Hot Cheetos And Pickles Are The Unusual Snack We're Serving On Game Day
Flamin' Hot Cheetos have become a regular ingredient in the snack and fast food landscape, inspiring a multitude of creative uses from corn dog coating and taco shells to Hot Cheetos flavored turkey (yes, that's a thing). But what if the key to maximizing the flavor of this convenience store snack is to combine it with pickles? This TikTok-famous dish works by pairing the acidic tang of pickles with the fiery cheese powder, all topped with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Preparing this unusual snack is as simple as combining your favorite pickles and Flamin' Hot Cheetos both in a bowl, including a splash of the pickle juice (add that to the list of the many things you can do with pickle juice). Then simply squeeze on some lime juice and mix it all up. But you'll want to be sure to use fresh lime juice for the brightest flavor boost. To maximize that brightness further, sprinkle on a teaspoon or two of Tajin seasoning.
This viral combination will offer a salty tanginess which will punctuate both the spice of the cheese coating and the briny flavor of the pickles, delivering a bold overall taste with an extra-tart bite. But be careful not to overdo it, as this pairing packs a serious punch which may be a bit too salty for some. If you're serving this to a crowd, like on game day, be sure to also have some less-salty options.
But when did hot Cheetos and pickles become a thing?
One of the earliest mentions of the pickles and Flamin' Hot Cheetos trend was via the Oklahoma City snack food shop Elotes El Compa Chuy in 2023, some TikTok users can date their affinity for this bold combo all the way back to the early 2000s. And while there's no official origin of the fun combo on record, it's likely consumers have been creating unique combinations featuring the spicy snack since it became widely available in 1992. (Although there has been controversy over who really invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos.) In the decades since, fans of the snack have combined their hot Cheetos with everything from creamy avocados to ice cream, so it's no surprise bright, acidic pickles eventually made it onto the list of options.
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And though no one knows exactly where the combination comes from, we know exactly where it's going. That's right, fans of the mouth-puckering duo can rejoice that Frito-Lay is rumored (via Reddit) to be making the collaboration into a bold new hot Cheetos flavor called Flamin' Hot Crunchy Dill Pickle. Whether you grab yourself a bag — or two — or choose to make the combination yourself, you can temper a bit of that heat and tang by dipping the snack into ranch dressing or even ketchup. Go forth with boldness and enjoy.