President Jimmy Carter's Favorite Pie Was A Creamy Classic Made Specially By His Wife

Nobel Peace Prize winner in 2002 and 39th president of the United States, James Earl Carter — better known as Jimmy Carter — lived a rare life, to say the least. However, just like the rest of us, even former presidents have favorite restaurants or dishes they just can't get enough of. Carter's happened to be his wife, Rosalynn Carter's, famous peanut butter pie. Long before he was a head of state or even involved in politics, Carter was a peanut farmer in Georgia — the affinity for peanut butter comes as no surprise.

The well-loved recipe is simple enough. It has a creamy peanut butter custard filling that easily comes together in a single saucepan, whipped meringue, and a crumble-like topping made with creamy peanut butter and powdered sugar. All the pie requires is a rather quick 10-minute bake to lightly brown the meringue, which is all you need the oven for if you opt for a store-bought pie crust. The pie is served chilled. 

The recipe enjoyed by the former president became popularized when it was published in the Fort Worth Star in 1977, but peanut butter pie was already a popular dessert for many during the 1960s and 1970s. The quick prep and bake time of this pie make it easy to whip up in the evening and let it chill overnight. One could even enjoy a slice of peanut butter pie in the morning, as the dessert pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee.

Rosalynn Carter's pie is definitely a recipe that will satisfy your peanut butter craving. It's delightful as is, but if you're looking to add your own flair to the dessert, there are countless ways to experiment and enjoy. Peanut butter pie is suitable for any season, which is one of the reasons it's so timeless. 

If warm weather is on your mind, you can use this treat as one of the many unique ways to make s'mores in the summer, or really, any time of year. Instead of regular pie dough, use either a graham cracker or chocolate cookie crust, and swap the meringue for some homemade marshmallow fluff. Once it's out of the oven, top the peanut butter pie with graham cracker crumbles and a chocolate drizzle for a glamping-ready peanut butter s'mores pie. You can also prepare for autumn or winter by making a snickerdoodle pie crust and using some pumpkin pie spice in the filling. Serve this one with a warm latte, and you've reached peak sweater weather vibes.

Continue to experiment with the filling by adding ingredients like chocolate chunks, miniature peanut butter cups, white chocolate chips, or toffee bits. Get creative with the toppings by adding a caramel drizzle, salted peanuts, or dark chocolate shavings for flavors that are complementary on nearly any type of peanut butter pie, whether you've added other ingredients or not. The best thing about Jimmy Carter's favorite pie, though, is that it can be made with the same classic recipe and is still an absolute hit at any gathering.