Flamin’ Hot Tempura Baby Pickles
Regular Fried Pickles Could Never
These crispy Flamin’ Hot fried pickles combine tangy baby dill pickles, light tempura batter, and a crunchy Flamin’ Hot Cheetos coating. The result? An easy, extra-crispy appetizer with serious heat and crunch.
A note from my batch: I ended up with 10 because that’s all I had. This recipe is written for 12.
INGREDIENTS
- 12 whole baby dill pickles
- 1 bag Ms. Wong’s Tempura Mix
- ½ cup ice-cold water
- 2 cups finely crushed Flamin’ Hot Cheetos
- 60 ounces vegetable oil, for frying in a 6-quart pot
- Ranch or your favorite dipping sauce
Directions
STEP 1: Heat the Oil
Fill a 6-quart pot with 60 ounces of vegetable oil, about 2 to 3 inches deep and no more than halfway full. Heat to 360°F.
STEP 2: Crush the Cheetos
Crush the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into fine crumbs and set aside.
STEP 3: Dry the Pickles
Drain the pickles and pat every side completely dry. Wet pickles and tempura are not besties.
STEP 4: Mix the Tempura Batter
Mix 1 bag of Ms. Wong’s Tempura Mix with ½ cup ice-cold water until just combined. Don’t overmix.
STEP 5: Batter + Coat
Dip each pickle in the tempura batter, then roll in the Cheetos crumbs. Gently press the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos crumbs onto the pickle so they stick.
STEP 6: Fry Fearlessly
Fry at 360°F for 75 to 90 seconds. If frying in two batches, remove any loose Cheetos crumbs from the oil and let the oil return to 360°F before frying the next batch.
STEP 7: Drain + Dip
Transfer to a wire rack to drain, then serve hot with ranch or your favorite dipping sauce.
