The History of Sprinkles: From Ancient Culinary to Modern Toppings

Many believe sprinkles are recent discoveries intended to add flavor and color to ice-creams and cakes.

Sprinkles have existed for thousands of years, but not in the form you had imagined.

The early use of sprinkles dates back to Egyptian and Roman civilizations, where ingredients like spices, seeds, and crushed nuts were added to meals. However, sugary sprinkles only came around the 19th century with the rise of confectioneries.

Today, sprinkles are a standard condiment with many varieties, sometimes essential to the meal.

Read on to learn more about sprinkles and some popular varieties that you can find in the market.

History of Sprinkles

The concept of decorating and flavoring food goes back centuries when ancient civilizations used natural and dried items in their food.

Natural ingredients like spices, seeds, and sometimes crushed nuts and veggies were used to add flavor and visual appeal to dishes.

Did you know the Egyptians and Romans were the first to use sprinkles as condiments, using spices and colors to flavor their food?

This caught on with medieval Europeans who used sugar as a tool to create intricate sugar comfits.

Although not the same as modern-day sprinkles, sugar comfits were tiny, sugar-coated seeds or spices.

Modern Sprinkles or Jimmies

Only in the 18th and 19th centuries, when sugar was affordable, chefs created candies to decorate cakes and desserts.

However, it was not until the mid-20th century that sprinkles in various shapes and colors were available. 

They were used on everything from birthday cakes to doughnuts to cupcakes. It was the Dutch confectioner Erven H. de Jong who supposedly created modern sprinkles.

The variety of sprinkle types expanded, including introducing nonpareils (tiny, round sprinkles) and themed sprinkles for holidays and special occasions.

Do you know they are called “jimmies” in the US, where a candy factory in Pennsylvania claims to sprinkle' originators?

Nonetheless, you can choose from sweet, mild, or spicy sprinkles ranging from sugar to shrimp and nuts today.

Common Uses of Sprinkles

Sprinkles has many names, including nonpareils, hundreds and thousands, hagel-slag, fairy bread, and jimmies.

Like the many names, it has many different uses. Here are a few to mention.

1. Decorating Desserts

One of the most common uses of sweet sprinkles is decorating desserts such as cakes, cupcakes, cookies, hot chocolate, parfaits, and doughnuts.

Use sprinkles to add color and visual appeal to sweet treats and zest up their flavor, usually for small kids.

2. Ice Cream Topping

Another widespread use of sweet sprinkles like Jimmies includes decorating ice cream for special occasions.

Sprinkles are a classic topping for ice cream, adding texture and sweetness to each bite.

3. Cake Pops and Truffles

Another way to use sweet sprinkles is to mix them into cake pops, truffles, and donuts for decoration and added texture.

Sweet sprinkles like jimmies decorate all kinds of sweet bakery items well.

4. Salad and Grain Bowls

Some mild sprinkles like sesame, sunflowers, seeds, and nuts can be used for topping salads and grain bowls.

With unique flavors, you will get added nutrients.

5. Savory Dishes

Spicy sprinkles can add heat and flavor to savory dishes like pasta, pizza, roasted vegetables, and more.

It might include chili flakes, shrimp, roasted peanuts, and Cajun seasoning.

6. Soups and Stews

Spicy sprinkles like shrimp and peanuts are a great addition to soups and stews in Vietnamese Pho and Chinese hotpots.

Depending on your palette, you can add as many spicy sprinkles to soups and stews to give them an extra kick.

Popular Sprinkle Varieties

There are many sprinkle varieties, and we have made a list of them for you.

Spicy Sprinkles

The spicy sprinkles add chili, pepper, or similar spicy flavor.

• Chili Flakes: The crushed dried red chili peppers make perfect sprinkles to spice up everyday items like pasta, soups, stews, pizza, and others.
• Cayenne Pepper: A powdered spice made from dried and ground red chili peppers, providing a fiery kick and using chili flakes similarly.
• Sriracha Seasoning: A blend of spices and dehydrated Sriracha sauce, offering a spicy, garlicky flavor commonly used in Mexican and Thai dishes.
• Jalapeño Sprinkles: Dehydrated and crushed jalapeño peppers add mild to moderate heat to dishes such as stuffed chicken, casseroles, tacos, omelets, and more.
• Hot Paprika: A spice made from dried and ground chili peppers, delivering a smoky and spicy flavor commonly added to BBQ sauce, cream sauces, meats, pizza, and Mexican cuisines.
• Spicy Shrimp Sprinkles: Shrimp bits mixed with dry red chili, garlic, salt, and sometimes pepper provide a power punch to soups and stews.
• Spicy Peanuts Sprinkles: Roasted or dried peanuts mixed with dry red chili, garlic, salt, and sometimes pepper add a sweet and tangy punch to everyday food items.

Non-Spicy Sprinkles

As the name suggests, non-spicy sprinkles include jimmies, dragées, and other similar items.

• Rainbow Sprinkles: Colorful sugar jimmies are often used to decorate desserts and cakes.
• Chocolate Sprinkles: Cocoa-based jimmies that add a rich chocolate flavor to sweets, cakes, and creamy items.
• Nonpareils: Tiny, round sugar sprinkles available in various colors that work well on decorating brownies, Oreos, frosted cupcakes, and other baked goods.
• Silver Dragées: Edible silver balls add a metallic touch to cakes and cookies.
• Gold Luster Dust: Edible gold dust is used for a luxurious, shimmering effect on desserts, including Indian sweets and crepes.

Mild Sprinkles

Mild sprinkles enhance the flavor of both desserts and soupy or sour items.

• Sesame Seeds: Small, nutty seeds that add mild flavor and a bit of crunch to dishes, usually baked goods.
• Poppy Seeds: Tiny, round seeds with a slightly nutty flavor often used in baking.
• Sunflower Seeds: Edible seeds with a mild, nutty taste, commonly used in salads and baked goods.
• Toasted Coconut Flakes: Flaked coconut has been toasted to provide a mild, sweet, and nutty flavor.
• Peanut Sprinkles: Bits of peanuts mixed with cumin, salt, and spices to add a sweet and sour punch to food items.

Conclusion

Remember that the choice of sprinkles should complement the overall flavor profile of the dish you're preparing.

Whether sweet, mild, or spicy, sprinkles can add texture and flavor to various foods.

Order delicious shrimp and peanut sprinkles from FlavorUpSprinkles today!