What do you call the candy bits that go on ice cream?

Cafe Society
#1

Growing up, I always called them jimmies, because that’s what my dad, who was born and raised in Boston, called them.

I only realized that wasn’t a term everyone knew about recently, when I said it to a co-worker and they had no idea what I meant. After looking it up online, I found out that what I’d always called them was a regional peculiarity I’d picked up even though I never lived in the region it’s used in, and that there are several other terms used for them as well.

So; what do you call them?

#2

hundreds-and-thousands

#3

Second vote for hundreds-and-thousands.

j

#4

Sprinkles.

#5

I’d say sprinkles, but I’d recognise hundreds-and-thousands.

Sprinkles is more inclusive, because hundreds-and-thousands are rainbow coloured, but sprinkles can be chocolate (mmmmm) or single-colour

#6

I’ve always heard them called “sprinkles” and having visited “Fosselmans” (local ice cream producer and “ice cream counter” place) in South Pasadena, CA… where I spent my youth… many times more than my waistline should have dictated… that was my “sphere of influence” on this word.

Posted by “Nat” a self-assuming know-it-all on ice cream.

#7

Aren’t sprinkles like tiny little sticks, whereas hundreds-and-thousands are tiny little balls?

#8

This is tricky - I would call the things on ice cream (or a Dutch bread snack) sprinkles, but those are not the same shape as hundreds-and-thousands/nonpareils, as blob points out. But the poll choices seem to indicate the OP considers them the same. Although I suppose you could get the latter on ice cream as well.Still, I voted sprinkles.

#9

Sprinkles are multicolored.
Jimmies are chocolate.

#10

I grew up in the SF Bay Area. Sprinkles was a catch-all term.

#11

Rainbow jimmies and chocolate jimmies are what I’d call them.

#12

Sprinkles but recognize jimmies. Never heard hundreds and thoisands.

To me, nonpareils are the disks with sprinkles, https://www.oldtimecandy.com/collections/walk-the-candy-aisle-nonpareils , but I realize that’s the name of the round sprinkles on the disks.

Sounds like h&ts and nonpareils are round? Sprinkles and jimmies are roughly cylindrical?

#13

tropezones, the thing against which you trip; generic name used in Spanish-from-Spain for “any solid item added to a liquid or creamy food which would be complete without it, such as croutons to consommé”. From the verb tropezar, to trip on something (walking, not drugs!).

I’ve encountered “sprinkles” as the name for the little colored bars, but not as a generic name.

#14

Jimmies or sprinkles, with jimmies rustling ahead by a nose.

#15

hundreds and thousands, but I’m British and that is the overwhelmingly popular name for them here.

#16

That’s what I thought and the supermarket here seems to think the same, they’ve even got the coloured sprinkles (cylindrical) the same as the hundreds-and-thousands (round)
https://shop.coles.com.au/a/a-national/everything/search/sprinkles?pageNumber=1

#17

“Sprinkles” it is. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of “jimmies” or “hundreds-and-thousands.” I’ve seen the word “nonpareils” on packages, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard anybody say it—ooh, an example for this thread!

#18

This is how I use the terms, too. SE Ohio.

#19

Sprinkles, generally. Although, when I was a kid, I was in line behind someone who called them “shots.” I’ll use that term from time to time. My uncle liked to say, “Boy, that’s a lot of dead mosquitoes on your ice cream.” I suppose, given the popularity of Rick and Morty, we could start asking for “Extra ant mix-ins. Thank you very much, Summer”

#20

Sprinkles. I’ve only seen the term “jimmies” on this board, and I don’t recall if I’ve heard nonpareil to refer to sprinkles, and this is definitely the first time I’ve heard of “hundreds and thousands”.