Your best gingerbread creations could win $500 from Central Market

After a lengthy session on August 18 involving about 30 celebrity judges, the State Fair of Texas has officially unveiled the winners of its 22nd annual Big Tex Choice Awards.

The judges (include CultureMap's Alex Bentley) tasted and evaluated sample sizes of 15 finalists, five each from the categories of "Savory," "Sweet," and "Sipper." Each of the winners were evaluated on four criteria: Taste, Value for the Price, Presentation, and Creativity.

Without further delay, here are the big winners, with photos, descriptions, and prices of each creation to help you make your Fair food plan:

Best Taste - Savory: Burger Chop Tater Tacos by Tom Grace

Burger Chop Tater Tacos, winner of the Savory category at the 2026 Big Tex Choice Awards.Photo courtesy of State Fair of Texas

The tacos feature a shell of cheddar cheese and tater tots that are mashed together and fried. It is then filled with a fresh burger patty chopped and combined with sautéed onions and jalapeños, and topped by buffalo buttermilk ranch coleslaw and garlic parmesan buffalo sauce.

The Burger Chop Tater Tacos will be available for $16 for fairgoers.

Best Taste - Sweet: Fletcher's Chocolate Corny Dog by Beck Fletcher

Fletcher's Chocolate Corny Dog, winner of the Sweet category at the 2026 Big Tex Choice AwardsPhoto courtesy of State Fair of Texas

The Fletcher’s Chocolate Corny Dog consists of milk chocolate fudge hand dipped in Fletcher’s famous Original Corny Dog batter and deep fried until golden perfection. It is topped with a drizzle of yellow vanilla icing (meant to mimic mustard) and served with raspberry compote (meant to mimic ketchup).

The Fletcher's Chocolate Corny Dog will be the deal among the winners, priced at only $7.

Best Taste - Sipper: Tropical Coco Fresca by Fruteria Cano

Tropical Coca Fresca, winner of the Sippers category at the 2026 Big Tex Choice AwardsPhoto courtesy of State Fair of Texas

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. The drink will go for $12.

Most Creative: Berry Me in Matcha by Stephen El Gidi (pictured, above).

The sweet treat features a New York-style cheesecake hand-dipped in Belgian white chocolate, rolled in crushed matcha cookies, drizzled with white chocolate and sweet strawberry jam, and finished with a fresh strawberry slice on top.

Priced at a relatively expensive $15, it may be the sweet indulgence that fairgoers choose to share.

The State Fair of Texas will run September 25-October 18, giving people plenty of time to try out these winners and the multitude of other food options the event has to offer.