I Tried 9 Brands of Cheese Puffs, and the Best Was So Much Better Than Cheetos

Cheese puffs make the ultimate snack. Easy to find, whether you grab a bag at a gas station or a corner store, they always deliver bold, satisfying flavor and those perfectly orange fingers afterwards. Unlike other chips, you don’t need a fancy dip or salsa—cheese curls stand strong on their own. It’s why so many people rely on them for parties, road trips, or late-night bites.

You might think that little difference exists between brands, but that’s why I love being a food writer. Line them all up and taste them side-by-side, and the distinctions become immediately clear. I set out to find as many popular cheese puff brands as possible, conducting a masked taste test to see which ones stand out from the pack. Below, you’ll find my (albeit subjective) rankings of the absolute best cheese puffs money can buy.

How I Chose the Cheese Puffs

There are a bunch of cheese puff brands lining the shelves, so finding options to try wasn’t challenging at all. I focused on picking ones available nationwide at major retailers. While most of them come in the classic orange or yellow Cheddar flavor, I also found a few white Cheddar varieties and decided to include those in the test, too. I didn’t rule out brands using unconventional ingredients, like Hippeas, which are made with chickpeas, either. As long as the label read “Cheese Puffs,” I included them in this taste test. 

How I Tested the Cheese Puffs

When testing the cheese puffs, I tasted each brand decanted and unlabelled, focusing on how airy, crunchy, and cheesy the doodles were. I noted which ones made me want to go back for more, and which had an overpowering artificial, greasy, or salty profile that made it hard to eat more than a handful. I gave extra points to those with bold, balanced notes or innovative ingredient makeups.

The Best Cheese Puffs, Ranked

9th Place: Wise Cheez Doodles

I couldn’t help but blurt out, “Oh no,” when trying the cheese puffs from Wise. It was disappointing, especially since I remember grabbing those tiny, 25-cent bags of them as a kid. I’m unsure if the recipe has changed, but these tasted artificial and greasy. They also lacked any lightness and had a stale texture, like they’d been sitting out for too long.

8th Place: Good & Gather White Cheddar Baked Corn Puffs

I was a little thrown off by the size and shape of these cheesy corn puffs from Target’s Good & Gather brand—they’re about the size of crunchy Cheetos. I was hoping their texture and taste would make up for that, but unfortunately, the white Cheddar flavor didn’t come through—plus they were really dry with no airy bite. On the bright side, I did appreciate the resealable packaging, which is something you don’t often see with chip brands.

7th Place: Hippeas Chickpea Puffs (Groovy White Cheddar and Nacho Vibes)

Hippeas has two flavors, Groovy White Cheddar and Nacho Vibes, so I decided to try both. These puffs are vegan and made from a chickpea base. Between the two, I’d go for the white Cheddar ones again because they have a bolder flavor. The nacho ones felt a bit flat in comparison. I wasn’t too impressed with the crunch either—I was hoping they’d melt in my mouth more.

6th Place: 365 by Whole Foods Market Cheese Puffs

Whole Foods’ cheese puffs felt a bit dry compared to some of the other brands when I picked them up. But once I bit into them, they had a nice crunch and weightlessness to them. I wish they had just a smidge more white Cheddar dust on them; you can slightly taste it, and it’s delicious. My mantra is: if the doodles don’t leave a coating on my fingers, there’s not enough cheese.

5th Place: Trader Joe’s Cheese Puffs

Despite being reduced-fat, these cheese puffs from Trader Joe’s are full of flavor. While they’re not the lightest puffs and are a bit denser, they’re packed with bold Cheddar notes, making them a great choice. 

4th Place: Annie’s Organic Cheddar Cheesy Smiles

Annie’s puffs are baked, not fried, which makes them taste light and not greasy at all. Because of that, I could snack on handfuls of these crunchy bites without needing to stop for a drink every few minutes. While the Cheddar flavor isn’t substantial, it’s definitely there. The real highlight, though, is how airy and satisfying crisp these chips are.

3rd Place: Hannaford Cheese Puffs

I love it when grocery generics surprise me. These puffs from Hannaford supermarket have a satisfying, airy, ASMR-like crunch you can hear as soon as you bite into them. The doodle’s Cheddar flavor is bold but not too much, so you can enjoy several without them getting too salty or overpowering.

2nd Place: Cheetos Puffs

You can’t go wrong with this popular brand. While it didn’t take first place, it came really close. These puffs are large, light in texture, and have a well-balanced Cheddar flavor. Although the winner had a bolder cheesy taste, these ones from Cheetos still earn a top spot on the list for cheese puffs that you can always count on being delicious.

1st Place Winner: Jax Puffed Curls

Jax Puffed Curls melt in your mouth the moment you take a bite. They’re full of rich Cheddar flavor, with just the right amount of punchy saltiness that isn’t overwhelming. The doodles are airy and crunchy, and they’re coated with so much cheese dust that within seconds, my fingers were covered. It was honestly hard to stop at just one handful during this taste test—they’re that irresistible.