Baked Doritos were a popular variant of the classic Doritos tortilla chip that were introduced in the early 1990s. Unlike regular Doritos, Baked Doritos were made to be a lower-fat option, baked instead of fried. They were made without lard or other animal fats, making them popular among health-conscious snackers. However, in the late 2000s, Baked Doritos were discontinued in the United States and Canada.
When were Baked Doritos introduced?
Baked Doritos were first released in the early 1990s as a lower-fat alternative to regular fried Doritos. They were part of a broader trend of “baked” snack foods that became popular in the 1980s and 1990s, including Baked Lay’s potato chips. Baked Doritos allowed Doritos to market themselves to more health-conscious consumers who wanted to cut down on fat and calories but still craved that signature Doritos crunch and flavor.
What made Baked Doritos different?
The key difference between regular Doritos and Baked Doritos was the cooking method. While regular Doritos are fried in oil, Baked Doritos were oven-baked. This cooking method significantly reduced the fat and calorie content of the chips. According to Frito-Lay, Baked Doritos had 70% less fat than regular Doritos. Each 1-ounce serving contained just 3 grams of fat, whereas regular Doritos contained 10 grams per serving.
In terms of ingredients, Baked Doritos did not contain any lard or other animal-based fats. They were cooked in vegetable oil rather than animal-based oils. The chips were made from ground corn rather than whole corn kernels to reduce fat further. Otherwise, the chips had a similar blend of flavors compared to regular Doritos, though some variations were unique to the Baked Doritos line.
What Baked Doritos flavors were available?
Over the years, Baked Doritos came in a variety of flavors including:
- Nacho Cheese
- Cool Ranch
- Nacho & Cheese
- Pizza Cravers
- Tortilla
- Salsa
- Baby Back Ribs
- Hot Salsa & Sour Cream
- Spicy Black Bean
- Spicy Chili
- Jalapeño Cheddar
The most popular Baked Doritos flavors were similar to regular Doritos – Nacho Cheese and Cool Ranch. However, Baked Doritos also came in bolder seasoning blends inspired by Mexican cuisine, like Spicy Black Bean and Hot Salsa & Sour Cream. A few flavors were exclusive to the Baked Doritos line.
How did Baked Doritos advertising position the brand?
When launching Baked Doritos in the 1990s, Frito-Lay leaned heavily on marketing them as the “light” alternative to regular Doritos. Advertisements emphasized the 70% less fat, lower calorie content, and lack of lard in Baked Doritos. Frito-Lay wanted to respond to growing health concerns about fried snack foods.
However, Frito-Lay was careful not to demonize fried Doritos. Advertising still portrayed Baked Doritos as delivering the same crispy texture and bold Doritos taste – just in a more guilt-free snack. Taglines included “Same Doritos crunch. Different Doritos munch.” TV commercials featured popular animated characters like the Flintstones enjoying Baked Doritos as part of an active, healthy lifestyle.
What contributed to the decline of Baked Doritos?
In the late 2000s, Frito-Lay made the decision to discontinue Baked Doritos in the United States and Canada. There were a few likely contributing factors to this decision:
- Declining sales – As consumer preferences changed, sales of Baked Doritos steadily declined in the 2000s after their initial boom in the 1990s. Their lower fat content may have hurt their mass market appeal. Fried snacks also became popular again.
- Higher costs – Producing Baked Doritos was more expensive than frying regular Doritos, which squeezed profit margins for Frito-Lay. The company likely determined the brand wasn’t worth the production costs.
- Cannibalization concerns – Frito-Lay may have feared Baked Doritos were stealing market share from more profitable regular Doritos, so discontinuing Baked Doritos could boost overall Doritos sales.
By 2007, Baked Doritos were taken off shelves permanently in the U.S. and Canada. However, they continued to be sold internationally in markets like India and Mexico.
Are Baked Doritos still available anywhere today?
When Frito-Lay discontinued Baked Doritos in the U.S. and Canada, they did continue producing them for certain international markets, especially in Latin America and south Asia. Here is the availability of Baked Doritos today in some countries:
| Country | Baked Doritos Availability |
|---|---|
| United States | No longer available after discontinuation in late 2000s |
| Canada | No longer available after discontinuation in late 2000s |
| Mexico | Still available in select flavors like Nacho Cheese |
| India | Available nationwide in flavors like Nacho Cheese and Tangy Tomato |
| Philippines | Sporadically in stock in select stores |
| United Kingdom | Discontinued |
Based on this, Baked Doritos remain steadily available today in India and parts of Latin America like Mexico. But in the U.S., Canada, UK, and other major Western markets, Baked Doritos have been gone for over 10 years with no signs of returning.
Could Baked Doritos make a comeback?
There is always the possibility that Frito-Lay could revive Baked Doritos at some point, especially given recent revived interest in lower fat and lower carb snack options like PopCorners. However, Frito-Lay has given no official indication of plans to bring back Baked Doritos.
The company has focused innovation efforts on new specialty Doritos flavors and variations like Doritos Roulette rather than revisiting Baked Doritos. And since discontinuing Baked Doritos, Frito-Lay has released other more successful low-fat brands like Baked Lay’s and Lay’s Stax premium chips.
Still, nostalgia for 1990s and 2000s snack foods remains high. Frito-Lay occasionally brings back discontinued “retro” snacks for limited-time only releases. So while a full nationwide relaunch of Baked Doritos seems unlikely, it’s possible they could return as a limited-run blast from the past…but don’t hold your breath.
The pros of relaunching Baked Doritos:
- Capitalize on consumer nostalgia and fond memories of the original Baked Doritos
- Appeal to newer generations looking for lower fat snacks
- Take advantage of higher margins and pricing for specialty retro snack releases
The cons of relaunching Baked Doritos:
- Significant R&D costs to reformulate Baked Doritos for today’s market
- Risk of cannibalizing sales from more popular current Doritos brands
- Uncertainty whether the lower fat appeal still resonates with consumers
How can you get your Baked Doritos fix today?
While original Baked Doritos may not be available, fans still have a few options to get a similar baked crunch and flavor experience:
- Try Baked Lay’s – These oven-baked chips come in similar flavors like Cheddar and Sour Cream.
- Make your own – Find baked Dorito copycat recipes online that recreate the crunch and seasoning.
- Look for off-brand versions – Some grocery store brands offer baked tortilla chips with similar seasoning.
- Import them – You can find Baked Doritos sold through some online specialty snack retailers.
Baked Doritos had a strong run in the 90s and early 2000s as a popular lower fat snack. But over time, sales declined and Frito-Lay moved on to other ventures. While you may get an occasional Baked Doritos flavor for limited runs, a full comeback seems unlikely but not impossible. For now, fans will have to seek out alternative baked crisp options to get their fix of this beloved retro snack.
Conclusion
Baked Doritos offered consumers a way to enjoy the flavors of their favorite tortilla chips while cutting down on fat and calories. Their popularity surged in the 90s as consumer priorities shifted more toward health considerations. However, declining sales, higher production costs, and cannibalization of more profitable fried Doritos eventually prompted Frito-Lay to discontinue Baked Doritos in the late 2000s, aside from select international markets. Fans who want to relive the Baked Doritos experience today have a few workarounds, like trying copycat recipes or stocking up when limited runs are released. But the days of grabbing a bag of Baked Nacho Cheese Doritos off any convenience store shelf are likely gone for good.