Cheez-IT Crunch'd Hot & Spicy

They look like delicious flotation devices

The Attraction:

I adore Cheez-ITs, so recently when I saw a television advert for a new Cheez-IT product that includes a hot and spicy variation, I was all over it. I found these at the local Target and tossed them into the cart without hesitation. 

The Review
When I opened the bag, the hot and spicy aspects weren't obvious in terms of smell. I was worried that the hot and spicy flavor would be too mild, but sometimes spicy items don't always smell that way. I picked a Cheez-IT out of the bag and one of the things I noticed is that these suckers are puffed up. Almost like a large, cheesy, square Cheerio, but a bit more rough all around. I also noticed that it wasn't particularly oily like a cheese ball or Cheez Doodle. That's a nice plus. I don't waste another moment and pop one in my mouth. Hmm..it certainly lives up to it's "Crunch'd" name. That it certainly is. It's not super cheesy, which would have actually been a good thing. The best way to describe these Cheez ITs is that they are like a cheese flavored crouton. The texture and crunch is almost identical. As for the heat, it's there, but it presents itself closer to the back of your throat towards the end of the bite. It's not overly aggressive, but you know it's there. The signature cheese-flavor is also present, but it doesn't seem to shine quite as brightly as the original Cheez-ITs.

It sort of looks like a petrified Cheez IT

The Sweet:

It's not too oily and is as advertised; it crunches! The hot and spicy parts are not too forward and is more prominent towards the end of the bite, which I enjoyed.

The Bitter:
These Cheez-ITs's crunch seems too much like eating a parmesan salad crouton. The puff aspect seemed to somehow make my mouth miss the more substantial feel of the original Cheez-IT.

Another angle of the new Cheez-IT model

Conclusion:
Although I salute Cheez-ITs for trying something new, ultimately, these fall flat for me. Somehow these Cheez-ITs didn't feel like a guilty treat, which is sometimes a large part of the fun of snacking. Unless you enjoy a eating a bag of salad croutons, I would skip on these.In the end, these just made me appreciate and crave the original Cheez-ITs more.

Video of the Week
I'm no super parkour fan, but I certainly can appreciate the balls and athleticism that is required to manage some of their stunts. Here is a short and simple video of the nerves of steel some parkour participants have to have in order to have some "fun".

My palms are sweating already.