Cheetos have a strong record of combining cheese and spice, so it would make sense for them to try their hand at elote. Balancing three flavors (cayenne, lime, cotija) presents another degree of difficulty for a brand that historically has stuck to one (original) or two (jalapeño cheddar). Let’s see how they did.

First, they’ve nailed the cayenne. It’s not too sharp or overpowering and they’ve recreated a distinct cayenne peppery-ness. The spicy bite comes on late and lingers just like the real thing. Flawless execution.

Next, the lime. It’s fine but very subtle. This is tricky to judge because the elote I remember eating (and I’m no expert – comments welcome from those who know better) was limed to taste. And, as anyone who’s made a gin gimlet with artificial lime juice can tell you, it’s very easy for fake lime to taste like a chemical cocktail. That may be why the lime is such a light flavor on these Cheetos – given license to interpret the flavor, Cheetos may have felt it was better to err on the side of caution with a taste that can easily feel artificial.

Finally the cheese. This is the weakest element of these Cheetos. In elote the cotija is the main attraction for me but like the lime, it feels like Cheetos bailed out on the cheese flavor. Not only is it a little weak but it doesn’t really taste like cotija – it feels closer to white cheddar smartfood. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but the cheese is underpowered compared to the cayenne and the lime when it should be taking center stage. One creative member of the KoC’s court suggested adding a few pinches of real cotija to an opened bag of these – an inventive idea.

This review has been harsh because these are a really great snack that only need a little tweaking to be truly excellent. As they are, Cheetos Mexican Street Corn have the King’s sound endorsement. If you can find these elusive snacks, they’re worth a place in your cupboard.

Rating: 🌽🌽🌽🌽