25 Carnival Treats You Can Make at Home
Bring the carnival home with these state fair-inspired recipes. From sweet treats to deep-fried delights, they're sure to make you smile — no ferris wheel required.
Photo By: Teri Lyn Fisher
Photo By: Matt Armendariz
Photo By: Matt Armedariz ©2012, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.
Photo By: Teri Lyn Fisher
Photo By: Tara Donne
Photo By: Matt Armendariz
Photo By: Tara Donne
Photo By: Tara Donne ©FOOD NETWORK : 2012, Television Food Network, G.P.
Photo By: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Photo By: RYAN DAUSCH
Photo By: Teri Lyn Fisher
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Mini Corndogs
Crispy, golden and slightly sweet, corndogs are an iconic carnival dish. Trisha serves hers with both ketchup and mustard sauces for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Mini Corndogs
Homemade Funnel Cakes
Bring the carnival home with this classic fair dessert. Fried dough is crisp and golden brown on the outside and soft and cakey on the inside. Covered in a shower of confectioners' sugar and sprinkle of cinnamon, it's the perfect fun dessert for a casual get-together.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Funnel Cakes
Barbecued Turkey Legs
These massive barbecued bird legs are a street fair staple. Now you can make them at home with an easy dry brine that eliminates the need for submerging them in a big pot of salted water.
Get the Recipe: Barbecued Turkey Legs
Cotton Candy Lemonade Slushies
Consider these slushies the ultimate two-in-one treat: frozen lemonade concentrate gets blended with cotton candy to make a bright pink beverage that screams of carnival fun.
Get the Recipe: Cotton Candy Lemonade Slushie
Fried Cheesy Pickles
For a Southern-style snack, wrap pickle spears in cheese and egg roll wrappers and fry until golden.
Get the Recipe: Fried Cheesy Pickles
Chocolate Dipped Bananas on Stick
Treat yourself to something sweet with this state fair favorite. You’ll need to plan ahead to allow for freezing time, but the process of dipping and decorating the bananas is a breeze.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Dipped Bananas on Stick
Mexican Grilled Corn
Tyler adds tons of flavor to in-season grilled corn on the cob by making it Mexican-style with cheese and chili powder.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Grilled Corn
Low Country Nachos
True to the spirit of carnival treats, these tortilla chips are piled high with anything-but-average fixings for a savory, over-the-top bite you’ll be glad you tried!
Get the Recipe: Low Country Nachos
Fried Apple Hand Pies
Hand-held apple pies in a flaky, deep-fried crust? Yes, please! You can even make these pies ahead (and stock them in your freezer for up to 6 months) so that the only thing you have to do when you're craving a carnival-inpsired sweet, is fry them.
Get the Recipe: Fried Apple Hand Pies
Idaho-Style Finger Steaks
These golden and crispy deep-fried steak strips are what happens when chicken-fried steak meets chicken fingers. We like them dipped in a homemade "fry sauce" or bottled cocktail sauce, but ranch dressing would be great too.
Get the Recipe: Idaho-Style Finger Steaks
Sausage, Peppers and Onions
Giada says these street-style sandwiches are a staple in Italy, but we've been known to see them around the fair. She starts by browning sweet Italian turkey sausage, then simmers the meat and veggies in tomato paste and marsala wine for added depth of flavor.
Get the Recipe: Sausage, Peppers and Onions
Funnel Cake Bites with Strawberry Sauce
It just wouldn’t be a carnival without warm, powdery funnel cake. Kardea takes hers to the next level by frying the dough in bite-size pieces — and pairing these tiny treats with a simple homemade strawberry dipping sauce.
Get the Recipe: Funnel Cake Bites with Strawberry Sauce
Double-Fried French Fries
If you’re looking for a classic French fry, Guy’s recipe can’t be beat. He fries potato slices twice to ensure a crispy finish and perfect consistency.
Get the Recipe: Double-Fried French Fries
Deep-Fried Cheesecake Bites
As Ree says, this recipe “is absolutely ridiculous in a really delicious way.” And really, isn’t that what carnival food is all about?
Get the Recipe: Deep-Fried Cheesecake Bites
Mini Corn Dog Muffins with Creole Mustard Sauce
Kardea’s quick and easy take on corn dogs tastes just like the classic — but skips all the work of battering and deep frying!
Get the Recipe: Mini Corn Dog Muffins with Creole Mustard Sauce
Deep-Fried Tagalongs
These gooey deep-fried treats are the perfect excuse to buy another box of Tagalongs® at the next Girl Scout cookie sale. The chocolate-covered peanut butter cookies are dipped in a sweet batter that gets an extra peanutty boost from powdered PB. They're fried until golden and served with a dusting of powdered sugar and chocolate sauce for dipping.
Get the Recipe: Deep-Fried Tagalongs
Mozzarella Sticks
Giada coats mozzarella in Italian-style dried breadcrumbs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese before frying. These cheesy sticks can be made and frozen before cooking up to two days in advance.
Get the Recipe: Mozzarella Sticks
Fried Ice Cream with Cereal Crust
Hot and crunchy on the outside, cold and creamy on the inside — these cereal-crusted ice cream balls are the perfect project for someone with a sweet tooth. Choose one of our fun combinations — or create your own!
Get the Recipe: Fried Ice Cream with Cereal Crust
Spiced Kettle Corn
Melissa's sweet-salty kettle corn is a crowd-pleasing 10-minute treat.
Get the Recipe: Spiced Kettle Corn
Frozen Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches
Giada coats the tops of her cookies with chocolate-toffee candy bars before assembling these decadent ice cream sandwiches.
Get the Recipe: Frozen Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches
Mini Chicken and Waffles
Chicken and waffles are a match made in heaven — so why not chicken and waffle fries? To make this easy app, bake chicken nuggets and waffle fries as the labels direct. Top each waffle fry with a nugget, skewer with a toothpick and drizzle with spicy honey.
Get the Recipe: Mini Chicken and Waffles
Funnel Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches
Vanilla cake mix makes up the batter for Trisha’s funnel cakes, which sandwich a big scoop of sweet vanilla ice cream.
Get the Recipe: Funnel Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches
Caramel Apples
A deep, rich caramel makes for a classic shiny caramel apple.
Get the Recipe: Caramel Apples
Soft Pizza Pretzels
Who doesn’t love a pillowy pretzel? For a fun spin on the classic recipe, season the pretzels with Parmesan, garlic and Italian herbs and serve with marinara for dunking.
Get the Recipe: Soft Pizza Pretzels
Fried Elvis Banana on a Stick
Elvis goes to the county fair, when his favorite flavor combination is deep-fried and served on a stick.
Get the Recipe: Fried Elvis Banana on a Stick
