Popular CornNuts Flavors, Ranked Worst To Best
CornNuts aren't really nuts, but they are delightfully crunchy and boast a slightly nutty flavor that will help stave off any gnawing hunger pains. CornNuts actually are corn kernels that have been roasted to the point where you feel as if your teeth might crack munching on this delicious and hard as a rock snack but yet you just can't stop eating them until you hit the bottom of the bag. The popular snacks were first introduced in the U.S. in 1936 by entrepreneur Albert Holloway who peddled his salty snack to bar and tavern owners to serve with beer. Undoubtedly they were a hit, even back then.
CornNuts are perfect for the afternoon munchies at work, while road tripping, catching a game, or while watching a movie. The seasoned snack is made with giant white corn kernels and not the small ones we are accustomed to when popping up a big batch of snackable popcorn. Made by Kraft Foods, CornNuts taste fantastic in the original flavor, but they also come in a few others that you might find equally delicious such as jalapeno cheddar, bbq, chile picante, ranch, and nacho.
It's hard to find all of these flavors with their satisfying crunchiness at the store, but you'll be glad you did once you tear open a bag and begin to munch away. Each flavor has a distinct difference and we've ranked the CornNuts flavors for you so you know which bag to grab first at the store.
6. Nacho
CornNuts can best be described as addictive, unless you're eating a bag of nacho-flavored CornNuts. This roasted treat ranks high on our list of tasty treats in general, but the nacho flavor is our least favorite of the six CornNut flavors available. The downfall to the nacho-flavored CornNuts is the inherently artificial cheese taste. It's a cross between a slightly funky cheese powder you sprinkle on popcorn and a bad batch of bold nacho cheese flavored hard corn taco shells from Old El Paso.
If you don't mind your fingers turning orange akin to when you gobble up a bag of Cheetos, you just might enjoy inhaling a bag of nacho-flavored CornNuts. But quite frankly, it's too artificial tasting, even for unhealthy snack food. Sadly, we'll have to give this one a hard pass. It's no wonder this particular flavor is hard to find since it isn't the best tasting version. But don't fret, there are five more flavors for you to try.
5. Jalapeno Cheddar
If you love spicy hot jalapenos dotting your plate of super nachos, then you just might love CornNuts jalapeno cheddar flavor. The concern is that this particular flavor also boasts a rather artificial cheese flavor. This one uses more of a strong white cheddar cheese instead of yellow cheddar like with the nacho-flavored chips. Unfortunately, it proves to be too much for the neutral-tasting CornNut.
The jalapenos definitely give this bagged snack a big kick in the pants, accelerating it to the head of the class when it comes to spicy. But it's still not a flavor combo that works well as a CornNut in our opinion. It's not as gross as the nacho flavor, but definitely doesn't rank high on our list of yumminess that one comes to expect from a salty snack food that's been around for almost 100 years. Remember, there are four more flavors for you to try and whittle down your ultimate favorite.
4. BBQ
Barbecue flavors range from tangy to tart to sweet when it comes to chips and other snack foods. You never really know just how a bag of something barbecue is going to taste. But when you first throw back a handful of BBQ flavor CornNuts, you'll find that this particular flavoring leans toward the sweet side. If you aren't a fan of the sweeter barbecue taste, you may not like these. Honestly, we didn't mind the sweetness, as it proves to be the perfect counterbalance to the saltiness of a CornNut.
The sweetness stems from brown sugar and the hint of tart and savory flavors come from a tomato base and garlic seasonings. Because the coating isn't even, some of the tiny bites are sweeter than others while some are saltier. But a mouthful of all these flavors combined actually is quite satisfying. You might not like the artificial smoke flavor, but we think it works well.
3. Chile Picante con Limon
So what exactly does the chile picante con limon flavor taste like? You might anticipate a super spicy CornNut, but that's not what you end up with. This odd sounding flavor actually is pretty darn tasty. It's like a combination of spicy and hearty salsa blended with the tartness of lime and a mildly spicy and festive chile powder flavor. When you throw into the mix the flavor -– but not the heat -– from chiles, you'll quickly fall in love with this particular mix. It's true that the more you eat, the hotter your mouth gets, but it's totally doable.
It's not so hot that you'll need to chug a gallon of milk to recover from the spice. The spice intensity could best be described as mild to medium and the hint of lime is just enough of a citrus flavor to wrap it all up together. We have to rank this one high on a scale of yumminess, which may surprise you given the different individual flavors. But they come together in a wonderfully executed burst of flavor that just might become your favorite.
2. Original
Salty, snackable, and impossible to put down, the original flavor doesn't bear a potent taste like its sidekicks, but definitely has just enough corn oil and finger-licking salt to entice even the pickiest eater. It's a straightforward flavor boasting an earthy taste that you will quickly fall in love with. The toasted corn flavor comingled with a gratifying, tooth-shattering crunch and large salt crystals will make this one hard to resist.
While one pack of original flavor CornNuts has only 4.5 grams of fat, surprisingly, it does have 130 calories and loads of salt and carbs. They're kosher, gluten-free, and vegan, perfect for those who follow a specific diet. Some people think they taste similar to Fritos, but CornNuts aren't as processed and have a more wholesome taste. This flavor also is the one you'll find most often at grocery stores and convenience stores, so definitely grab a bag today and give them a try.
1. Ranch
If you're the kind of person who loves to dip fries in ranch dressing, pizza in ranch dressing, wings in ranch dressing, chicky nuggies in ranch dressing, well, you get our point. Then you're definitely the type of snackster who will fall head over heels in love with the ranch-flavored CornNuts. This ranch has a rich buttermilk base combined with onion and garlic flavors for a tangy yet tart and cool flavor.
The slightly sour ranch flavor may not be everyone's bag, but we really rather prefer it over all other flavors, although the original and chile picante con limon flavors give this one a run for its money. Each handful of CornNuts offers a tangy, zesty kick of flavor that will leave you wanting more and feeling quite sad when you've reached the bottom of the bag. Thank goodness you can order CornNuts in bulk packs from vendors such as Amazon so you hopefully won't run out of your favorite flavor anytime soon.