Cheetos, but with a nice sour and astringent twist. The #1 Hot Cheetos flavor among my friends, and a personal childhood favorite of mine, the Flamin’ Hot Límon Hot Cheetos gives the perfect amount of heat, by balancing the spice level with a little lime and lemon flavor.
Hot Cheetos are a classic snack that is readily in stock in many stores around the world. As time goes on, people are becoming more creative with Hot Cheetos, adding them to everyday dishes. From this taste testing, my friends taught me new ways to enjoy these spicy chips. Some of them eat Cheetos by squeezing fresh limes on top of the plain Hot Cheetos, while others always dip Hot Cheetos in cream cheese. But sticking with the basics and ranking the chip by itself, the Flamin’ Hot Límon Hot Cheetos was the best Hot Cheetos. Overall, it was a pretty lit taste testing.