If you’re a fan of Chicago mix popcorn, you’re going to love these caramel candied Cheetos! They’re crunchy, sweet, and salty all in one bite!

Why you need to try this recipe:

Listen, I know the idea of candied Cheetos may be unappealing at first, but don’t knock it till you try it! If you haven’t heard of Chicago mix popcorn, it’s a mix of caramel popcorn and cheese popcorn. It’s a superior combo and one of my favorite snacks! Think of these cheesy, caramel coated Cheetos the same way and it won’t seem so odd!

At first, I was on the fence but seriously, I’m now addicted. I didn’t know a Cheeto could get any better, but I think it just did! I couldn’t stop eating them when I was transferring them to a serving bowl, I had to walk away to stop myself!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Butter
Brown sugar
Corn syrup
Baking soda
Cheeto puffs

With an addictive crunch and sweetness, these caramel candied Cheetos tase like caramel popcorn in many ways. If you’re on the fence about trying these or not, please do!!! We all need a good junk food treat every now and then. 😉

How to make the best caramel candied Cheetos:

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Cook until melted and smooth (about 5 minutes).
Once smooth, turn off the heat and stir in the baking soda.
Pour the bag of Cheetos onto your prepared baking sheet, then drizzle the caramel mixture evenly over top.
Bake the Cheetos for 1 hour, stirring and tossing them around every 15 minutes.
Let cool completely before enjoying.

One of the best things about making Cheetos this way is that you don’t get the orange finger dust while eating them!

These are a great party snack, and conversation starter too! If you want to really confuse people, share that some people call these candied Cheetos coyote drippings (don’t ask me why!), but I guarantee everyone will get a kick out of it!

My top tips:

Cheeto puffs are my all-time favorite, so that’s what I opted for, but you can use regular Cheetos too! Keep in mind, they’ll be a little sweeter since there is less surface area for the caramel coating. If you’re feeling crazy, use the flaming hot Cheetos for a sweet and spicy combo!
You’ll want to make sure you don’t boil the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup mixture. You’re just looking for everything to be smooth and melted together. If you let the mixture boil, it’ll become thick and nearly impossible to pour evenly over the Cheetos.
Tossing the Cheetos around every 15 minutes may seem like a pain, but it’s an important step to ensuring all the Cheetos are evenly coated in caramel. It only takes a minute and makes such a big difference in the end result!
The Cheetos may not seem crunchy after 1 hour in the oven, but believe me, they are! Let the candied Cheetos cool fully out of the oven before enjoying. This allows the coating to harden and become super crunchy!
When letting the caramel candied Cheetos cool, make sure they aren’t overlapping. You’ll want them spread into an even layer so that they don’t stick together while cooling.
This fun snack will keep stored at room temperature for weeks if you can even keep them around for that long! Seriously, it’s hard to stop eating these things once you start!

Looking for more sweet and savory snacks? Try this out!

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