Spicy Snack Roundup: Ruffles Flamin’ Hot BBQ, Rold Gold Flamin’ Hot Honey Mustard, Tabasco Bugles

In my latest search for spicy snacks, I found a couple that actually bring the heat and another that is quite tasty:

Ruffles Flamin’ Hot BBQ: Flamin’ Hot strikes again, but that is a good thing with this new variation on Ruffles. These have a nice richness, combining the kick of that Flamin’ Hot seasoning with the sweetness and smokiness of barbecue flavor. I am not a big fan of the Flamin’ Hot flavor because I find it more sour than spicy, but it works out well in this combination. And the Ruffles bring a nice crunch, making this a very enjoyable snack.

Most importantly, these chips bring the heat, coming in over Medium on my scale and approaching Hot—which is good for one of the major brands. They have good flavor and good heat, and they are definitely worth searching out. Unfortunately, I believe they are only around for a limited time. I picked up a bag at Target for around five bucks, and they are also available at Walmart.

Rold Gold Selects Flamin’ Hot Honey Mustard Pretzel Twists: Yet another Flamin’ Hot variation, and this one has quite a lot going on. That honey mustard taste is there right away, with a good sweetness along with some mustardy tang. Then there is a richness similar to what you get from a good hot sauce. These pretzels have a good depth of flavor and lack the overpowering sourness you often get from the Flamin’ Hot flavor. They also have a good crunch with just the right amount of saltiness.

And these bring the heat as well, going above Medium and edging toward Hot on my scale. The blend of mustard and hot sauce flavors is quite addicting, and I would certainly like it if they kept these around as a permanent variety (though I am not counting on it). I bought these at Walmart for six bucks for a big bag (1 lb), and you should also be able to find them at Target, Kroger, and more.

Tabasco Bugles: I’m not certain if this is a new flavor for Bugles, but it is the first time I remember seeing it, and I hope they stick around. You get the tang of hot sauce right away, and that blends with the rustic flavor of the corn to make for a notably rich flavor. The taste is quite similar to Tabasco, with just a little extra flavor kick to elevate it above the generic vinegar-based hot sauce. The cheese is not noticeable by itself, but blends with the other ingredients to make these quite tasty. And as expected from Bugles, these have a good crunch.

The heat sneaks up on you, going beyond Mild after a few bites and heading to Medium on my scale. But it does not get anywhere near the heat level of the titular sauce. Still, I found these quite tasty and rather addicting as well. I got these at Walmart at just over four bucks for a “family-sized” bag (14.5 oz). If you search around, I believe you can find them in other stores—though not HEB here in San Antonio.

Nutrition Info:

Ruffles Flamin’ Hot BBQ

Ingredients: Potatoes Vegetable Oil (Canola, Corn, Soybean, and/or Sunflower Oil), Maltodextrin (Made from Corn), Salt, Spices, Paprika, Molasses, Onion Powder, Brown Sugar, Sugar, Monosodium Glutamate, Yeast Extract, Tomato Powder, Artificial Color (Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake), 1 Potassium Salt, Citric Acid, Sodium Diacetate Natural Flavors 1 (Contains Milk and Animal Ingredients), and Garlic Powder

Serving Size: 28g (About 11 Chips)
Calories: 150
Fat: 9g (1.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 16g
Sodium: 200mg

Rold Gold Selects Flamin’ Hot Honey Mustard Pretzel Twists

Ingredients: Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Corn Oil, Corn Syrup, and Less than 2% of Salt, Sugar, Corn Maltodextrin, Modified Food Starch, Mustard (Vinegar, Mustard Seed, Salt, Turmeric), Garlic Powder, Monosodium Glutamate, Dextrose, Sodium Diacetate, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Spices, Onion Powder, Cheddar Cheese (Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Citric Acid, Potassium Salt, Malt Syrup, Vegetable Juice (Color), Stevia Leaf Extract, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Yeast Extract, and Honey.

Serving Size: 28g (About 17 Pretzels)
Calories: 130
Fat: 3.5g (0.5g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 21g
Sodium: 270mg

Tabasco Bugles

Ingredients: Degermed Yellow Corn Meal, Coconut Oil, Sugar, Contains 2% or Less of: Corn Maltodextrin, Salt, Whey Powder, Monosodium Glutamate, Natural Flavor, Distilled Monoglycerides, Baking Soda, Garlic Powder, Color (Paprika Extract, Turmeric Extract), Spice, Malic Acid, Tabasco Brand Flavoring (Red Pepper, Distilled Vinegar, Salt), Sunflower Oil, Dried Buttermilk, Palm Oil, Yeast Extract, Tabasco Brand Seasoning (Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce [Distilled Vinegar, Red Pepper, Salt], Maltodextrin), Onion Powder, Freshness Preserved by BHT.

Serving Size: 30g
Calories: 150
Fat: 8g (6g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 2g
Carbs: 19g
Sodium: 290mg