It’s one of those snacks that I just keep reaching for, handful after handful.
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I genuinely enjoy this Flamin’ Hot Popcorn, which launched earlier this year. The heat level is so low that one taster said, “they just taste like normal Lay’s with a tiny bit of spice.” The key word here is tiny if you’re obsessed with that oily, potato-flavor that original Lay’s has and want the most miniscule amount of heat, these are for you. These might as well have been regular Lay’s that were sneakily sprinkled with red dye or paprika. Otherwise, I find them a little bit funky-the smell is a touch off. If you're a fan of cheddar and sour cream, and want the faintest pin prick of heat, this is a good option. That being said, they're a bit more flavorful than the other Flamin' Hot Ruffles the pungent kick of sour cream and savoriness of cheddar is the first thing you taste, before the chip dissolves into any other oily potato snack. Like its predecessor above, this new version of Ruffles is pretty lackluster when it comes to heat. Instead, expect a salty ridged potato chip and not much else. One taster noted that it “tastes like sour cream and onion and also bad breath” while another commented that it’s “not hot at all.” The crunch of Ruffles is familiar and present, but if you’re looking for Flamin’ Hot you won’t find it here. Unfortunately for us spice enthusiasts, the tongue-tingling is lacking. I was hoping with all the ridges Ruffles have, as they like to remind us, that this variation would pack a lot more heat. They’re certainly cheesy, if that’s what you’re going for, but most comments from our tasters noted that they weren’t different enough from their predecessor. Similar to the Lay’s Flamin’ Hot, these chips kind of taste like their original form, Nacho Cheese Doritos, but perhaps a bit dustier and redder.
![hot cheetos hot cheetos](https://crueltyfreereviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Flamin-Hot-Cheetos.jpg)
White cheddar is a pretty strong flavor in itself, so the dust that you’re accumulating on your fingertips is mostly of the cheese variety, not the cardinal red Flamin’ Hot powder. Cheese is the forward note here-spice is an afterthought. The Smartfood White Cheddar Flamin’ Hot Popcorn is certainly less spicy than the other popcorn, and if that piques your interest then great.
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We’ve ordered them from least spicy to mild heat, so indulge in what’s right for your heat tolerance level. That doesn’t detract from their greatness it just means that the snacks in this category are for those who are hesitant about indulging in a chile-fueled chip-and that’s OK! Baby steps, people. This category might as well be named Flamin’ Not because out of all the Flamin’ Hot snacks we tried, these were the lightest in terms of spice level. And some are actually hot enough to proudly hold the title “Flamin’ Hot.”īecause there are so many Flamin’ Hot snacks to choose from, we decided to taste every chip available to us-alongside about 25 of Thrillist’s staffers-and discover which are the most mellow, which have the best crunch, which are most likely to make you salivate, which is the most balanced in flavor, and which holds the title of spiciest. Some we barely consider hot, while others lack the mouth-puckering notes of limón.
![hot cheetos hot cheetos](https://thedancingcucumber.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Depositphotos_312842998_xl-2015-scaled.jpg)
Since the chip’s ideation, Hot Cheetos have gone on to become one of the most beloved hot chips in the world, and have amassed a large portfolio of other delectable Flamin’ Hot snacks.ĭespite the diversity of Flamin’ Hot products available today, including bags of popcorn and rings of Funyun, not all Flamin’ Hot snacks are created equal. Yes, I’m talking about zesty magic that is Flamin’ Hot Cheetos-a chip that was allegedly invented by a Frito-Lay janitor in the ‘90s who was inspired by the Mexican elotes he ate growing up (though this rags-to-riches tale is currently being disputed). There’s nothing quite like the artificial red powder that coats fingertips and stains tongues while delivering tingles of heat.