Pimento cheese spread is a creamy and savory spread popular in southern US cuisine. It may be an appetizer, served with crackers, crostini, celery sticks or carrot sticks. It may also be used as a sandwich filling, eaten plain or with cooked bacon bits or crispy slices of bacon. As a sandwich, it may also be a filling for grilled cheese, served with just the spread or with dill pickle slices.
Pimento cheese sandwiches have been served at the Masters Tournament in Augusta Georgia for decades. The sandwich’s origins go back to a local family who provided the food for the tournament and pimento cheese sandwiches, considered by many in Georgia a local delicacy.
This pimento cheese spread recipe is credited to former first Lady of the United States and Georgia, Rosalynn Carter, who in addition to her diplomatic duties, was also a grandmother and home cook. Her family shared the recipe with Southern Living magazine 2025 after her 2023 death. She was known to make this southern favorite for holidays. According to her grandson Jason Carter, his grandparents frequently took the family on a December holiday trip. He recalls one such occasion where they were flying, and Rosalynn came ready with her prepared spread and bread to make sandwiches for the group, as well as sharing extra sandwiches with a few additional flyers.
It appeared Rosalynn was of the same mindset as my frugal grandmother, who was 25 years older than Carter and believed there was no reason to eat out if you could bring good food from home. This mindset was common for people who grew up and lived through The Great Depression.
Equipment:
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Rosalynn Carter’s Pimento Cheese Spread
Ingredients
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl using a handheld electric mixer or sturdy spoon and serve with bread, crackers or vegetables.