For my latest edition of Spicy Snack Roundup, I actually managed to find a couple of items that bring some heat. Here’s the rundown:
Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Smoky Ghost Pepper Cheese Puffs: This is the latest Cheetos offering trying to kick up the heat and they are available only at Walmart and only for the summer. These are basically cheese puffs but shaped like chili peppers, I guess to help them stand out. The smokiness hits right away, followed by the expected tang and some sweetness as well. The Flamin’ Hot seasoning does not deliver quite as much sourness as the regular version of that Cheetos flavor, which is good. I am not a big fan of the Flamin’ Hot seasoning for that reason, but this version has a better balance, even though they still bring some pucker. They also deliver a good, peppery kick, but not that distinct ghost chili taste you get from something like the Herr’s puffs (more on those here). I prefer the texture of the puffs over the more craggily regular Cheetos, and the chili pepper shape is actually rather cute.
Heat-wise, these really deliver. The burn starts right away and continues to build as you munch your way through a serving, and I would easily put these at the Hot level on my scale. The average mortal will certainly struggle with them, and even chiliheads may want to have something close by to cool down the fire. This is a rare case where the major brands really deliver on the heat, and I would love to see these become a regular item on the shelves. Sadly, though, Lay’s has a tendency to keep its spicier options around for a limited time only.
Pringles Scorchin’ Buffalo: I have had the Scorchin’ chips from Pringles before and have usually been disappointed on the heat with the exception of the one Hot Ones version I tried last year (more on that here). So I bought the Buffalo version with low expectations but ended up being pleasantly surprised. These have the tang you expect from Buffalo sauce, and they are actually similar in taste to the Lay’s Flamin’ Hot products, but not as sour. There is maybe a hint of lime in there as well (though I only see citric acid in the ingredients list) which makes me wonder if they are trying to cut into that Flamin’ Hot business. Ultimately, the Buffalo seasoning works well with the potato flavor of Pringles (I have always been a big fan of their potato crisps) to make this a very tasty chip.
But the heat is where they really delivered. These chips have a bite right away and it builds quickly as you continue to munch on them. I would put these at the Hot level on my scale and maybe even more as Pringles has finally put out a non-Hot Ones Scorchin’ chip that lives up to the name. Perhaps they listened to feedback that the Scorchin’ line was not cutting it as far as the heat, and I will be sure to keep an eye out for new releases in these flavors.
Pretzel Kravings Jalapeno: I stumbled upon these pretzels from Dakota Style when I stopped at a convenience store while traveling and I have since become hooked on them. They start off with a strong buttery taste which is that artificial butter flavor like you find with movie popcorn. Some may like that, some may not, but if you can get past it, the peppery flavor of the seasoning really comes through. You can definitely taste the jalapeno in there and they have a good saltiness as well. The second bag of these I tried was not quite as strong on the buttery flavor, but it was still there. It blends with the other seasonings, though, and these become pretty addictive pretty quickly.
The heat is just a little above Mild on my scale, but it is still a nice little sting. And while they don’t deliver too much burn, they work out pretty good overall, especially if you are a pretzel fan (and I am). These may be a little bit hard to track down, but if you see them, grab a bag!
Nutrition Info:
Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Smoky Ghost Pepper Cheese Puffs
Serving Size: 28g (About 24 Pieces)
Calories: 160
Fat: 12g (1.5g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 1g
Carbs: 14g
Sodium: 140mg
Pringles Scorchin’ Buffalo
Ingredients: Dried Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Corn, Cottonseed, High Oleic Soybean, And/Or Sunflower), Degerminated Yellow Corn Flour, Cornstarch, Rice Flour, Maltodextrin, Mono- And Diglycerides, Contains 2% Or Less Of Salt, Cayenne Pepper Sauce (Aged Cayenne Red Peppers, Vinegar Solids, Salt, Garlic Powder), Monosodium Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Diacetate, Malic Acid, Onion Powder, Natural Flavor, Sugar, Whey, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Paprika Extract Color, Wheat Starch, Red 40 Lake
Serving Size: 28g (About 14 Crisps)
Calories: 150
Fat: 9g (2.5g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 1g
Carbs: 17g
Sodium: 240mg
Dakota Style Pretzel Kravings Jalapeno
Ingredients: Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Starch, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Sillicon Dioxide (anti-caking agent)), Vegitable Oil (May contain one or more of the following: Corn, Canola, Cottonseed, Soybean), Salt, Artificial Butter Flavor, Corn Syrup, Yeast, Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Dehydrated Jalapeno Pepper, Onion Powder, Monosodium Glutamate, Torula Yeast, Garlic Powder, Modified Corn Starch, Natural Green Bell Pepper Flavor, Extractives of Paprika and Spices, with not more that 2% Silica Gel added to Prevent Caking
Serving Size: 28g
Calories: 130
Fat: 4.5g (0.7g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 19g
Sodium: 450mg