Description
Cheetos delight caramel crunch delivers a surprising fusion of salty and sweet flavors that challenge culinary expectations. Crispy Cheetos coated in golden caramel create an irresistible snack you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 15 oz (425 g) Cheetos puffs
- ¼ cup white corn syrup
- ½ tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Caramel Preparation: Melt brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly to prevent burning. Maintain a rolling boil for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Transformation Process: Quickly add baking soda to the caramel, triggering an immediate foaming reaction that creates a light, airy texture. Immediately pour the caramel over Cheetos puffs in a large mixing bowl, gently folding to ensure complete and uniform coating.
- Baking Technique: Spread the caramel-coated Cheetos on a generously buttered cookie sheet in an even layer. Place in a preheated oven at 250°F, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent clumping and promote even caramelization.
- Cooling and Finishing: After one hour of baking, remove from oven and transfer the golden-brown Cheetos onto waxed paper. Allow to cool completely, which will help the pieces separate and become crisp, creating a delightful crunchy texture.
Notes
- Prevent Burning: Watch caramel mixture closely during heating to avoid scorching, as sugar can quickly turn bitter and ruin the entire batch.
- Stirring Technique: Fold caramel over Cheetos gently to maintain puff integrity, preventing crushing or breaking of delicate snack pieces.
- Temperature Precision: Maintain consistent 250°F oven temperature for even caramelization and crisp texture without burning the coating.
- Cooling Strategy: Let treats cool completely on waxed paper to ensure maximum crunchiness and prevent sticky, clumped-together pieces.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 455
- Sugar: 41 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg