Gwynedd Stuart
First, a fun fact: Did you know that Cheez-Its are that dark orange hue because they’re made with paprika, not because they’re loaded with delicious, orange, baked-in cheese? We didn’t until this taste test! What you did probably know if you’ve been anywhere near the snack aisle lately is that there are approximately 400 different flavors of Cheez-Its. Okay, fine. Not really 400—it’s closer to 20, but can you blame us for having a flair for the dramatic after consuming our weight in snack crackers?
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Of course, there aren’t just different Cheez-It flavors. There are different Cheez-It formats. Lots of them. In our most recent taste test, we included Cheez-It Grooves, Cheez-It Snap’d, Cheez-It Duoz, and Cheez-It Puff’d (we left out Cheez-It Crunch because, frankly, we’ve tried them and we aren’t fans). Ultimately, do any Cheez-It flavors or formats taste better than regular ol’ Cheez-Its? That’s what we set out to learn. Watch our taste tests or read on to find out.
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- Cheez-It Grooves Sharp White Cheddar
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I’m a Grooves guy, guys. These are flatter, snappier, more rigid crackers than regular Cheez-Its because they have some rice flour in the mix along with the wheat flour. Since they were discontinued, I’ve pined for Keebler Munch ‘Ems and that’s what these remind me of. That said, if you love the baked-in cheese (cheez?) flavor that’s in regular Cheez-It, these might not be for you. The cracker itself is just a regular cracker rather than a cheese-infused cracker, but, hot damn, does it taste good coated in this nutty, salty white cheddar seasoning. We love these Cheez-Its, even if they aren’t REALLY Cheez-Its.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Cheez-It Duoz Jalapeno & Cheddar Jack
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Cheez-It Duoz is the brand’s line of mashed-up flavors—basically, you get two complementary flavors in one box. There are four varieties of Duoz, but we could only find one at our local grocery store. While I’m positively DYING to try the Pesto & Mozzarella Duzo, the combo of Jalapeno and Cheddar Jack Cheez-It crackers is pretty great in its own right. The jalapeno flavor is a little subdued, but it’s there—it’s fruity and mild and a nice complement to the tangy cheddar jack. And there isn’t a lot of heat but there’s some! Enough for me, personally. If you like two-for-one deals, these Duoz might be the best Cheez-It flavor for you.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Cheez-It Snap’d Extra Crunchy Sharp White Cheddar
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I’ve already established that we really like Cheez-It’s White Cheddar flavor dust—it’s salty and umami and very addictive. What’s important about these particular Cheez-Its is that they aren’t just Cheez-It Snap’d, they’re Extra Crunchy Cheez-It Snap’d. If you’re not familiar, Snap’d are like Cheez-It’s cracker-chip hybrid, and the extra crunchy version is WAY better than the regular version. The more rigid crunch goes a long way and these have a slightly toastier flavor, too.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Cheez-It Grooves Zesty Cheddar Ranch
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Until our taste test, I was NOT aware that these Cheddar Ranch Grooves even existed, and, wow, what a pleasant surprise. I’ll be honest: There’s not much cheddar flavor of which to speak, but the ranch flavor is really zippy and great—creamy and tangy. If you’re not married to your Cheez-It flavors being particularly cheesy, this is a good’un.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Cheez-It White Cheddar
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Yup, White Cheddar Cheez-Its yet again. The White Cheddar flavor dust is good in any format, but it’s best on traditional Cheez-Its. The crackers aren’t orange like the originals, but they still have that baked-in cheddar flavor—plus the dust! If you prefer a flavor-blasted cracker, buy these over original Cheez-Its.
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Cheez-It
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Oh, is this anticlimactic? Sure, but regular ol’ original Cheez-Its are good as hell and I don’t see that as my fault. The baked in cheese flavor is iconic. They’re perfectly salted. And yeah, we prefer the original to extra toasty—the overcooked flavor (literally) burned out our palates. You can’t go wrong with original Cheez-It because it’s the best Cheez-It flavor. It just is!
Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs
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Other Cheez-It flavors we tried
Cheez-It Grooves Bold Cheddar, Cheez-It Snap’d Cheddar Sour Cream & Onion, Cheez-It Snap’d Double Cheddar, Cheez-It Snap’d Margherita Pizza, Cheez-It Cheesy Taco
Ariana Losch
Jordan Myrick
Justine Sterling
