How to Make Hot Cheetos

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

While the actual formula for flamin' hot cheetos is a brand secret, you can make your own version at home that is just as crispy and spicy. Mix cheesy dough and roll it into individual cheetos. Then, bake them until they're browned and toss them with a homemade flamin' hot seasoning mix. If you're short on time, just pour the seasoning mix into a bag of classic cheetos and shake until they're coated.

Ingredients

Cheeto Dough

1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt
1/8 teaspoon (0.5 g) of garlic powder
2 cups (240 g) of all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons (14 g) of cornmeal
8 tablespoons (115 g) of butter
1 cup (226 g) of shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup (40 g) of powdered cheese
1 tablespoon (0.5 g) of flamin' hot seasoning
Up to ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of water, optional

Makes 2 servings

Flamin' Hot Seasoning

2 teaspoons (4.5 g) of paprika
1 dash of cayenne or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon (0.5 g) of garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of onion powder
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon (1 g) of sugar
1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) of salt or more to taste

Makes about 1 tablespoon (9.5 g) of seasoning

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making Homemade Hot Cheeto Dough

1
Whisk the flour, cornmeal, garlic powder, and salt in a bowl. Put 2 cups (240 g) of all-purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add 4 teaspoons (14 g) of cornmeal. Whisk in 1 teaspoon (5.5 g) of salt and 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 g) of garlic powder.^{[1]
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Tip: If you'd like lighter, crispier cheetos, substitute cornstarch for the cornmeal.
2
Blend 8 tablespoons (115 g) of butter into the dry mixture. Cut the butter into cubes and add them to the bowl with the seasoned flour. Use your hands or a stand mixer to mix the ingredients until the butter is incorporated. Then, set the mixture aside.^{[2]
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- If you're using a stand mixer, stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
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3
Stir in up to ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of water to form a soft dough. Get out ¹⁄₂ cup (120 ml) of cold water and pour a few spoonfuls of it into the flour and butter mixture. Use a spoon to stir the dough and keep adding spoonfuls of water until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
- You may not need all of the water. Avoid adding too much water or the dough will be too sticky to handle.
4
Process 1 cup (226 g) of shredded cheese until it's finely crumbled. Place the shredded cheddar cheese into a food processor and put the lid on. Then, pulse the cheese until it's as fine as possible.^{[3]
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- Pulverizing the cheese makes it easier to distribute it within the dough.
5
Mix the cheese into the dough until it's incorporated. Use a stand mixer to put the pulverized cheese into the bowl with the dough. Then, combine the mixture until the cheese is evenly distributed.^{[4]
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- If you don't have a stand mixer, use a stiff spoon or spatula to combine the mixture.
6
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill it for 2 hours. Tear off a piece of plastic wrap and tightly wrap the dough with it. Put the dough in the fridge to rest for 2 hours. This helps the gluten in the dough relax so it doesn't shrink as the cheetos cook.^{[5]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Rolling and Cooking the Cheetos

1
Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set a rimmed baking sheet on your work surface and lay a piece of parchment on it. The parchment prevents the cheetos from sticking to the sheet as they bake.^{[6]
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Variation: If you'd like crunchier, cheetos, deep fry them in a deep pot filled with 2 inches (5.1 cm) of hot vegetable oil. Fry them for about 15 seconds or until they're browned and floating at the top of the oil.
2
Roll the dough into 2 in (5.1 cm) long pieces. Remove the dough from the fridge and pinch off 1 tablespoon (8 g) of dough. Roll the dough piece between your palms to make a 2 in (5.1 cm) long cheeto. Repeat this for the rest of the dough.^{[7]
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- If you want to make more realistic-looking cheetos, bend the cheeto pieces so they look wiggly instead of perfectly smooth.
3
Arrange the cheetos on the baking sheet. Place them in a single layer so there's at least ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) of space between each one. If you can't fit all of the cheetos on your baking sheet, use 2 sheets and bake them in batches.^{[8]
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4
Bake the cheetos for 15 to 20 minutes. Put the sheet in the preheated oven and cook the cheetos until they're browned on the ends. To test if the cheetos are done, carefully remove 1 from the sheet and break it in half. If the cheeto doesn't snap in half easily, bake it for another 2 or 3 minutes and check them again.^{[9]
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5
Transfer the warm cheetos to a bowl. Once the cheetos are crispy, wear oven mitts to take the sheet out. Carefully move all of the cheetos to a large mixing bowl and set it aside while you mix the flamin' hot seasoning.^{[10]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Mixing the Flamin' Hot Seasoning

1
Put all of the ingredients into a small bowl. Measure 2 teaspoons (4.5 g) of paprika and put it in a bowl along with at least 1 dash of cayenne, 1/8 teaspoon (0.5 g) of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of lemon pepper seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) of sugar, and at least 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) of salt.^{[11]
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- For a slightly smoky flavor, used smoked paprika.
- If you'd like to store the seasoning to use another time, put it in an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 6 months. Although you can use the seasoning after 6 months, the spices will begin to lose their bold flavor.
2
Stir or whisk the seasonings. Use a small whisk or spoon to combine all of the spices. Break up any lumps of spices so the seasoning mixture is uniform in color. Keep in mind that this makes about 1 tablespoon (0.5 g) of seasoning, so you don't need a large bowl.^{[12]
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- If you want to make just enough seasoning for a small bag of cheetos, halve the amounts or set aside half of the seasoning for later.
3
Coat cheetos with the flamin' hot seasoning and the powdered cheese. Sprinkle 1/3 cup (40 g) of powdered cheese and the seasoning mixture over the warm cheetos in the bowl. Use tongs or a spoon to stir the cheetos so they're completely coated with the seasoning.^{[13]
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- If you have trouble getting the seasoning to stick to the cheetos, spray them with cooking spray and try stirring them again.
Tip: You can buy a bag of classic cheetos and pour the seasoning into the bag. Hold the bag shut and shake it to coat the cheetos with your homemade flamin' hot seasoning.

Community Q&A
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Question

Why are hot Cheetos so addictive?

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The heat from the spicy Cheetos causes your brain to release endorphins, or feel-good chemicals, which makes you crave more. Processed foods like Cheetos are also high in fat, salt, and simple carbohydrates, all of which your body tends to crave when you’re stressed. However, they’re also very low on nutritional value.
Question

How many Scoville units are in Flamin’ Hot Cheetos?

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It’s not clear that anyone has officially tested this, but estimates range from 30,000-50,000 (about the same as a cayenne pepper).
Question

Why is it bad to eat hot Cheetos?

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In moderation, they probably won’t hurt you. However, like most snack foods, they’re high in calories but low in nutrients, and also contain unhealthy amounts of salt, fat, and refined carbs. Additionally, eating too much of the flaming hot seasoning can irritate your stomach or aggravate an ulcer if you already have one. Plus, the red dye can make your bowel movements look bright red (which is really more alarming than dangerous)!