One small change and your classic potato casserole will never be the same. Cheetos cheesy potatoes have all the starchy cheesiness that you love but are finished off with an even cheesier topping.

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I couldn’t let my self-proclaimed birthday month of recipes go by without sharing one with Cheetos. This is simply a version of the classic cheesy potato casserole topped with Cheetos similarly to my Cheetos mac and cheese but a bit heavier on the Cheetos. It doesn’t get any cheesier than this.

These Cheetos cheesy potatoes were served at a friends BBQ cookout over Memorial Day weekend to which I also brought a more classic cheddar mac and cheese at the request of the host. Thankfully cheesy potatoes are easy to make so adding a second dish wasn’t a big deal. Of course I also brought dessert but that recipe is for another day…

Evidently cheese side dishes were in high demand because there were barely any leftovers. Guess Cheetos are like bacon – they make everything better. Who needs corn flakes on top when you can have Cheetos cheesy potatoes? I even had requests for the recipe despite the substitution being so simple. Just proves that small changes can make a difference after all.

CHEETOS CHEESY POTATOES

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Yield: 8 Servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 45 Minutes 45 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

POTATO MIXTURE

• 1 (32 oz.) pkg. frozen diced hashbrowns, thawed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups sour cream*
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• Dried minced onion, to taste

TOPPING

• 2 cups crushed crunchy cheese-flavored corn snacks** (Cheetos)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the potato mixture together, stirring until evenly distributed, and pour into prepared pan. In a medium bowl, stir together the crushed Cheetos and butter until coated. Sprinkle over the potato mixture.
3. Bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly and the topping is golden.

Notes

*Plain nonfat Greek yogurt also works if preferred. ** Don't completely pulverize them, but to the point that the largest pieces are pea-sized.

Source: Adapted slightly from my Cheesy Potato Casserole, inspired by my Cheetos Mac and Cheese.

Are you ready to share this Cheetos snack mix at your next party or on a road trip? It is extra cheesy, some would say dangerously so.

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Behold – the birth of cheesy Cheetos snack mix! While I could have taken a shortcut and mixed together a bunch of cheesy snacks like I did with my easy Cheez-it snack mix, substituting all the non-cheesy things for more cheesy things like Cheetos and goldfish, I wanted the cheese contribution to be mostly attributed to the Cheetos themselves for this momentous National cheese doodle day. Afterall, it is called Cheetos snack mix.

Instead I kept the mix more similar to a typical Chex mix but added some cheddar cheese powder to the seasoning blend, effectively coating everything in a cheesy layer. Fun fact: I used to steal the cheese packets from other boxes of mac and cheese to make the current box I was preparing cheesier. If only I had a jar of this cheddar cheese powder growing up we maybe wouldn’t have been left with a bunch of plain elbow noodles.

Other than the addition of cheese powder to the seasonings, Cheetos is pulling most of the weight in the cheesy factor of this Cheetos snack mix. As such I doubled the amount I used but only added half to the original concoction. I wish I could say that was intentional but after making it I felt like there needed to be more Cheetos representation so I added more. As an added bonus I liked the contrast of the seasoned Cheetos with the classic Cheetos so it ended up being a happy adjustment.

The only dilemma now is that I made this entire batch for a household of two which means, as much as I’d like to think I could eat it all myself, I will be handing out little baggies of Cheetos snack mix to friends to help them celebrate one of my favorite food holidays of the year. Just call me the Cheetos fairy.

CHEESY CHEETOS SNACK MIX

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Yield: 14 cups Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 1 Hour 1 Hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 4 cups crunchy cheese doodles Cheddar cheese crackers (such as Cheetos®), divided*
• 2 cups cone-shaped corn snacks (such as Bugles®)
• 2 cups checkerboard-shaped crispy rice or corn cereal (such as Chex® or Crispix®)
• 2 cups checkerboard-shaped crispy wheat cereal (such as Chex®)
• 2 cups rye bread chips
• 2 cups pretzel sticks
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese powder
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp ground cumin

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250°F with racks placed in the upper and lowers thirds.
2. In an extra large mixing bowl add 2 cups of the Cheetos, Bugles, Chex and Crispix cereals, rye chips, and pretzels. Stir together until evenly distributed.
3. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the butter for 30 second intervals until melted. Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, followed by the cheese powder, salt, garlic, onion, pepper, paprika, and cumin.
4. Slowly pour butter mixture evenly over dry ingredients while gently stirring until evenly coated (or the best you can).
5. Spread mix evenly onto two large rimmed baking sheets.
6. Bake for 1 hour, stirring and rotating the pans front-to-back and top-to-bottom every 15 minutes, or until mostly dry.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Stir in remaining Cheetos and transfer to an airtight container to store at room temperature.

Notes

*Why do I add half of the Cheetos before mixing and half after? Because I liked the contrast of the seasoned Cheetos with the classic Cheetos. And I wanted a double dose of Cheetos since this Cheetos snack mix after all.

Source: Adapted from Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen and All Recipes.

Live dangerously with these cheesy Cheetos deviled eggs. Imagine a classic deviled eggs but with a punch of cheddar flavor.

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It’s one of my favorite food holidays of the year – National cheese doodle day! My favorite kind is of course the classic crunchy Cheetos. No flaming hot Cheetos for me, thanks. It’s not even that they are spicy, I just don’t like their flavor.

For today’s Cheetos deviled eggs recipe I obviously stuck to my preferences. Could you use puffs? Yes, because you are just going to pulverize them anyway, but since there will be leftovers you should buy which you want to eat.

If you prefer a more saturated Cheetos flavor or don’t want to deal with pulverizing Cheetos, you can try my friend Peabody’s Cheetos deviled eggs that use the cheese packet from Cheetos mac and cheese – genius.

Otherwise, these Cheetos deviled eggs are pretty standard outside of the addition of finely shredded cheddar cheese and crushed Cheetos into the filling. Once the whites are filled, I topped them with more crushed Cheetos and little bites of whole Cheetos.

CHEETOS DEVILED EGGS

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Yield: 2 Dozen Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 12 eggs
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 oz. crunchy Cheetos, crushed and divided

Directions

1. In a pot of salted water, add the eggs. Bring to a boil, cover, remove from heat, and let cook until hard boiled, approximately 12 minutes (I love my egg indicator). Drain and let cool.
2. Once cool, remove the shell, cut in half lengthwise, and scoop the yolks into a medium bowl. Place the hard boiled whites on a tray.
3. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, and vinegar. Blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese and 2 tablespoons of Cheetos crumbs.
4. Spoon or pipe filling back into the egg whites. Chill until ready to serve. Immediately before serving, sprinkle with remaining Cheetos crumbs. Garnish with small Cheetos if desired.

Source: Adapted from my BBQ Deviled Eggs.

Ever had apple pie with a slice of cheddar cheese on top? This apple pie with Cheetos crumble topping is actually more subtly delicious.

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In recent years, normally I take most of January off from creating new content and yet here I am. I think between not posting many new holiday recipes in preparation for the holiday and then not traveling allowed me to avoid burnout. I originally intended to store this apple pie with Cheetos recipe away for next apple season until I discovered that January is Apple Month – go figure.

I know you think I’ve gone off the deep end with this one, adding Cheetos to apple pie, but hear me out. Have you heard of putting a slice of cheddar cheese on apple pie? I first was introduced to letting a slice of cheddar melt on top of a warm slice of apple pie by my roommate in grad school. While the history behind it is murky, evidently the quote “an apple pie without some cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze” used to be printed on Marie Callender’s napkins.

In my mind it wasn’t a far leap to change that slice of cheese on top and make an apple pie with Cheetos crumble topping instead. If anything I feel like my version might be slightly more appealing because you can trick people into eating it. I know because I snuck it past my dad and step mom at Christmas.

I did add a little bit of shredded cheddar cheese into the apple pie filling as well – I didn’t want to add Cheetos because I didn’t want to risk adding a gritty texture. However, the cheddar mixed into the apple pie didn’t really change the flavor a whole lot. It was more visual as you could see little flecks of orange throughout. Maybe it added a bit of saltiness? Umami? Whatever it is, it certainly didn’t diminish the flavor as this cheddar apple pie with Cheetos on top was all gobbled up.

APPLE PIE WITH CHEETOS CRUMBLE TOPPING

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Yield: 12 Servings Prep Time: 5 Hours Cooking Time: 1 Hour 15 Minutes 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

PIE

• 1 homemade or refrigerated pie crust
• 3 lb. favorite baking apples, peeled, cored and uniformly 1/4-inch sliced  (I used a peeler/corer/slicer)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 egg lightly beaten, for brushing the bottom crust
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes

TOPPING

• 3/4 cup crushed crunchy Cheetos (about 2.5 oz)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Fit crust into a deep 9-inch pie pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine the apples, sugars, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Give everything a toss and let stand for 15 minutes, stirring a few times. Sprinkle in cheese and toss to combine.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the topping: In a medium bowl whisk together the crushed Cheetos, sugars, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in chilled butter using a pastry cutter or two knives until mixture resembles wet sand. Set aside.
4. Brush the crust with beaten egg and fill with the apple mixture. Make a decorative edge with overhanging bottom crust, if preferred. Scatter the butter over the top of the apples and cover with the topping.
5. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Cover the edges of the pie with foil or a pie crust shield. Bake the pie for 30 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake another 30-45 minutes, until the topping is browned and the filling has begun to bubble (or internal temperature reaches 195F).
6. Cool completely on a cooling rack to allow juices to thicken, 3-4 hours, before slicing and serving.

Notes

*I use a peeler/corer/slicer

Source: Adapted from my Maple Apple Pie with Walnut Crumble Topping.

Can I have a side of Cheetos with my meatloaf? Better yet stuff it inside to make a BBQ Cheetos Meatloaf! It’s cheesy tangy goodness.

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With a long list of recipes on this website that include Cheetos in the ingredient list, National Cheese Doodle Day is a food holiday I don’t like to miss – except I nearly missed it this year! Guys, I literally baked this BBQ Cheetos meatloaf last night after realizing it was coming up only the day before that. Talk about a close call.

I almost phoned it in. But as luck would have it, a coworker gifted me a bag of Cheetos for helping her with something last week. In an effort to not inhale the bag straight up (or maybe dip them in chocolate?), I decided to inhale it in meatloaf form, inspired by my Cheetos Cheeseburgers. My dad is probably shocked that I willingly made meatloaf after a childhood full of hatred for it.

After a quick trip to the grocery store later, and a not so quick cooking time in the oven (add a shorter cook time to the reasons why meatloaf muffins are superior), I had this BBQ Cheetos Meatloaf on the dinner table. Served with a side of roasted broccoli or marinated green beans to make up for the copious amount of Cheetos and cheese in this thing.

But at the same time, are crushed Cheetos really that much worse health-wise than bread crumbs? I would argue that they are basically equal in this situation. Hey, I went for a side of broccoli instead of more Cheetos (or Cheetos mac and cheese), I call that a win. But I may have eaten plenty while I cooked – ha!

BBQ CHEETOS MEATLOAF

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Yield: 6-8 servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 1 Hour 1 Hour

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

MEATLOAF

• 2 lb. ground beef
• 4 tsp steak seasoning
• 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 small onion, grated
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup crushed Cheetos (4 oz. crunchy)
• 6 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

TOPPING

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• 2 tsp mustard

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Add all the ingredients for the meatloaf mixture into a large bowl and gently combine. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray. Press meatloaf mixture into the pan.
3. In a medium bowl, combine honey, barbecue sauce, and mustard. Spoon half of it evenly over meatloaf. Bake for 30 minutes, brush top with remaining topping, and bake about 30-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.
4. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Source: Adapted from my Cheddar-BBQ Turkey Meatloaf Muffins.

Don’t think Cheetos have any business in desserts? These slightly salty Cheetos Chocolate Chip cookies have a hidden depth of flavor that will have you thinking otherwise.

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If potato chips can go in chocolate chip cookies, why not Cheetos? At the end of the day, they both add that extra salty factor which is perfect for those of us who already love a good post-oven salt sprinkle. This just comes with a little cheesy factor as well.

Besides, you’ve already let me get away with Cheetos sugar cookies, dipping Cheetos in chocolate and making cheesy marshmallow treats – this wasn’t that far of a stretch.

To be honest, you really aren’t going to take a bite of these and think, wow there are Cheetos in this! In fact other than he occasional orange fleck you may not notice at all as the flavor is more subtle, a bit umami.

To prove it, I brought these cookies into work to prove my Cheetos-in-dessert-doubting coworkers wrong after they judged me for wanting to try the Cheetos x Milk Bar Birthday Cake. Sure enough none of them could figure it out without huge hints. They all knew something was different, but could not pinpoint the flavor.

Maybe that makes these seem less worthy of their name, but I think crushing up approximately 2 cups of Cheetos (which reduces to 1/2 cup) and stirring it into cookie dough is pretty significant.

The only question that remains is, what will I make next with Cheetos??

CHEETOS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

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Yield: 3 dozen Prep Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes Cooking Time: 12 Minutes 12 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 cup crushed crunchy Cheetos
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg + 1 yolk, room temperature
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended (1-2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients in three batches until just blended. Fold in the chips by hand.
3. Roll 1/4 cup of dough* into a ball that is slightly taller than wide and place on a plate or tray. Cover tightly and chill for at least 2 hours**, but overnight for best results (I’ve refrigerated for up to a week).
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with silicone baking mats (or parchment paper); set aside.
5. Place cookie dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are barely golden (will look underbaked). Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Notes

* You can also use 2 tablespoons and cook them 2-4 minutes less (will yield more, obviously). ** Don't want to wait to chill? They will still bake just fine but the flavor/texture improves when chilled.

Source: Adapted from My Favorite Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, inspired by The Kitchen Whisperer.

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Love Mexican elote? How about an extra cheesy version? Cheetos street corn is slathered with mayo and rolled in a mixture of crushed Cheetos and cotija cheese.

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Oops… I did it again.

Once again I have found a new excuse to add Cheetos to my grocery list. This time, by simply adding those crushes cheesy morsel to the coating on Mexican street corn or, as it shall now be called, Cheetos Street Corn!

I have made a healthier Mexican elote before, using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise, but since this version is coated in Cheetos I wasn’t going to try to make any illusion on it being healthier so I went for the mayo. Not that I am in any way trying to claim this is remotely authentic, either.

This recipe is quite simple really. Just cook your corn, slather in mayo, coat in a mixture of Cotija cheese and crushed Cheetos and you have made Cheetos street corn! Add a little paprika for added color or fresh lime juice and you’re ready to serve.

The Cheetos coating on these is actually better than expected. In the past when I have used pure crushed Cheetos for coating chicken, it wasn’t as cheesy as I had hoped. I assume the addition of Cotija is what brought up the cheese factor here, and thus now has me wanting to revamp my Cheetos crusted chicken recipe.

CHEETOS STREET CORN

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Yield: 4 Servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 25 Minutes 25 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 4 ears of corn, shucked
• 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
• 4 Tbsp (1/4 cup) mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup finely grated cotija cheese
• 1/4 cup crushed crunchy Cheetos
• Paprika
• 4 lime wedges, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Roll ears of corn in melted butter and wrap securely in foil. Bake for 25 minutes, turning often.
3. Remove from oven and carefully unwrap the corn.
4. Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl mix together the cotija cheese and crushed Cheetos.
5. Using a spatula or basting brush, spread mayonnaise evenly over each ear of corn. Roll in the cotija-Cheetos mixture and sprinkle with paprika.
6. Serve immediately with a lime wedge, if desired.

Notes

Easily double this recipe for more servings.

Source: Adapted from my Healthier Elote.

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This cheesy roundup of Cheetos recipes will have you thinking of Cheetos beyond a simple snack that turns your fingers orange. Which will you try first?

In honor of the 75th birthday of Cheetos, I rounded up a cheesy list of recipes with Cheetos on the ingredient list!

If you thought this list was all-inclusive, think again. I still have more in the works! But for now enjoy all of the Cheetos recipes I have shared thus far along with some others from my bloggers friends who are also brave enough to play with Cheetos in the kitchen!

Are Cheetos gluten free?

Yes – so if the recipe has no other gluten-laden ingredients then the whole recipe is gluten-free safe!

APPLE PIE WITH CHEETOS CRUMBLE TOPPING – If Cheddar cheese can go on top of apple pie, then it’s not any weirder to put Cheetos in the crumble topping.

BBQ CHEETOS MEATLOAF – Why use breadcrumbs when you can used crushed Cheetos? Slathered in BBQ sauce, this BBQ Cheetos meatloaf is pure comfort.

CARAMELIZED CHEETOS – These sound crazy but they actually taste like Cracker Jack. Who knew crunchy Cheetos could be even crunchier.

CHEESE DOODLE SUSHI – If you’ve ever made sushi at home with a crispy puffed rice exterior you may as well go ahead and roll it in crushed up Cheetos, amiright?

CHEESY CHEETOS SNACK MIX – Why do all the other snacks get to join the party snack mix but not Cheetos? It’s time to change that.

CHEETOS CHEDDAR ARANCINI – Italian’s may scoff at this abomination but I think arancini stuffed with cheddar cheese and coated in Cheetos dust tastes so very right. Of all my Cheetos recipes, this one might be my favorite.

CHEETOS CHEDDAR BEER BREAD – Make your cheddar beer bread even cheesier by adding a Cheetos crust.

CHEETOS CHEESEBURGERS – Do you sometimes add a little bit of bread crumbs to your burgers? Well I used crushed up Cheetos to make these cheeseburgers extra cheesy.

CHEETOS CHEESY POTATOES – All I did was take the classic cheesy potato casserole (aka funeral potatoes) and substitute the corn flakes on top for crushed Cheetos. So simple but it’s a game changer.

CHEETOS CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES – The flavor that Cheetos adds to these chocolate chip cookies is subtle enough to win over the non-believers while still adding something that sets them apart from a traditional cookie.

CHEETOS COOKIES – Normally cheddar cheese in a sugar cookie would not appeal to me, but after trying one at a bakery I had to recreate them at home.

CHEETOS DEVILED EGGS – This might be the best version of Deviled Eggs ever. Who knew they could be improved with cheese?

CHEETOS MACARONI & CHEESE – The creamiest, cheddar mac and cheese topped with Cheetos instead of breadcrumbs. And another of my favorite Cheetos recipes.

CHEETOS MARSHMALLOW CRISPY TREATS – Those puffed rice crispy treats we all know and love? Well I used Cheetos instead of the puffed rice cereal and the result was surpriisngly delicious.

CHEETOS PIE – Are you familiar with Doritos Pie? This is the exact same thing but made with Cheetos!

CHEETOS STREET CORN – Your favorite Mexican street food but coated in extra cheesy Cheetos!

CHEETOS THREE CHEESE CHEESEBALL – Cheese on cheese inception with this cheesy cheseball. But then dip more Cheetos or cheesy chips!

CHEETOS WALKING TACOS – Here is yet another classic dish normally made with other chips but made far superior with Cheetos!

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHEETOS – I am not really sure these need a recipe as the title alone pretty much tells you what to do, but if you are into the salty and sweet combo then these are for you.

CHOPPED BBQ RANCH SALAD WITH CHEETOS – Take a BBQ Ranch salad, and top with Cheetos like croutons. It’s so easy and genius,

SPICY CHEETOS CRUSTED CHICKEN – This is such a no-brainer. Instead of breadcrumbs, coat your chicken breasts in crushed Cheetos. Add you favorites sides or serve over a salad.

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What’s better than Frito Pie? Cheetos Pie of course! Made with ground beef, onion, tomato, green chiles, chili beans, corn, taco seasoning, cheddar cheese and obviously Cheetos.

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I’m up to my usual antics, swapping out Fritos or Doritos in a recipe for Cheetos because they are clearly superior. And it’s an excuse to have Cheetos in my house because normally I cannot control myself around them.

I have successfully done this swap already with Cheetos Walking Tacos and Chopped BBQ Ranch Salad with Cheetos so why not a Cheetos pie instead of Fritos Pie? Just in time to sneak onto your menus for Cinco de Mayo in a few days.

Cheetos Pie is a simple two pan meal, cooking up ground beef and onion, then adding taco seasoning, chili beans, diced tomatoes with green chiles, and corn. Spread this mixture over Cheetos in a baking dish, top with cheddar cheese and bake! Then all that’s left is serving it with your favorite taco toppings – reminds me of a walking taco casserole.

The only downfall to using Cheetos instead of Fritos to make Cheetos Pie is that the Cheetos don’t retain as much crunch as the Fritos when baked with moist ingredients. But to be fair the Fritos are not perfectly crispy either in the same scenario so it is only a minor texture change.

What’s next on my Cheetos crusade? At least in the savory realm, I think I need to try my Mom’s Frito Taco Salad with Cheetos. But I have some wild ideas about sweet incorporations as well to add to my list of Cheetos Cookies, Chocolate Covered Cheetos, and Cheetos Marshmallow Crispy Treats. Don’t be scared, haha.

CHEETOS PIE

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Yield: 6 servings Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 35 MInutes 35 MInutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz.) bag Cheetos
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
• 1 (15 oz.) can chili beans
• 1 cup corn kernels*
• 1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• Favorite taco toppings

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Evenly spread the entire bag of Cheetos in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and onion, cooking until meat is no longer pink and onions are soft. Drain excess fat.
4. Stir in taco seasoning until well blended. Add diced tomatoes, beans and corn, mixing until distributed and warmed through. Remove from heat.
5. Spread meat mixture evenly over the Cheetos, then sprinkle the cheese on top.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
7. Serve immediately with your favorite taco toppings.

Notes

*Fresh, frozen, or canned work just fine. If using canned be sure to drain first.

Source: Adapted slightly from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts.

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You’ve heard of chocolate covered potato chips so why not chocolate covered Cheetos? They are sweet, salty, and slightly cheesy.

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It’s National Cheese Doodle Day so you know what that means… a new Cheetos recipe! In case you thought my Caramelized Cheetos or Cheetos Marshmallow Crispy Treats weren’t weird enough, how about some Chocolate Covered Cheetos?

The idea blossomed from chocolate covered potato chips – if that salted snack can be delicious covered in chocolate, why not Cheetos? After all, most of that cheesy flavor is thanks to salt.

So of course, I had to try it.

Ingredients for Chocolate Covered Cheetos

• Chocolate
• Cheetos
• Flaky sea salt

You truly only need two ingredients to make Chocolate Covered Cheetos, which should be obvious by the name: chocolate and Cheetos (or whatever brand of cheese doodle you prefer). But I jazzed mine up a little bit with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt and Cheeto dust.

But let me tell you, that extra bit of sea salt made the difference as I tried them with and without. The extra dusting of Cheeto powder also helped them look “fancy” – as fancy as Chocolate Covered Cheetos could look.

What is Cheeto dust called?

Cheeto dust actually does have a name and it is Cheetle. I read once that the most unappealing part of eating Cheetos are “Cheeto fingers” – I’m sorry, what?

I think they meant to say the BEST part. Cheeto-lovers, tell me you don’t look forward to scraping that layer of cheetle off your fingers after you’ve polished off the bag. It’s a culinary delight.

Heck, half the reason I left part of the Cheetos uncoated was to make sure I would not be slighted by the absence of Cheeto fingers (the other half being it was easier to dip). But if you’d rather have chocolate fingers, be my guest and dunk them in.

So what do you think? Would you give these Chocolate Covered Cheetos a try? If you are also a fan of salt-sweet combinations this might be your new favorite thing. Heck why not throw them into chocolate chip cookies while we are at it?

Or maybe not. Just dip one Cheeto into some chocolate and try it out first. To be honest, that’s what I did before I committed to dipping the rest in chocolate. No sense wasting precious Cheetos without verifying first!

CHOCOLATE COVERED CHEETOS

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Yield: 12 Servings Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cooking Time: 5 Minutes 5 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 (8.5 oz.) bag of crunchy Cheetos*
• 12 oz. good dark chocolate, chopped
• Flaked sea salt, for garnish

Directions

1. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper; set aside.
2. In a heat-safe bowl over a pot of simmering water**, add 3/4 of the chocolate. Heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate has melted.
3. Keep the bowl over the water, but remove the pot from heat, and immediately stir in remaining chocolate until melted.
4. Use tongs to dip the Cheetos one at a time 3/4 of the way into the chocolate, letting the excess drip off. Place prepared cookie sheet, sprinkle with extra Cheetos dust and/or flaked sea salt, and allow to cool until set***.
5. Enjoy or store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Notes

*I prefer crunchy but this could easily work with any other style. I also crushed the smaller bits of Cheetos for garnish. **Alternatively, you could microwave the chips in 30 second intervals, stirring in between time-points. ***2 hours room temperature or 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

Source: The idea was my own, but the recipe outline was adapted from AllRecipes.

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