We Tried Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo To See If They Really Taste Like Wings
It seems unbelievably unfathomable that in the entire 75-year history of the Cheetos brand, there hasn't been a single iteration of the cheesy, dusty, puffy sticks flavored to ape the incredible taste of Buffalo wings — until now. Welcome to this world Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo. Tina Mahal, senior vice president of marketing at Frito-Lay, said in a press release about the new flavor, "While we know there's no beating out Buffalo wings as a favorite gameday staple, Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo proves that being second-best can taste just as good."
On the yellow and orange bag of Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo, Chester Cheetah has his hands, er, paws full. In one paw, he is holding a wedge of cheddar cheese, and in the other, a giant Cheeto stick. Even his tail is working overtime, sprinkling Buffalo sauce from a glass bottle on said Cheeto. He can't even wait to try his new concoction, as his mouth is wide open, complete with his tongue sticking out. Just looking at the imagery on this bag, the feeling is mutual for me, and I can't wait to tear this open and see what lies inside.
So, are these new Cheetos hot to trot, or a big NOT? Without further ado, here's my chew and review!
Some recommendations are based on first-hand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.
What do Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo taste like?
Tearing open my bag of Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo, a faint smell of regular Cheetos emanates, although perhaps not as cheesy as the standard flavor usually gives off. Inside, I found the signature odd lot of bumpy shapes and sizes that runs from staffs, clubs, chubbies, and little bits. The color of these Cheetos is a darkish, flaming orange that could actually pass for the hue of the food this flavor is mimicking — Buffalo wings.
But do they taste like Buffalo wings? Well, they don't taste like chicken, that's for sure. A first bite gives off a cool blast, reminiscent of sour cream. It's followed by a controlled flow of heat, as if you're eating something cheesy, covered in just a few dashes of Tabasco sauce. These Cheetos are not to be confused with any that are "Flamin' Hot," as these are simply just appropriately hot. As for the Cheeto itself, the same solid crunch you expect to feel on your teeth is present here.
After downing a handful of them, my mouth was left with a smoky-hot aftertaste that slightly numbed — in a good way — my lips. Finding them irresistible, I gobbled down some more, and I don't mind at all that my cheeks and head started to get light drops of sweat. If I was eating a pile of actual Buffalo wings, I'd want them to do the same exact things to my pores.
Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo nutritional info
Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo are primarily made of enriched corn meal, vegetable oil, and maltodextrin. Each bag also contains less than 2% of such ingredients as garlic powder, hot sauce, sour cream, cheddar cheese, sugar, Chilean salt, onion powder, buttermilk, cream cheese, skim milk, and fermented pea protein.
In an 8.5-ounce bag of Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo, there are about nine servings. A single serving size is about 21 chips, and nets 150 calories, 150 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of protein, and 16 grams of carbohydrates, with less than 1 gram of both dietary fiber and total sugars. It also contains 10 milligrams of calcium, .6 of iron, and 130 of potassium. Based on the bag's recommended use by date, one has about 2 months to take down every last Cheeto within.
When to buy Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo and how much they cost
The Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo snacks are a permanent flavor edition to the Cheetos family of snacks. They have been available since January 15, 2024, at nationwide stores, like Walmart, and through home delivery services like Instacart.
These Cheetos are currently only available in 3.25 and 8.5 ounce bag sizes. The smaller size is $2.49, and the larger size is $4.38, though prices may vary by retailer.
The final verdict
The aim of Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo is simple — be Cheetos that are crunchy and taste like Buffalo wings. This mission was beyond easily accomplished. Just like with a plate of Buffalo wings, you want to devour one, and hurriedly get on to the next one, hoping the plate never runs empty. These Cheetos work a similar magic, except there won't be any bones you have to worry about discarding. In fact, the only negative thing I can think of about these Cheetos is that they should have been molded into the shapes of flats and drums.
After my first round of snacking on Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo, I had an idea for round two. I just so happened to have some blue cheese dressing cooling in the fridge, so I poured some in a bowl. After the first Cheeto was dipped in blue cheese, and then met my mouth, I soon realized that this is how they truly should be eaten. The coldness of the dressing butting up against the Cheetos' spice actually tapped even more into its underlying hotness. The creaminess of the dairy and the savoriness of the Cheeto make for quite the dynamic duo.
These Cheetos Crunchy Buffalo things truly fly. Blue cheese dressing makes them soar even higher. Is it too much to already ask for this Buffalo flavor to spread its wings onto those awesome Cheetos Pretzels?