Review: Doritos Crunch Nuts

Doritos Crunch Nuts feature roasted peanuts covered in a crunchy Doritos shell, dusted with the iconic Nacho Cheese or Cool Ranch flavor. The Crunch Nuts are available by themselves or as part of the Crunch Mix, which adds 3-D triangles, puffs, corn sticks, and pretzel bites.

These are normally $1.99 but I received the 3 oz. packages of Nacho Cheese Doritos Crunch Nuts and Cool Ranch Doritos Crunch Mix courtesy of Frito-Lay.

The Crunch Nuts themselves have an interesting texture. The shell around the roasted peanut is somewhat similar to a standard Doritos chip, but much thinner and without any air bubbles. It lends a light crispiness to the peanuts, although some end up with more of a shell and are crunchier as a result.

The Crunch Mix has a variety of textures, some of which might be familiar from other Frito-Lay snacks. The 3-D triangles basically have the same crunchy texture as a Frito chip, just in a triangular shape, and the puffs have a light airiness to them that brings to mind Cheetos Puffs. The corn stick doesn't taste very much like corn, but provides a hard, dense crunch and is probably the biggest crunch available in the Crunch Mix. Less dense than your standard pretzel twists, the pretzel bites offered a pleasant crunch combined with a surprisingly buttery flavor.

In terms of flavor, the Cool Ranch seasoning paired better with the nuttiness of the roasted peanut. I found that light tang to be a nice complement to the peanut, whereas the Nacho Cheese left me somewhat wanting. I just don't think strong cheese flavor mixes well with the earthy flavor of the peanuts.

Overall, I enjoyed the Doritos Crunch Nuts for the novelty and I would give these a try if you're a fan of savory peanuts. Surprisingly, the pretzel bites included in the Doritos Crunch Mix turned out to be the star of the show thanks to the unexpectedly buttery flavor.

Review by Renee.

Nutritional Info - Nacho Cheese Doritos Crunch Nuts
Serving Size - About 3 tablespoons (27g)
Calories - 130 (from Fat - 70)
Fat - 8g (Saturated Fat - 1.5g)
Sodium - 140mg
Carbs - 11g (Sugar - <1g)
Protein - 4g

Nutritional Info - Cool Ranch Doritos Crunch Mix
Serving Size - About 1/2 cup (39g)
Calories - 210 (from Fat - 110)
Fat - 12g (Saturated Fat - 2g)
Sodium - 250mg
Carbs - 21g (Sugar - 1g)
Protein - 4g