The tastiest time of the year is here! The culmination of hard work, sweat, and oil in creating the most appetizing Fair foods. The 21st Annual Big Tex® Choice Awards, presented by Karbach Brewing Company, was one to be remembered. After tasting and evaluating all 15 items, the all-star panel of judges tallied their scores and made their decisions. Without further ado… the winners are: “Best Taste – Savory” goes to the Crab & Mozzarella Arancini by Stefan T. Nedwetzky, “Best Taste – Sweet” goes to the Chill & Thrill Delight by Tony & Terry Bednar, “Best Taste –Sipper” goes to Cookie Chaos Milkshake by Brad Weiss, and Wagyu Bacon Cheeseburger Deviled Egg Sliders by Kendall Williams , takes home “Most Creative”.
Best Taste – Savory
Crab & Mozzarella Arancini, Stefan T. Nedwetzky
Our Crab & Mozzarella Arancini are handcrafted with an irresistible blend of premium Maryland Blue Crab meat, white rice, mozzarella cheese, spring onion, red bell pepper, lemon, and black pepper. Each rice ball is delicately seasoned with aromatic herbs including garlic, coriander, and basil. They are dipped in a crunchy breadcrumb coating, then deep fried to a golden, crispy finish. Handmade in small batches to ensure the highest quality! Served with a side of our homemade marinara sauce.
Best Taste – Sweet
Chill & Thrill Delight, Tony & Terry Bednar
Chill & Thrill Delight is a vibrant, refreshing twist on Colombia’s famous Salpicon de Frutas that is perfect for a warm day at the State Fair. A Texas-sized cup is packed with juicy, diced mango, pineapple, watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe, and strawberries, all soaked in fresh watermelon juice with a splash of lime. It’s topped with a handcrafted shaved mango sorbet that slowly melts into the mix for a sweet, tangy fusion. Whether you’re cooling off or chasing bold flavors, this fruity treat is sure to thrill!
Best Taste – Sipper
Cookie Chaos Milkshake, Brad Weiss
This shake is what cookie dreams are made of! A rich, creamy, cookie butter milkshake loaded with snickerdoodle chunks, Golden Oreo® Cookies, and classic Oreo® Cookies for the ultimate cookie explosion. We top it with a fluffy swirl of whipped cream, a scoop of edible cookie butter cookie dough, a perfectly perched Biscoff® cookie, and a cookie butter drizzle that ties it all together. Finished with a rim coated in crushed Biscoff ® cookie pieces for that extra crunch in every sip, the Cookie Chaos Milkshake is sweet, spiced, and unapologetically over the top.
Most Creative
Wagyu Bacon Cheeseburger Deviled Egg Sliders, Kendall Williams
Who knew a deviled egg could become the juiciest, most flavor-packed burger slider ever? We did! The Wagyu Bacon Cheeseburger Deviled Egg Sliders start with a Cajun-seasoned Wagyu patty, topped with aged cheddar and crispy applewood bacon. The twist? Instead of a bun, it’s sandwiched between two deep fried, panko-crusted deviled egg halves—crispy outside, creamy and tangy inside. Served with a house-made ketchup-inspired sauce, it’s a bold, one-of-a-kind bite you have to try at this year’s Fair!
Every year, the judges of the Big Tex Choice Awards face the tough yet tasty task of selecting the winning Fair foods – the task at hand this year was not easy; the field was especially competitive. Despite not taking home one of the titles today, the other delicious 2025 finalists include: Deep Fried Deli Tacos by Brent & Juan Reaves, Hans Brisket & Brew Stuffed Pretzels by Glen & Sherri Kusak, Vietnamese Crunch Dog by The Le Family, Candy Lemon Sour Face by Chef Heather J. Perkins, Dubai Chocolate Cheesecake by Stephen El Gidi, Rousso’s Dubai Chocolate Funnel Cake Fries by Isaac & Joey Rousso, Tex’s Toast á la Mode by Michelle & Jayse Edwards, Coconut Quadruple by Binh Tran & My Vo, Hot Honeycomb Lemonade Shake Up by Tom Grace, Nevins Dirty Red Bull® Tex-arita by Josey Nevins Mayes & Tami Jo Nevins Mayes, and Poppin’ Boba Rita by Justin Martinez.
This year’s panel of celebrity judges was comprised of Jeff Allen — Co-Founder of Cookie Society; Marissa Allen — Co-Founder of Cookie Society; Keandre Hopkins — Content Creator; Chris Meyer — General Manager of Karbach Brewing Company; and Alex Snodgrass — Author, Content Creator, and Founder of SideDish.