Historically, U.S. presidents have not been shy about admitting they have a sweet tooth, from President George Washington’s Cherry Bounce to President Abraham Lincoln’s favorite cake. So many of our nation’s leaders and their families have shared the recipes for their favorite treats over the years, too, like Betty Ford’s favorite ice cream topping or Jackie O’s signature lemon cake.
There’s one former leader in particular who was very closely linked to the culinary world and sweets. Prior to serving as our 39th president from 1977 to 1981, Present Jimmy Carter was a peanut farmer in Georgia. So, it’s probably no surprise that many of the recipes billed as his favorite contain peanuts—and many of his favorite desserts contain peanut butter.
Take the Reddit-famous Jimmy Carter cookies or this Jimmy Carter Dessert, which Allrecipes community member “JBS BOX” says is “larger than life, and is topped with the peanut farmer’s favorite nut.” But there’s one peanut butter treat that may have just won the former president’s heart the most: Rosalynn Carter’s Peanut Butter Pie.
Rosalynn Carter’s Peanut Butter Pie
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
The power couple shared many campaigns, meals, and memories throughout their 75-year marriage, and this peanut butter fudge-meets-custard-meets-meringue pie was reportedly a staple through it all. It’s a multi-layer method, which looks showy and tastes amazing.
Over the years, the pie recipe has been passed around like a game of telephone, so it might not be exactly like the Carters’ version. (Rosalynn Carter originally dished about her recipe in a Texas newspaper circa 1977.) But the sweet strategy and recipe shared by The New York Times in honor of Jimmy Carter’s 100th birthday on Oct. 24, 2024—just two months before Carter’s passing— is likely very, very close.
One look at this recipe and we can certainly understand why it was a Carter family favorite. Here’s what we adore most about this easy pie recipe.
This pie is fast. If you start with a store-bought pie crust, the prep time for this pie recipe is only about 20 minutes. Add the baking time (a mere 10 minutes), and you can have this pie completely prepared in half an hour. Then comes the tough part: allowing the dessert to chill in the refrigerator. You’ll need to let the pie chill for about four hours to allow the meringue to stabilize enough so that it won’t weep. Need something speedier? Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter would likely approve of this no-bake Peanut Butter Pie that Allrecipes fans declare “amazingly delicious” and “probably the easiest pie I’ve ever made.”
This pie is perfect year-round. We’re sweet on seasonal treats such as strawberry-rhubarb pie and pumpkin pie, but they tend to feel most appropriate in spring and fall, respectively. Peanut butter pie, however, feels fitting any time of year. The only time we’d definitely choose not to serve this is when we’re sharing a meal with anyone who has peanut allergies.
This pie is also incredibly customizable. While researching the recipe, we came across variations that involved mixing the custard and peanut butter fudge layers, which sounds like a delightful twist. If you love a good crunch, consider using chunky peanut butter instead of smooth. And for the foundation, a homemade pastry, graham cracker, or Oreo cookie pie crust would work beautifully.
We also spotted mentions of sprinkling the meringue swirls with chopped dry-roasted or salted peanuts before baking—a lovely nod to the flavors hiding inside and the Carter peanut legacy.
