Commander in Sweets: US Presidents' Favorite Baked Goods & Pastries

Becoming President of the United States of America requires a great deal of drive and discipline. That's not to say, however, that some commanders-in-chief didn't occasionally cheat on their nutrition with some sweet treats. In fact, many of our nation's leaders had favorite not-so-healthy snacks or desserts. 

Here, we'll take a look at the sweet indulgences enjoyed by our past Presidents.

Fruits and Pies:

George Washington: 
Our country's first president has been associated with cherries for a long time, and according to biographers, he did like the fruit. His wife, Martha, was known to make fruit preserves, pies, and cakes that Washington also very much enjoyed. 

John Adams: 
President Adams also credited his wife for one of his favorite sweet desserts, Apple Dowdy. 

John Quincy Adams: 
Adams didn't have much of a sweet tooth. He did enjoy fresh fruit, but his typical culinary preferences were fairly austere.

John Tyler: 
Tyler was fond of pudding pie.

James K. Polk: 
Polk had an affinity for a less common kind of treat, a vinegar pie. This simple treat combines sweet and sour flavors.

Franklin Pierce: 
Not a fan of fancy dining, when Pierce indulged in something sweet it was usually a type of fried apple pie common to New Hampshire.

Abraham Lincoln:
At just over 6 ft. 3 in., Lincoln was our country's tallest president. He preferred a simple and tart lemon custard pie.

Ulysses S. Grant: 
The former general of the Union Army loved Boston Cream Pie.

James Garfield: 
A man of simple tastes, Garfield enjoyed apple pie.

William Howard Taft: 
Taft liked pumpkin pies, and for a non-sweet snack he ate almonds.

Herbert Hoover: 
Herbert Hoover enjoyed a family recipe for peach pie.

Jimmy Carter: 
Carter liked peanut butter pies.

 

Cakes and Muffins:

Thomas Jefferson:
The president who gave us the Louisiana Purchase loved a special kind of treat made in a cast iron griddle, Monticello Muffins. He was also quite fond of vanilla ice cream. 

James Madison:
Madison was our nation's shortest president at only 5 ft. 4 in. tall. He loved cinnamon cakes.

William Henry Harrison: 
This president requested that pound cake be served at his inaugural ball. The shortest presidency in U.S. history, he passed away just 31 days after the inaugural event.

Woodrow Wilson: 
Wilson liked simple tea cakes for sweets.

 

Cookies:

James Monroe:
Monroe had a much-loved recipe for cream jumble cookies.

James Buchanan: 
Apees, a type of cookie native to Buchanan's hometown, Philadelphia, was his favorite. It's a spiced butter cookie with German origins. 

Grover Cleveland: 
The only president to serve non-consecutive terms liked white cake.

Theodore Roosevelt: 
Not surprisingly, Teddy Roosevelt relished gastronomic adventure with the same gusto as he did other pursuits. When it came to sweets, he couldn't get enough of sugar cookies made from an old family recipe.

Warren G. Harding: 
Harding's wife had a recipe for almond cookies that were his favorite.

Calvin Coolidge: 
Coolidge adored his wife's recipe for Ice Box Cookies that includes brown sugar and walnuts.

Harry S. Truman: 
Truman preferred the rich flavor of butterscotch cookies.

Dwight D. Eisenhower: 
The former general enjoyed Marble Cookies with chocolate and pecans.

Lyndon B. Johnson: 
LBJ was fond of Lady Bird's Chocolate Cookies with nuts. 

Richard Nixon: 
When it came to sweets, Nixon's wife, Pat, had a recipe for sugar cookies with the zest of lemon which was his favorite.

George H.W. Bush: 
When it came to regular snacks, Bush Sr. enjoyed homemade pork rinds, but for sweets he preferred Barbara Bush's chocolate chip cookies.

Bill Clinton: 
Clinton was also a fan of chocolate chip cookies.

 

Candies, Custards and Other Sweet Treats:

Andrew Jackson: 
Jackson loved custards.

Martin Van Buren: 
President Van Buren indulged in a dessert similar to a chocolate charlotte, known as a Charlotte Russe. 

Zachary Taylor: 
Taylor preferred a traditional New Orleans treat, Calas, which is a fried rice fritter topped with cinnamon and sugar, often dipped in molasses or honey.

Millard Fillmore: 
Fillmore preferred more down-to-earth fare, such as corn pudding.

Andrew Johnson: 
Johnson was a fan of sweet potato pudding.

Rutherford B. Hayes: 
Not very sweet on their own, but Hayes enjoyed cornmeal pancakes probably with syrup.

Benjamin Harrison: 
Grandson to William Henry Harrison, Ben Harrison enjoyed eating bonbons.

Franklin D. Roosevelt:
Blueberry pudding was FDR's favorite. He also enjoyed fruitcake.

John F. Kennedy: 
The much-loved JFK liked frozen desserts like a cream cheese and frozen strawberry delight.

Gerald Ford: 
Ford was a fan of butter pecan ice cream.

Ronald Reagan: 
This president was well known for his love of jelly beans, he often kept a large jar of them in the oval office.

George W. Bush: 
The junior Bush president loved apple cider crème Brule for dessert.

Barack Obama: 
This beloved president loves a crustless coconut pie. He also enjoys chocolate caramel candies. 

 

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