BBQ Cheetos (Finally) Exist and We Tried Them

Ever since we learned that Lay’s was releasing a line of “Flavor-Swap” snacks, we’ve been pret-ty excited to try them. The basic idea: Lay’s took popular flavors from their lineup potato chips, Doritos, and Cheetos and applied them to different snacks. It’s a whole Freaky Friday scenario that’s turned Sour Cream & Cheddar Ruffles into Sour Cream & Cheddar Doritos, Cool Ranch Doritos into Cool Ranch Ruffles, and Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue Lay’s into Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue Cheetos.

Videos by Sporked

Oh, and also influencers are involved in this for some reason. Each bag has a different internet-famous person on it. Today we’re here to talk about Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue Cheetos that are associated with Madison Beer, who I am told is a singer. Great!

Has Frito-Lay ever made BBQ Cheetos before?

My first thought when I tasted these was, wow, this seems like a totally new and cool thing. BUT Frito-Lay HAS, in fact, made BBQ cheetos before. In 2025, they released Flamin’ Hot BBQ Cheddar Cheetos as a limited flavor that was exclusive to Walmart stores. We never got around to trying those, but based on my experience of Flamin’ Hot snacks, that spicy, acidic, bright-red seasoning has a tendency to overpower other flavor profiles, so these Flavor Swap Cheetos still feel fresh and new.

New Product!

Cheetos Flavor Swap Sweet Southern Heat Barbecue

Walmart

Pros: I won’t bury the lede: These are the best of the Flavor Swap snacks. We love Sweet Southern Heat Lay’s—they’re sweet and smoky and they really do have a nice lil’ dose of heat that kicks you in the back of the throat (in a good way). All those flavors and sensations are very nicely suited to a fresh, crispy Cheeto. I couldn’t stop eating them. You almost don’t miss the bold cheesy flavor of regular Cheetos … almost.

Cons: Okay, even though these are fun and unique since BBQ Cheetos haven’t really existed, at least in the U.S. (BBQ Cheetos do or did exist in Japan), they aren’t better than regular old bright orange, cheddar cheese-flavored Cheetos. The way the cheesy powder complements the deep fried flavor of a Cheeto is snack alchemy at its finest. So, while these are really good (and a fun change if you’re itching for new snacks), they don’t quite seem like a classic in the making. Thank you for your service all the same, Madison Beer!

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

About the Author

Howdy! I’m Gwynedd, Sporked’s managing editor. I live in Los Angeles and have access to the best tacos the U.S. has to offer—but I’m a sucker for a crunchy Old El Paso taco night every now and then. I’ve been at Sporked since 2022 and I’m still searching frozen mozzarella sticks that can hold a candle to restaurant sticks. Why you should trust me: I’ve been a journalist for 20 years (yikes), a consumer of food for 40-plus years, and I’m truly hard pressed to think of foods I don’t like (or that I can’t tolerate at the very least). Oh and one time I cooked my way through Guy Fieri’s cookbook and wrote about the journey through Flavortown. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s Original Savory Thins. Fat free plain yogurt (usually Fage or Nancy’s). Honeycrisp apples. Sweet cream coffee creamer for my at-home Americanos. A frozen cauliflower crust pizza and some jarred mushrooms to top it with. Old El Paso Stand ‘N Stuff taco shells and Gardein Ground Be’f, even though I think “be’f” is a nightmarish contraction. Favorite ranking: Stouffer’s frozen dinners. I don’t own a microwave (I get my cancers the old fashioned way!), so I love taste testing things that I don’t really buy to eat at home. Least favorite ranking: Soy sauce. Don’t get me wrong, I love soy sauce—but consuming that much sodium in one sitting is probably illegal in some countries. Our frozen enchilada taste test was a close second; the smell of microwaved corn tortillas still haunts me.