The best Cheetos flavors aren’t regular Cheetos cheese or Flamin’ Hot. We know this because over the course of two separate taste tests, we tried every single Cheetos flavor we could get our hands on here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. (watch this if you’re interested in international Cheetos flavors). Chester Cheetah doesn’t always knock it out of the park, but when he does, it’s a beautiful thing.
Cheetos, more than any other snack, nail the combo of crunchy and cheesy. And the Flamin’ Hot variety has become so iconic that you can even watch a movie about their creation (we’ll let you do your own research about its veracity). For these taste tests, we looked for big, bold flavors that work well with the corny flavor of the Cheetos themselves, big-time crunch, and innovation—original Cheetos are great, but there are some new Cheetos flavors that deserve your attention ASAP.
- Mexican Street Corn
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This relatively new Cheetos flavor is the worst Cheetos flavor we tasted. It pains me to say that because the concept is so fun! Corn on the cob slathered with mayo and sprinkled with chili powder and cotija cheese is a most epic snack, but the Cheetos version just doesn’t work. More than anything they taste like phony, stinky cheese. Not to be too gross, but if these Cheetos were a Bertie Bott’s product, I would have guessed the flavor was vomit. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Baked Flamin’ Hot Limon
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Baked Cheetos can be a bit of a tough sell as it is—they lack that classic oily quality that binds the flavoring to the Cheeto and keeps you coming back for more—but these Flamin’ Hot Limon Baked Cheetos are the worst of them. The Cheetos themselves are just so, so dry by virtue of being baked. Without any of that good Cheetos greasiness, this Cheetos flavor is just a big, violent punch in the face with citric acid. And we like regular Flamin’ Hot Limon (see number 6 on this list). If you insist on eating Baked Cheetos, pick a different flavor. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Vons
- Baked Flamin’ Hot
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Different Cheetos flavor, same issue. The Flamin’ Hot flavor profile really needs a fatty element to taste good, and Baked Cheetos lack that fat. It just doesn’t work! Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are better than Baked Flamin’ Hot Limon Cheetos, but this isn’t the best Cheetos flavor by a mile. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Flamin’ Hot Puffs
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Okay, we’re out of bad Cheetos flavor territory and moving into “Welp, they’re Cheetos, so they’re pretty much all good” territory. If you like the Flamin’ Hot flavor profile, but don’t love the aggressive crunch of Flamin’ Hot crunchy Cheetos, Flamin’ Hot Puffs are a fine option. But there’s a better option on this list! See Flamin’ Hot Minis (number 11 on this list) and thank us later. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- XXtra Flamin’ Hot Crunchy
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Admittedly, I am not a heat freak, so Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are plenty spicy for me. But I know heat freaks exist, and I suppose having access to Flamin’ Hot Cheetos that are twice as spicy as regular Flamin’ Hot Cheetos is a revelation for those people. That said, they don’t really taste better than or different from regular Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. If you are not a cruel 13-year-old hellbent on torturing a younger cousin, I think you can skip this flavor of Cheetos. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Flamin’ Hot Minis
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When it comes to Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, these Flamin’ Hot Minis are great. They’re little, they’re oily, and they’re fun to eat. I tried these head to head with Flamin’ Hot Puffs and decided that these have more greasy surface area, which makes them taste even better with the Flamin’ Hot flavor dust. I truly thought Cheetos Minis were a gimmick, but they’re good! Plus, they come in a tube—put these in the cup holder in your car and you always have a spicy snack on hand. Just make sure you keep a bottle of water in the other cup holder. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Baked Cheetos Crunchy Cheese
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These Baked Cheetos contain 50% less fat than regular Cheetos , and that’s a pretty big deal for people who want their snacks to have about half as much fat. But there’s definitely a noticeable lack of cheese flavor and fatty oil. Still, there is something pleasant about the lack of fat in Oven Baked Cheddar Cheese Cheetos. My colleague Jordan Myrick suggested dipping these in something. I don’t think Cheetos are a very dippable product, but this variety’s subtle cheese flavor would absolutely be enhanced if you dunked them in queso or French onion dip. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Simply Cheetos White Cheddar Crunchy
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When it comes to the best Cheetos flavors, we’re surprisingly into their white cheddar varieties. These White Cheddar Crunchy Cheetos have the same rich and cheesy taste as the White Cheddar Puffs (see the next entry on this list), but with a crispy and craggy edge. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Simply Cheetos White Cheddar Puffs
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Cheetos White Cheddar Puffs are really salty, tangy, and cheesy. The flavor is quite nice, even though Jordan has pointed out that white cheddar is a construct. Honestly, that construct works here. Simply Cheetos White Cheese Puffs get it just right with a combination of cheddar cheese and sour cream, which helps fortify the delightfully cheesy and piquant flavor. Don’t sleep on these. They’re really good. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Flamin’ Hot Crunchy
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Flamin’ Hot is an iconic flavor. Plus, like all good snacks, it’s rooted in controversy. This inexplicably popular flavor has been imitated by just about every other chip company out there. Everything is Flamin’ Hot now. You could argue that this needs to be higher on the list, but flavor-wise, we just think other Cheetos flavors have more appeal. Personally, I prefer the Ruffles Flamin’ Hot Cheddar & Sour Cream to these, since you get a better balance of cheese and spice. Still, this is a good product, if not a bit overrated. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Flamin’ Hot Limón
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The lime flavor here is just spectacular. Teamed up with the spicy heat, the bright acidity of the lime creates a great depth of flavor. The cheese flavor isn’t front and center, but you do get it on the finish. When it comes to the best Cheetos flavors, this is one of the best Flamin’ Hot varieties you can buy. They have more depth and balance than regular Flamin’ Hot Cheetos (but read the next blurb for our favorite Flamin’ Hot Cheetos of them all). —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Flamin’ Hot Tangy Chili Fusion
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This is a relatively new Cheetos flavor and it absolutely slaps. It’s the best iteration of Flamin’ Hot I’ve ever had—it goes beyond heat and tang to tap those umami receptors, too. Flavor-wise, eating one of these Cheetos is like eating a full meal at P.F. Chang’s. The flavor dust tastes very much like the Sweet Chili Doritos (one of the best Doritos flavors), but you also get a little bit of tang from the Flamin’ Hot dust, along with that nice, savory soy sauce powder sort of flavor. This is one of the best Cheetos flavors and you should really try it. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Cheetos Puffs
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Cheese puffs deserve more love, especially the Cheetos variety. These are delightfully crunchy, airy, and thick. The cheese flavor is less saturated than it is on Crunchy Cheetos, but the overall aesthetic of a cheese puff is hard to beat. These are big cheese puffs, too. Some coworkers started dipping these in Coke, which feels psychotic to me, but hey, to each their own (just kidding, don’t dip Cheetos in Coke, you monster). —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Crunchy Cheetos
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Classic Crunchy Cheetos are perhaps the best straight-up cheese snack out there. They’re saturated with cheese flavor and are finger-licking good like fried chicken. Plus, the crunch is one of the most satisfying experiences in the snacking world. Crunchy, airy, and fried in oil, these are deliciously fatty and will stand the test of time. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Cheetos Bolitas Chile & Cheese
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Crying. Screaming. Throwing up. That was my reaction to this Cheetos flavor when we tried it in our second in-office taste test. The Bolitas (sort of like the Cheetos Minis) are so light that they kind of dissolve in your mouth—it’s an excellent eating experience. And the flavoring is a revelation. It tastes like a bowl of chili topped with cheese. You get lots of chili powder, a little bit of smokiness, a little bit of tang (sort of like BBQ sauce), a little bit of heat, and then a lovely undercurrent of cheese flavor. If you’re dubious of snacks that are too flavor blasted, like our editor-in-chief Justine Sterling, you’re still going to be into these. She liked that the flavor is present but mild enough that you want to keep digging into the bag for another handful. This is one of the best flavors of Cheetos. I’m in love. —Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
- Crunchy Cheddar Jalapeño
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Cheddar Jalapeño Cheetos are the perfect combination of cheesy and spicy. Where classic Cheetos lack spice and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos lack cheese flavor, Cheddar Jalapeño Cheetos are the best of both worlds, making them far and away the most balanced and delicious Cheetos product. These Cheetos just hit you with crunchy and cheesy heat all at once. Truly, a flavor-blasted, flat-out-addictive snack product. There’s no contest: These are the best Cheetos, hands down, and I would say one of the top five snacks in existence. —Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
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