Recipes and Cooking Food Trends 14 Blue Ribbon-Worthy State Fair Foods You Can Make at Home By Sheena Chihak, RD Sheena Chihak, RD Instagram Sheena Chihak is a registered dietitian, former food editor and current edit lead for BHG with over 15 years of writing and editing experience for both print and digital. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on August 9, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Kritsada Panichgul Can't make it to the state fair this year? No problem. Use our recipes to indulge in your favorite treats—right in your own home—from ice cream sundaes, mini donuts, and deep-fried pickles to corn dogs. 01 of 14 Mix-and-Match Baked Chicken Fingers and Dipping Sauces View Recipe Kritsada Panichgul Fair foods often involve mash-ups of epic proportions, so why not try breading chicken with crushed tortilla chips and serving them with a cooled-down Mexican salsa dipping sauce. These are baked rather than fried, and that means we can eat more, right? 02 of 14 DIY Pineapple Whip View Recipe In the list of favorite fair foods, nothing cools you off faster while walking the grounds than a frosty pineapple whip. If you can't get to the fair this year, or want one when it's not fair time, this take of the classic Dole whip is only five ingredients and a couple of minutes of blending away from being ready to enjoy. 03 of 14 Air-Fryer Pickle Chips View Recipe Matthew Clark Make this classic state fair food a little bit healthier at home by frying up pickle slices in your air fryer. Since the trendy appliance cooks food using high heat and circulating air instead of oil, you can indulge in these crispy, crunchy pickle chips guilt-free. Serve them with a spicy sriracha dipping sauce, and you'll love yours even more than the fair's. 04 of 14 Donut Hole Pops View Recipe Andy Lyons When you're going for state fair food fun, the more desserts on a stick, the better. This one couldn't be easier: Add lollipop sticks to donut holes (any flavor will do), dunk them in melted candy coating, and decorate. 05 of 14 Battered Bacon View Recipe Karla Conrad Fried. Bacon. On a stick. For the ultimate fair experience, fry the battered bacon on skewers and you can snack on the go. Batter-fried bacon definitely falls into the unique category, so when you also turn it into food on a stick, this recipe becomes everything Americans love about the state fair in one crunchy dish. 06 of 14 Classic Pork Tenderloin Sandwich View Recipe It's just not the state fair until you find a pork tenderloin sandwich that's almost as big as your face. These super-sized sandwiches need not be limited to the fairgrounds. When you make this recipe at home, pound the pork tenderloin thin for the maximum ratio of crunchy fried exterior to savory, meaty tenderloin, and you'll feel like you're standing right on the main drag of the fair. 07 of 14 Bacon Cheeseburgers with Kentucky Bourbon Sauce View Recipe Blaine Moats Bye-bye, basic burgers. These spiked bourbon sauce, bacon, and beef burgers are towering with salty flavors that will keep you coming back for bite after drippy bite. 08 of 14 Electric Lemonade View Recipe Karla Conrad Fresh-squeezed lemonade stands are a cinch for cooling off at the fair—and washing down deep-fried foods and desserts. Our recipe is an upgrade on the classic, with mint, sparkling water, and vodka (for the over-21 crowd) in the mix. 09 of 14 Mini Cinnamon-Sugar Donuts View Recipe Adam Albright Itty-bitty cinnamon-sugar donuts, warm from the fryer, attract long lines of hungry fairgoers, and for good reason. Who can resist the moist cake and the sweet coating? To make them at home, try our low-fuss baked method. Craving even more sweetness? Dunk them in, or drizzle them with a powdered sugar glaze. 10 of 14 Cherry Hand Pies View Recipe Andy Lyons State fair food is known for being easy to eat on the go—just like these cherry hand pies. While they might not be quite the same as a slice on a stick, these handheld pies can't help but remind us of all of the fair's sweet finger foods. Whenever you miss walking down the midway, just bake up a batch of these cherry pie treats to set you dreaming of summer. 11 of 14 Blondie Sticks View Recipe Blaine Moats Cookies served on a stick? Yes, please. Add a lollipop stick, wooden skewer, ice pop stick, or even a straw, to long, thin blondie cookies for a showy sweet that's easy to decorate (since you have a handle). To give them a little extra sweetness and flair, dip them in melted chocolate or frosting, and add sprinkles. 12 of 14 Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Root Beer Barbecue Sauce View Recipe Blaine Moats Warning: You're going to want to roll up your sleeves before you take a bite of this sweet and spicy pulled pork sandwich. For a hands-off roast that's fall-apart tender, simmer it in your slow cooker in a sauce of root beer and chili. 13 of 14 Fried Pickles View Recipe Blaine Moats Whether you like your fair pickles fried whole or in slices, this recipe lets you make them just the way you like. Coat pickles in a buttermilk and cornmeal batter, then deep-fry them for a salty, crunchy twist on french fries. Try making a creamy dipping sauce to make each bite extra tasty. 14 of 14 Banana Split Cupcakes View Recipe Blaine Moats Banana cupcakes are good. But banana cupcakes topped with ice cream, whipped cream, hot fudge, and a cherry? Definitely worthy of a first place ribbon. Like any good state fair food, this deliciously sweet recipe is a mash-up of decadent cupcakes and a luscious banana split sundae. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit