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Hey, State Fair fans! Get your taste buds ready! From chocolate corn dogs to soft serve ritas and a LOT more new menu items, the State Fair of Texas just announced the finalists for the 22nd Annual Big Tex® Choice Awards presented by Karbach Brewing Company. Winners will be crowned on Tuesday, August 18, in the categories of Best Taste – Savory, Best Taste – Sweet, Best Taste – Sipper, and Most Creative. We’ll be covering the event, so be sure to follow us on social media (@dallasfoodnerd) and @StateFairofTX for live updates!
If you’re wondering how this all works…
The competition received a record-breaking 77 entries from 46 different concessionaires earlier this year. This competition is only open to State Fair of Texas concessionaires with at least two years of experience at the Fair. Concessionaires submitted their original recipes and creative work to the fair’s blind judging process. Keeping this process anonymous ensures each entry is judged on its own merits.
From the 77 entries, 15 finalists were just announced today by the fair to advance to the next round for the coveted culinary titles. On August 18, a team of 35 distinguished judges will evaluate each dish based on four key Fair-food elements: taste, value, creativity, and fairgoer appeal. We can’t wait to see who will be crowded in each highly anticipated category!
Drumroll please…here are the 15 finalists competing for the 2026 Big Tex® Choice Awards titles.
SAVORY
Burger Chop Tater Tacos, Tom Grace. A fresh burger patty is seared to perfection, chopped, and combined with sautéed onions and jalapeños. Topped with mozzarella and American cheese, the mixture is placed atop a bed of cheddar cheese tater tots formed into a taco shell and finished with buffalo buttermilk ranch coleslaw, garlic parmesan buffalo sauce, and more tots, making for the ultimate Burger Chop Tater Tacos!
Dickel’s Texas Two Step Tacos, Dickel’s Smokehouse. The Dickel’s Texas Two Step Tacos are a bold, delicious taco duo that brings pure backyard flavor to every bite. The first taco features a fire-roasted jalapeño stuffed with juicy pineapple pork sausage and melted mozzarella, tucked into a warm blue corn tortilla with rich, charred flavor. The second taco brings the smoke, with tender-sliced brisket wrapped around a roasted jalapeño, layered with melted mozzarella, and served on a heat-kissed yellow corn tortilla finished with crisp purple pickled onion and a drizzle of sweet, smoky barbecue sauce or house made Lone Star Habanero Fuego.
Flamin’ Crunch Pizza, Tom Grace. The Flamin’ Crunch Pizza consists of hand-tossed, fresh-made pizza dough topped with a jalapeño cheddar queso base and covered with a freshly grated blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. After baking to perfection, the pizza is topped with handfuls of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos®, a drizzle of jalapeño queso blanco and house-made buffalo buttermilk ranch dressing, and a hefty sprinkle of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos® dust over the entire pizza!
Golden Crunch Melt, Tony & Terry Bednar. Get ready for the ultimate Texas fair-food crunch! A tortilla brushed in a signature seasoned butter oil and grilled to a crispy golden finish is packed with juicy marinated chicken pastor, fire-roasted peppers, caramelized onions, smoky chipotle mayonnaise, melted three-cheese blend, and crispy potato strings in every bite and finished with a signature smoky chipotle crema. The result is the perfect combination of crunch, creamy heat, and cheesy goodness – the Golden Crunch Melt!
Nacho Wings, Cody & Lauren Hays. Get ready for the ultimate flavor explosion! Nacho Wings are crispy chicken wings tossed in zesty taco seasoning, smothered in creamy nacho cheese, and piled high with cilantro, green onions, cotija cheese, tomatoes, pickled red onions, and jalapeños. Served on a bed of hot, golden fries and drizzled with ranch, this larger-than-life creation brings together Fair-food classics: nachos, wings, and loaded fries in one wildly delicious bite!
SWEET
Berry Me in Matcha, Stephen El Gidi. Introducing Berry Me in Matcha — a luxurious flavor experience that fuses creamy cheesecake indulgence with bold Japanese-inspired flair. This rich New York-style cheesecake is hand-dipped in silky Belgian white chocolate, rolled in crushed matcha cookies for a delicate earthy crunch, then drizzled with luscious white chocolate and sweet strawberry jam. Finished with a fresh strawberry slice on top, every bite delivers the perfect balance of creamy, crunchy, fruity, and sweet matcha bliss.
Fernie’s Frozen Espresso-tini Bar, Christi Erpillo & Johnna McKee. This espresso martini popsicle delivers rich, divine indulgence in a perfectly frozen form. Robust cold-brew espresso is blended with a spirited kick of Fernie’s Funnel Cake Cream Cocktail™, creating layers of deep coffee flavors and hints of vanilla. Each Fernie’s Frozen Espresso-tini Bar is artfully drizzled with ribbons of chocolate shell coating, hardening into a delicate, crackable bite, making for the ultimate pick-me-up on a stick!
Fletcher’s Chocolate Corny Dog, Beck Fletcher. The Fletcher’s Chocolate Corny Dog consists of smooth milk chocolate fudge hand dipped in Fletcher’s famous Original Corny Dog batter and is deep fried until golden perfection. Topped with a drizzle of yellow vanilla icing and served with raspberry compote for a sweet twist on the iconic Corny Dog. One bite and you’ll taste why this sweet treat is top dog!
Holy Flan! Buñueloco, The Garza Family. Indulge in a sweet celebration of tradition and creativity with Holy Flan! Buñueloco. This sweet treat starts with a warm, crispy buñuelo bowl filled with creamy, homemade arroz con leche and a scoop of premium cinnamon Blue Bell® Ice Cream. The highlight is a decadent, deep-fried flan encased in a delicate puff pastry shell, topped with fluffy whipped cream topping and a rich caramel sauce drizzle for a perfect harmony of textures.
Texas Pecan Praline Cheesecake Cone, Brad Weiss. A warm waffle cone fresh off the iron is dipped in white chocolate, rolled in buttery Texas pecan praline, crushed Biscoff® cookies, and freeze-dried strawberries, and filled with homemade, creamy scoopable cookie butter cheesecake. The Texas Pecan Praline Cheesecake Cone is topped with a pinch of sea salt, whipped cream, Biscoff® crumble, warm cookie butter drizzle, white chocolate sauce, and finished with a signature Biscoff® cookie, making for one unforgettable State Fair bite.
SIPPER
Corn Flake Shappé, Milton & Gracie Whitley. Forget the bowl and grab a straw — the creamy Corn Flake Shappé blends toasted corn flakes into a rich creation with silky dulce de leche, buttery Texas pecan notes, and a signature blend of warm spices. Finished with whipped cream, golden corn flake crunch, sweet strawberry crumble, and a dusting of powdered sugar, this creamy-and-crunchy sip is ready to cereal-ously two-step its way into your favorites.
Nevins Soft Serve Peach Bellini Float, Tami & Josey Nevins Mayes. Feeling nostalgic? Revisit this childhood classic—now with a boozy twist! The Nevins Soft Serve Peach Bellini Float featuring rich, creamy peach bellini soft serve infused with sparkling wine, topped with sparkling sugar and grated frozen peach for the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, and bubbly flavors. Finished with a sugary-sweet golden topping, this boozy float is a sophisticated spin on a childhood favorite that’s sure to raise a glass to Fair fun.
Rousso’s Bacon Jam Caramel Apple Hard Cider, Rousso’s Concessions. Straight from Deep Ellum, the Rousso’s Bacon Jam Caramel Apple Hard Cider is crafted with hints of apples, caramel, churros, cinnamon sugar, and a smoky bacon jam twist for bold Texas flavors that hit your sweet, salty, and smooth cravings all at once.
Sunset Soft Serve Rita, Dwania Morris. The Sunset Soft Serve Rita combines a strawberry and mango margarita with vanilla soft-serve ice cream, a bold Tajín® rim, rich chamoy drizzle, and a crunchy hot honey Tajín® topping for the perfect balance of sweet-heat indulgence. This over-the-top frozen creation blends creamy tropical flavors with spice and irresistible texture in every bite.
Tropical Coco Fresca, Fruteria Cano. The Tropical Coco Fresca is a layered pineapple-watermelon agua fresca with chamoy lava Tajin® rim, paired with a scoop of icy coconut snow that melts into a creamy tropical explosion of flavors, sure to keep you cool in the Texas heat!
SEMI-FINALISTS
The State Fair of Texas also recognizes this year’s semi-finalists whose innovative entries will still make their debut at the 2026 State Fair, as new foods. Don’t miss out on these tasty bites and sips at the fair this year!
- All Shook Up
- Butter-Dipped Toffee Crunch Nutty Bar
- Deep Fried Thai Tea Tres Leches Cake
- Dirty Dr Pepper® Do-Si-Do Float
- Fried Gobbler Roll
- Layered Mango Strawberry Shortcake
- Limonata Fresca Float
- Loaded Lone Star Rings
- Love Me Jam Sandwich
- Matcha Parfait
- Midnight Ruby Rush
- Soft Serve Smoked Peach Bourbon Smash
- The Niece
- Triple Chocolate Flautas
- Twinkle Twinkle Brisket Star
The 2026 State Fair of Texas, themed “Stars, Stripes, & Howdies,” will open on Friday, September 25, and will run through Sunday, October 18. Tickets: BigTex.com/Tickets
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