The Gunny Sack

  • Home
  • Dinner
  • Recipe Index
    • All Recipes
    • Air Fryer
    • Appetizer
      • Dip
    • Beverages
      • Coffee
      • Smoothie
    • Breakfast
    • Crock Pot
    • Dessert
      • Bars
      • Cake
      • Candy
      • Cheesecake
      • Chocolate
      • Cookies
      • Fruit Desserts
        • Apple
        • Banana
        • Pumpkin
        • Strawberry
      • Fudge
      • Ice Cream
      • No Bake
      • Peanut Butter
      • peppermint
      • Pie
      • Truffles
    • Dinner
      • Beef
      • Bread
      • Casserole
      • Chicken
      • Grilled
      • Pasta
      • Pizza
      • Pork
      • Salad
      • Sauces and Dressing
      • Side
        • Potatoes
        • Vegetables
      • Soup
    • Snack
    • Holiday
      • Easter
      • Christmas
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
      • Valentine’s Day
  • About
    • About The Team
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Appetizers
  • Desserts
  • Dinners
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Desserts
    • Dinners
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Fair Food

    Fair Food Recipes

    Modified: Mar 20, 2024 · Published: Aug 21, 2020 by Tonia Larson

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Enjoy your favorite Fair Food without leaving home by whipping up these tasty recipes for everything from funnel cakes to corn dogs!

    collage of fair food

    All summer we’ve been sharing some of the most popular foods found at fairs, carnivals, theme parks, and food trucks. It’s time to put them all in one place so they are easy to find so that you can make them any time of the year.

    savory fried foods collage

    From the sweet treats like churros, donut sticks, and deep fried Oreos to the savory options such as cheese curds, jalapeno poppers, and Indian tacos, we all have our favorite fair food that we look forward to getting each summer. So why not surprise your family and friends by making some fried pickles or corn fritters to share the next time you get together!

    Corn Dogs Recipe
    With this Corn Dogs recipe, you can make your favorite fair food at home! Hot dogs are hand dipped in a sweet, honey flavored batter and fried until golden.
    Get this recipe
    A homemade corn dog in a paper tray.
    Fried Cheese Curds Recipe
    This Fried Cheese Curds recipe was so easy to make. These deep fried white cheddar cheese curds are the BEST appetizer and are a perfect game day recipe.

    Get this recipe
    Deep fried cheese curds.
    Funnel Cake Recipe
    Make this easy Funnel Cake Recipe and surprise your family with fair food at home! Just add your favorite toppings to these sweet, crispy funnel cakes.
    Get this recipe
    A funnel cake with powdered sugar on top.
    Fried Pickles
    This deep Fried Pickles recipe is a fun way to eat fair food at home! Serve the crispy fried pickles on a stick as an appetizer with dipping sauce.
    Get this recipe
    Deep fried pickles.
    Snow Cone Syrup
    Homemade Snow Cone Syrup can be made in a rainbow of colors and the sky is the limit for flavor options! Use it on snow cones, shave ice, snoballs, or in beverages.
    Get this recipe
    Snow cone syrup bottles in a row.
    Baked Mozzarella Cheese Sticks Recipe
    Easy Baked Mozzarella Cheese Sticks Recipe that is perfect for an after school snack, party appetizer and game day. Super simple to make with string cheese!

    Get this recipe
    Mozzarella cheese sticks on a plate with dipping sauce.
    Corn In A Cup
    This Corn In A Cup from the Iowa State Fair is a flavorful way to enjoy the taste of fresh sweet corn with a Mexican flair.
    Get this recipe
    Corn in a cup with a lime wedge.
    Elephant Ears Recipe
    Deep fried, crispy Elephant Ears topped with cinnamon sugar give you a taste of the fair at home and the no yeast fry bread recipe is super easy to make.
    Get this recipe
    Elephant ears with cinnamon sugar.
    Baked Apple Tornado Recipe
    Stir up a little fun the fall with this Baked Apple Tornado recipe! This spiral apple drizzled with caramel is a delicious twist on the classic baked apple.
    Get this recipe
    Baked apple tornado with whipped cream.
    Fried Ice Cream
    Fried Ice Cream has a warm, crunchy shell with cold vanilla ice cream inside. Yes, it really is deep fried and served with cinnamon chips.
    Get this recipe
    fried ice cream in a white bowl with cinnamon tortilla chips
    Strawberry Nachos with Cinnamon Chips
    This easy Strawberry Nachos recipe with crispy cinnamon sugar tortilla chips, whipped cream, and juicy strawberries is the most delicious summer dessert!

    Get this recipe
    Strawberry nachos in a red berry basket.
    Mexican Street Corn
    Mouthwatering Mexican Street Corn slathered with spicy mayo, sprinkled with cotija cheese and cilantro and drizzle with lime juice.

    Get this recipe
    Mexican street corn on a white platter.
    Fry Bread
    This fry bread recipe is made with only three ingredients and can be used to make everything from a sweet treat to a savory dinner.
    Get this recipe
    Drizzling honey on fry bread.
    Apple Cider Doughnuts
    Apple Cider Doughnuts are fried cake donuts that are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with apple flavor!
    Get this recipe
    Apple Cider Donuts on a pan.
    Garlic Herb Chicken Kabobs
    Grilled Garlic Herb Chicken Kabobs with bell peppers, onions, and zucchini are so colorful and full of flavor! You get your whole meal on a stick!

    Get this recipe
    Garlic herb chicken kabobs.
    Fried Oreos
    Golden, Deep Fried Oreos are so easy to make at home! These sweet treats are fair food at it's finest and your family will love them.
    Get this recipe
    deep fried oreos.
    Walking Taco
    This Walking Taco recipe for a convenient meal on the go without the need for a plate! Taco In A Bag is a popular choice for camping, parties, and picnics.
    Get this recipe
    Walking tacos in a Doritos bag.
    Two Ingredient Dough Soft Pretzels
    Two Ingredient Dough Soft Pretzels are SUPER EASY to make. No yeast and no waiting for the dough to rise. Just mix the dough, form the pretzels, dip in baking soda water and bake!

    Get this recipe
    Salted two ingredient dough soft pretzels.
    Cream Puffs
    Cream Puffs are the most popular item at the Wisconsin State Fair! You'll love this basic, four ingredient dough recipe for soft, puffy shells ready to be filled with whipped cream or any of your favorite fillings!
    Get this recipe
    Cream puff on a plate.
    Indian Tacos
    Indian Tacos, also know as Navajo tacos, are a Native American taco made on tender, crispy fry bread topped with taco meat, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes.
    Get this recipe
    Indian Tacos sliced into pieces.
    Homemade Brown Sugar Cinnamon Kettle Corn Recipe
    This homemade brown sugar cinnamon kettle corn is an easy kettle corn recipe. The sweet, salty, crunchy combination is delicious!
    Get this recipe
    Brown sugar kettle corn.
    Corn Fritter Recipe
    This Corn Fritter recipe makes tender little fried balls of dough with bits of sweet corn inside. Serve them warm with maple syrup and honey drizzled on top.
    Get this recipe
    Drizzling maple syrup on a stack of corn fritters.
    Mini Corn Dogs
    These kid-approved Mini Corn Dogs are hand dipped in a sweet, honey flavored cornmeal batter and deep fried until golden and crispy.
    Get this recipe
    Mini corn dogs in a basket.
    Donut Sticks
    Flaky, buttery Donut Sticks are SUPER easy to make. These deep fried cinnamon sugar coated doughnut sticks are totally dunkable!
    Get this recipe
    Donut sticks with cinnamon and sugar.
    Cheese On A Stick
    This irresistible Cheese On A Stick recipe make gooey, melted cheese coated in a sweet, honey flavored cornmeal batter that is fried to golden perfection.
    Get this recipe
    A bite removed from cheese on a stick.
    Snow Cones
    Eating a Snow Cone brings me right back to my childhood. Snocones are a classic summer treat that is easy to make at home!
    Get this recipe
    Adding syrup to a homemade snow cone.
    Jalapenos Popper Recipe
    Ultimate Jalapenos Popper recipe for a party appetizer that everyone loves! Crispy on the outside with melted cheese and bacon on the inside.
    Get this recipe
    Jalapenos Popper with a bite removed.
    Two Ingredient Dough Pretzel Bites
    Two Ingredient Dough Pretzel Bites are SUPER EASY to make with no yeast and no waiting for the dough to rise. Just mix the dough, cut nuggets, dip in baking soda water and bake!

    Get this recipe
    Pretzel bites with two ingredient dough.
    Nachos Recipe
    Make this loaded Nachos recipe to serve at your next party or surprise your family with sheet pan nachos dinner with all of their favorite toppings!
    Get this recipe
    Nachos on a tray.
    Deep Fried Pizza
    Deep Fried Pizza has the most fantastic crust that is buttery and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! Add your favorite toppings and bake.
    Get this recipe
    Deep fried pizza with pepperoni.
    Churros Recipe
    Deep fried Churros recipe that is soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and coated in cinnamon sugar just like at a fair or theme park!
    Get this recipe
    Churros with cinnamon sugar.
    Shave Ice and Snoball Recipes
    Fluffy Shave Ice drizzled with flavored syrup is the best way to cool off on a hot summer day! Top your snoball with gummies, sprinkles, or whipped cream.
    Get this recipe
    A shaved ice snoball with flavored syrup and a gummy shark.
    Dill Pickle Pizza
    Dill Pickle Pizza is a popular choice at the Minnesota State Fair! It has a uniquely delicious flavor combination of with ranch sauce, mozzarella cheese, and dill pickles.
    Get the Recipe
    A dill pickle pizza slice on a server.

    Fair Food Tools

    Ready to start making fair food? There are a few tools that we recommend getting to make some of these recipes easier to prepare. We decided to purchase a deep fryer to use when making fair food. It is easier than using a large pot on the stovetop and so far we’ve loved the results. The one we chose can hold 8 cups of food and up to 12 cups of oil. You can find our exact deep fryer here. We recommend using peanut oil for frying when possible because it has a high smoke point and a mellow flavor.

    sweet treats collage

    Another great tool for making fair food is an ice shaver. This powerful, electric ice shaver has dual blades that quickly turn ice cubes into fluffy snow. It is perfect for making shave ice, snow cones, and snoballs! We’ve already used our ice shaver so much this summer. And our daughters even brought it to a get-together at a friend’s house. Everyone there got to make their own shave ice.

    For a more authentic vibe, there are lots of paper products available online. We used these checkered food trays for our corn dogs along with wooden skewers. For the snow cone syrups, these squeeze bottles worked great. And colorful deli basket liners add a pop of color to any food tray or plate.

    More Fair Food

    • Ice cream tacos lined up on a wooden tray.
      Ice Cream Tacos
    • Two ingredient dough pretzel dogs.
      Two Ingredient Dough Pretzel Dogs
    • Apple Cider Donuts on a pan.
      Apple Cider Donuts
    • Glazed apple fritter on a cooling rack.
      Easy Apple Fritter Recipe

    About Tonia Larson

    Hi! I’m Tonia, the owner and recipe creator at The Gunny Sack, where I’ve shared easy recipes for busy people for 14+ years! My family-friendly meals, easy side dishes, and delicious desserts include mouthwatering photos, dynamic videos, and step-by-step instructions to help you cook at home.

    « Donut Sticks
    Churros Recipe »

    Leave A Review Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Tonia Larson from The Gunny Sack.

    Hi, I'm Tonia! Welcome to The Gunny Sack, where I’ve shared easy recipes for busy people for 14+ years! Meet Tonia Larson →

    Popular

    • two ingredient dough pretzel bites in a bowl
      Two Ingredient Dough Pretzel Bites
    • Boiled Corn On The Cob Recipe
      How To Boil Corn On The Cob
    • Pineapple Salsa Recipe | thegunnysack.com
      Pineapple Salsa Recipe
    • Deep fried cheese curds on parchment.
      Fried Cheese Curds

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Nutritional Disclaimer
    • Comment Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • About Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 The Gunny Sack