12 Presidents That Had A Sweet Tooth For Ice Cream

People have been screaming for ice cream for quite some time, with versions of the sweet treat dating back thousands of years. Since the United States is a relatively young country in the grand scheme of things, ice cream has been enjoyed nationwide, pretty much since the country's birth. The iconic dessert has been a staple in the White House since its early days, with the presidents and their families enjoying ice cream often. In fact, ice cream has been among the favorite foods of some U.S. presidents.

Ice cream has played an interesting role in the White House, showing up at upscale presidential functions and even inaugurations. Presidents have been seen outside of the White House enjoying ice cream as well, visiting small ice cream shops and connecting with their constituents. Ice cream has played a big role in the lives of some of our most famous presidents before, during, and after their stints as president. From our very first president to more modern presidents we have seen in our own lifetimes, many commanders-in-chief have had a major sweet tooth for ice cream.

George Washington never lived in the White House, even if he did have a large hand in its creation. As its construction was not finished until after he left office, Washington may be the only president in history to not enjoy a scoop under the roof of the White House. Despite this, he just may be the most ice cream-loving president we've ever had.

Back in Washington's time, ice cream was a treat reserved for the elite. As it contains sugar, which had to be imported, the ingredient list for ice cream was costly. Additionally, one of the main components of ice cream is, well, ice. At the time, freezers and ice boxes were a thing of the future. As president, Washington was privy to the luxury of ice cream, and he often shared, serving colonial era ice cream to his guests and at parties.

While it wasn't George Washington's favorite food (that honor was reserved for hoecakes), we know that he loved ice cream and was apt to share his fondness for the dessert, as he purchased a large amount of dishes specifically for it. Included in his collection were several ice cream pots, a mold, and an ice cream maker. Though the ice cream he enjoyed is slightly different from the modern-day dessert, it would seem as though America's love of ice cream was at least a little influenced by this famous founding father.

When you think of ice cream and the presidency, your mind likely goes straight to Joe Biden. Joe "I came for the ice cream" Biden blew up on Twitter, now known as X, when he was running for president, and it wasn't the first time. Actually, it was during his vice presidency that Biden and ice cream became almost synonymous. An image of him eating ice cream in aviator sunglasses became quite commonplace, despite it actually being President Obama who once worked at a popular ice cream chain.

When asked if he was vegan in 2020 (via Wired), Joe Biden mentioned ice cream, stating he is "big on ice cream." Biden supported many small shops while in office and all along the campaign trail. From Washington, D.C., to Portland, Oregon, no chocolate scoop was safe. While we can't prove it, ice cream may have given Biden the popularity push he needed to win his own term as president.

Indeed, while Biden was on the presidential campaign trail, he spent over $12,000 on ice cream from Jeni's, an ice cream company from Columbus, Ohio. He didn't buy it for himself, but as thank-you gifts. Later, Jeni's named a limited-edition ice cream flavor after him: White House Chocolate Chip. It wasn't the only company to do so, either, as Cornell University's creamery developed Big Red, White, and Biden.

Honest Abe is known for quite a few things, but a lesser-known fact about our 16th president is that he had a fondness for ice cream. He was known for liking the flavor of almonds, which was a popular ice cream option during his time, so it's possible he enjoyed it in its frozen form, too.

Like George Washington, Lincoln liked to pair a good party with the most iconic frozen dessert. At his second inaugural ball in 1865, a 250-foot-long buffet table was featured with a whole section dedicated to ice cream.

This buffet was allegedly made available at midnight and featured six flavors of ice cream (including burned almond) for guests. Apparently, the late hour of the buffet turned guests slightly feral, as the ball then turned into what some have reported to be a kind of food fight. After an hour, the floor surrounding the massive buffet essentially became a slip-and-slide. It's unknown how Lincoln responded to this hunger-inspired madness, but it marked an interesting start to his second term as president.

Interestingly, Gerald Ford is the only president in history to serve the people as president without having been elected. He came into office via the 25th Amendment after Nixon was nearly impeached, and he resigned. Even though Ford was not elected by the people, he did share a soft spot for soft serve with millions of his constituents.

By many accounts, Ford enjoyed one of the most popular ice cream flavors from decades past: butter pecan. In fact, butter pecan ice cream was his favorite dessert. The flavor was present during his first birthday party while in office in 1975. His wife, Betty, made sure his favorite was served during this surprise party.

Betty Ford, who released a slew of her cost-effective recipes for Americans, also reportedly made her own praline ice cream bomb. Butter pecan and praline can have similar flavor profiles, so it only makes sense that President Ford would enjoy a scoop of praline ice cream from time to time as well.

Despite today being a controversial president who was impeached, Bill Clinton was popular during his time in office with a relatively high approval rating. His popularity stemmed from his relatability and charm, with the latter only helped by his love for ice cream. President Clinton has been photographed with an ice cream cone in hand multiple times since his presidency, showcasing his fondness for the treat.

He also made more than one trip to creameries across the U.S. In 1996, Bill Clinton gave the commencement speech to Penn State graduates and stopped for ice cream at Berkey Creamery. This was significant because Clinton was and is (allegedly) the only person the creamery has allowed to mix and match flavors. He chose a fruity blend of Peachy Paterno and Cherry Quist. Upon returning a few years later, he simply went with the same peach ice cream in order to stick with the creamery's long-standing rule.

During a different sweet outing, this time in Cincinnati, Clinton again chose a fruity ice cream adjacent treat. Of course, he couldn't go all-in on ice cream, because Bill Clinton has since gone vegan! Lemon and raspberry sorbet were his picks when he visited Graeter's, so it's safe to say the former president enjoys fruit-centered flavors.

A lot of presidents and American historical figures enjoyed a good scoop of ice cream. James Madison and his wife, Dolley, may have had a little more love in their hearts for the dessert than others. In fact, it's possible Dolley Madison's adoration for ice cream that endeared it to President Madison.

Dolley Madison had the president, as well as their friends and colleagues, eating ice cream by the bowlful. At sit-down gatherings, parties, and political events, the first lady often made sure that ice cream was served and on the menu. She was basically the mother of the ice cream social, and students all throughout the U.S. should be thanking her!

We do not know what flavor of ice cream was preferred in the Madison home, but records suggest they could have tried some interesting ones. A recipe for oyster ice cream (thank goodness this never caught on!) was sent to the home, though we don't know if it was ever actually made and consumed. However, a much more popular ice cream choice was served at Madison's second inaugural ball: strawberry! This flavor has been consistently considered one of the most popular ice cream flavors for hundreds of years — perhaps since the time James and Dolley were in the White House!

Jimmy Carter famously loved ice cream, right up to the end. President Carter passed away in 2024 at an impressive 100 years old. Ahead of his 99th birthday, he still very much enjoyed peanut butter ice cream with his loved ones. His love for peanut butter ice cream makes a whole lot of sense because the flavor is a major nod to his roots. He grew up as a peanut farmer in Georgia, and the peanut became somewhat of a symbol for Jimmy Carter on his journey through the presidency.

The late president was big on relationships, with his marriage lasting an amazing 77 years. One of his other long-standing relationships was with the owner of Leopold's Ice Cream, Stratton Leopold. The duo forged a lifelong friendship, with Carter often visiting his shop in Savannah, where his favorite flavor was apparently butter pecan. Leopold also served ice cream at Carter's 100th birthday celebration. Carter was the longest-living U.S. president in history, and while we can't claim that the secret to a long life is ice cream, it seems like a valid option!

Our third president, Thomas Jefferson, loved ice cream nearly as much as George Washington. He served in office early enough that ice cream was a pretty big inconvenience, but served it often in the White House all the same. The dessert was on many a presidential menu while Jefferson was in office, including the 1806 Independence Day party. Allegedly, an extra servant (who very well could have been an enslaved person at this point in history) was hired for the party, just to crank the ice cream machine.

Jefferson was the first president to celebrate the Fourth of July in the White House, and enjoying ice cream on the patriotic day remains a popular experience for many Americans even today. His desire for ice cream extended past parties and fancy get-togethers. Actually, the president had an ice house installed at the White House in order to have plenty of ice on hand. While this served more purposes than just ice cream, the treat was made much more convenient with the addition.

We do not know for sure Thomas Jefferson's favorite ice cream flavor, but we can reference a recipe he himself wrote to understand that he enjoyed good ol' vanilla. We also know, thanks to his White House party guests, that he liked ice cream served with a kind of warm pastry. This founding father took his ice cream seriously and served it in style!

President Andrew Jackson and ice cream have an interesting history, as the former president of the United States once used the dessert as a tool. With ice cream still being quite a luxury in his time, he put it to work calming down a crowd of wild White House guests. At his inauguration party, a massive number of people showed up to celebrate. The crowd soon evolved into a kind of mob, which was only managed by strategically placed ice cream and whiskey punch. So, the beginning of Jackson's presidency was marked with chaos softened by sweetness.

Ice cream was an iconic dessert during Jackson's presidency, largely due to his White House chef. While Jackson was in office, his kitchen was helped by Augustus Jackson (no relation). Now considered to be the Father of Ice Cream, Augustus Jackson revolutionized the way ice cream was made. This African American chef transformed the dessert into something pretty close to what we enjoy now, introducing salt into the creation process. This meant that ice cream would not melt as quickly, which surely helped in easing mob-like situations that seemed to pop up where Andrew Jackson was involved.

The presidency brings quite a lot of stress upon the person chosen to bear it, but some lighter duties and decisions cross the president's desk, too. One of the coolest and silliest things a president is able to do is propose new holidays, and Ronald Reagan took full advantage of this opportunity. It is because of Reagan that we can call the third Sunday of July National Ice Cream Day. Even decades later, Americans can get free ice cream or discounts from various ice cream chains and vendors on this day.

Allegedly, it was the people's love of ice cream that inspired this dessert day declaration, but Ronald Reagan definitely had a sweet tooth as well. He loved both jelly beans and ice cream, plus other classic desserts such as brownies and chocolate chip cookies. While licorice was his favorite jelly bean flavor, he was partial to chocolate for pretty much everything else. He likely continued to eat a scoop of ice cream here and there after his presidency, when he retired to California to enjoy life under the sun.

JFK was a popular president, even though he only served as president for less than three years before his assassination. People liked him because of his charisma and good looks, though he tended to be a relatable president as well. One iconic photo of President John F. Kennedy features him on a boat with what appears to be a vanilla ice cream cone that he tastes before passing it on to a young child. It is said that the Kennedy family liked to frequent Four Seas Ice Cream in Cape Cod, with Jackie Kennedy particularly enjoying the shop's Fresh Peach ice cream.

This endearing photo is not the only connection to ice cream we have of JFK. Ice cream was widely popular during World War II among American Navy sailors and officers. They ate the treat frequently in an effort to maintain morale, with ships even being outfitted with ice cream machines. JFK was in the Navy during World War II, earning a Purple Heart after sustaining injuries that earned him a hospital stay. Ice cream was just as, if not more popular, in military hospitals and hospital ships during this time. With this being said, our 35th president of the United States likely had more than his fair share of ice cream throughout his tragically short life and presidency.

Following the lead of several presidents who came before him, James Buchanan served ice cream at his inauguration. Actually, he served a massive amount of the sweet stuff. Around 1,200 gallons of ice cream were consumed by his guests, allegedly. The sweets didn't stop there, either. Buchanan apparently really loved dessert, because he hired a French chocolatier to cater the banquet. Even if the flavor of ice cream used is not reported, it makes sense to assume that chocolate ice cream was very much present.

It was not just at formal functions and parties that President Buchanan would enjoy a sweet treat. In fact, he had his own icehouse at his Pennsylvania home, Wheatland. It is here, somewhere on the property of over 150 acres, that he would likely store ice cream.

Being from Pennsylvania, Buchanan was a cookie man as well, enjoying Dutch-German cookies like snickerdoodles and Apees. Both cookies would pair perfectly with a scoop of ice cream, and we can imagine he enjoyed the pairing in his retirement from the presidency. What a sweet way to live!