Are Baked Flamin' Hot Cheetos Vegan? (April, 2024)

Figuring out whether Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos is vegan can be a tough task.

This is because they contain different ingredients that may be of concern to vegans or ingredients that vegans are actively trying to avoid.

To ensure that you only eat foods that align with your vegan diet and ethics, I’ve looked into the ingredients and production process of Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Here’s what I found.

Table of Contents

Are Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Vegan?

Unfortunately, Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are not currently vegan. This is because they contain animal-derived ingredients, including cheddar cheese and milk.

Milk and its derivatives are commonly found in processed foods, so this isn’t too surprising. In addition, it also contains natural flavors that may or may not be of animal origin.

Sugar is also listed as an ingredient, and it’s usually processed with bone char, which is made from the ground-up bones of cows. Vegan-friendly sugar would usually say “organic,” “raw,” or “unrefined” on the package.

Good thing there are many vegan-friendly snacks on the market that are just as delicious as Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos!

Are Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Cruelty-Free?

Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are not currently cruelty-free. The product uses food dyes that are routinely tested on animals. These food dyes are not only tested on animals but are also linked to health problems in both animals and humans.

Animal testing is a gruesome and cruel practice that ends in animals getting disfigured, sick, and even killed.

What Are Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Made Of?

Here are the ingredients of Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos:

Enriched corn meal (corn meal, ferrous sulfate, niacin, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
Vegetable oil (corn, canola, and/or sunflower oil)
Salt
Sea minerals (calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate)
Sugar
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Yeast extracts

Citric acid
Artificial color (red 40 lake, yellow 6 lake, yellow 6, yellow 5)
Hydrolyzed corn protein
Onion powder
Cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes)
Whey
Maltodextrin (made from corn)
Whey protein concentrate
Garlic powder
Buttermilk
Natural flavor
Sodium diacetate
Lactic acid
Disodium inosinate
Disodium guanylate
Skim milk

Let’s break down each ingredient of Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos:

Enriched corn meal

Enriched corn meal is a type of cornmeal that has been enriched with vitamins and minerals. It is usually made from yellow dent corn. This is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Vegetable oil

Vegetable oils are oils that are extracted from plants. Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos contains a blend of corn, canola, and sunflower oils. Vegetable oil is a vegan product.

Salt

Salt is a mineral composed of sodium and chloride. It is used to add flavor or as a preservative. Salt is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Sea minerals

Sea minerals are minerals that are derived from the sea. They can be found in seawater or in salt deposits. Sea minerals are vegan-friendly ingredients.

Sugar

Sugar is a type of carbohydrate that is made from sugar cane or sugar beet plants. Sugar is a vegan-friendly ingredient if it’s not processed with bone char. However, Frito-Lay doesn’t specify how the sugar in Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos is processed, so we can’t be sure if it’s vegan or not. So, assuming it is a non-vegan ingredient is safer for now.

Monosodium glutamate

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a type of salt that is used to add flavor. MSG is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Citric acid

Citric acid is a type of acid that is found in citrus fruits. It can also be made synthetically. Citric acid is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Artificial color

The artificial colors in Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 6, and Yellow 5. In today’s market, using synthetic or made-from-petroleum ingredients is more common in food dyes. So it is likely that the artificial colors used in Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are vegan friendly.

Hydrolyzed corn protein

Hydrolyzed corn protein is a type of protein that has been broken down into smaller pieces. It is usually used as a flavoring agent. Hydrolyzed corn protein is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Onion powder

Onion powder is a type of seasoning that is made from dried and ground onions. Onion powder is vegan because it is a plant-based ingredient.

Cheddar cheese

Cheddar cheese is a type of cheese that is made from cow’s milk. Cheddar cheese is not vegan because it contains dairy.

Whey

Whey is a type of protein that is found in milk. It can also be made from plant sources, but the whey in Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos is most likely from dairy. Whey is not a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is a type of carbohydrate that is made from corn. Maltodextrin is usually considered vegan, but it can be processed with animal-derived enzymes, so we can’t be sure if the maltodextrin in Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos is vegan or not.

Whey protein concentrate

Whey protein concentrate is a type of protein that is found in milk. Whey protein concentrate is not vegan because it contains dairy.

Garlic powder

Garlic powder is a type of seasoning that is made from dried and ground garlic. Garlic powder is vegan because it is a plant-based ingredient.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk is a type of milk that contains lactose. Buttermilk is not vegan because it contains dairy.

Natural flavor

Natural flavors are flavors that are derived from plants or animals. The natural flavors in Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are not specified, so I can’t say for sure if they are vegan friendly.

Sodium diacetate

Sodium diacetate is a type of salt that is used as a preservative. Sodium diacetate is usually considered vegan, but it can be processed with animal-derived enzymes, so I can’t be sure if the sodium diacetate in Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos is vegan or not.

Lactic acid

Lactic acid is a type of acid that is found in milk. Lactic acid is not vegan because it comes from dairy.

Disodium inosinate

Disodium inosinate is a type of salt that is used to add flavor. Disodium inosinate is usually derived from animals, so it is not vegan.

Disodium guanylate

Disodium guanylate is a type of salt that is used to add flavor. Disodium guanylate can be derived from either plants or animals, so I can’t be sure if it’s vegan or not.

Skim milk

Skim milk is a type of milk that contains lactose. Skim milk is not vegan because it is an animal-derived ingredient.

Why Aren’t Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Vegan?

With these few milk-derived ingredients, unknown sources of natural flavors, and refined sugar that may or may not be processed with bone char, it’s safe to say that Baked Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are not vegan.

The egg and dairy industry is ripe with animal cruelty, from the forced impregnation of cows and hens to the separation of mother and child.

If you are strictly vegan, then these chips are not for you. However, there are plenty of other vegan-friendly options out there for you to snack on!

Are Cheetos Crunchy Flamin’ Hot Cheese Vegan?

No. Cheetos Crunchy Flamin’ Hot Cheese Flavored Snacks are not vegan because they contain cheddar cheese, whey, milk, and an unknown source of sugar.