That question started in the comments to our June 20 entry and we thought we’d continue the debate here. We also added a new poll (at right). Do you eat ice cream straight out of the box? Go ahead, be honest.
So what IS the difference between sprinkles and jimmies? Actually they’re the same thing, it just depends on where you’re from. If you’re a resident of Philadelphia, Boston and many parts of New England, you might ask for jimmies if you want those tiny cylindrical candies on your ice cream. New Yorkers and a majority of other people call them sprinkles.
So where does the jimmies name come from? Popular legend has it that the Just Born candy company in Bethlehem, PA began producing sprinkles in the 1930s and, since a gentleman named Jimmy ran the sprinkles machine, the product was naturally nicknamed after its maker.
Some people maintain that sprinkles are multicolored and jimmies specifically refer to the chocolate variety. But no matter what you call them or how you use them, they seem to make everything taste a little better. Here in Lancaster County, we call them sprinkles, but we’d be interested to hear your thoughts on the great sprinkles vs. jimmies debate!
Tags: ice cream, jimmies, sprinkles, turkey hill
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If you’ve got a technical question about the ice cream making process or some other inquiry about the nuances of America’s favorite treat, chances are Ernie has the answer. He might not be able to answer all questions, but he’ll try his best and some may be featured on the Ice Cream Journal.
I love the sprinkles& chocolate or multi colored if you want to put jimmies on my ice cream I would love that to!!!!
I don’t care what you call them as long as I can still have the all chocolate on my soft vanilla.
The multi-color were my favorite as a kid and although I don’t like the taste as much as I used to I love how it looks.
being from Philly they are jimmies! only liked them as a kid! Prefer my ice cream plain!
No matter what you call them, keep them as far away from my ice cream as possible. Yuch!
jimmies are chocolate & sprinkles
are multi-colored in phila. pa.&
that`s all that matters…period
al zimba
I thought they were jimmies because they were named for their creator, Jimmy smith.
I grew up in Calif. and to me they are called sprinkles (I do not care for them) how ever my daughter loves them.
Never heard of them as jimmies until about 2 weeks ago.
Growing up in East McKeesport, Pa outside of Pittsburgh- we called them jimmies, whether they were chocolate or multi-colored….we just had to specify which would go on our special cone usually bought at the local Isaly’s store….
That is really interesting and funny. I’ve never heard of sprinkles being called jimmies. I can’t imagine someone asking for jimmies on an ice cream. I would have to laugh. It is similar to a recent visit to Canada where they call their dollar bills looney’s and tooney’s. Someone asked me for a looney or tooney. I had to wonder if they were looney tooney.
I lived in southern New Jersey ( over the Ben Franklin Bridge) and I don’t know why but Sprinkles where the colors and Jimmies the chocolate. The mind works in mysterious ways when it comes to treats in life.
Where I live in upstate NY, we call them sprinkles. If they were called Jimmies, my kids would like them just the same. They love sprinkles on their icecream just as I did when I was a kid. Now, I only like sprinklemejimmies (why not combine the names) once in a while as a treat!
I don’t really care about that.I just care about the taste.
I usually call them sprinkles, but I have heard them called jimmies, too. All that really matters to me is that I get them!
I was born and raised in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Like many of my “neighbors” said before me – Sprinkles are the rainbow colored variety and Jimmies are ONLY brown.
P.S. In our house, someone usually eats the last serving of ice cream right out of the container with a spoon.
I grew up in MA where you asked for jimmies on your cones. When i moved to PA i got a very strange look from the ice cream vendor when i asked for jimmies. Same thing happened when i asked for a grinder at the hoagie place. tomAto tomaaato…
It is a philly thing and they are jimmies! Really love them on my turkey hill ice cream
My parents owned a luncheonette in South Philadelphia that served ice cream and Jimmies were chocolate,Sprinkles were rainbow colored. Now where’s my Turkey Hill ice cream with Jimmies?
Now I know why they are called “jimmies”.
I love Turkey Hill Ice Cream plain, but my kids sure LOVE the Jimmies!
This is the first time I’ve ever heard them called jimmies.
Haven’t had em in years!!!
Makes me want to go out and get a cone with chocolate sprinkles.
I grew up in Brooklyn and Queens, NY and we always called them sprinkles. I like the chocolate ones, (though not as much as when I was a kid), but the colored ones are really pretty!
As far as eating out of the container, you caught me! Only when there is very little ice cream left though!
Just give me some TH ice cream and tons of sprinkles/jimmies (since they are good no matter what you call them) and I’ll be a happy camper!!
Sprinkles – that’s the correct name & chocolate is the best!!! & the more of them the better
Jimmies, Jimmies, Jimmies. I had never heard of sprinkles until I moved here.
…jimmies, please & thank you!!
back when i was a kid, they were actually “free”, if one can believe that. my how times have changed.
Looks good must taste good////Ha/Making me hungry/////
see this photo. these are jimmies. whether multi colored or brown, the shape is jimmies. the photo in the September 28th, 2009 story are sprinkles.
making one now
i have always called the “large cylinder” shaped ones, sprinkles… while the small ones in all sorts of fun shapes were, jimmies…. thats how it always has been and thats how it will always be
I was born and am being raised (I’m only 13
) on Cape Cod. Here, some people call them jimmies and some sprinkles. I think they’re jimmies. It’s just where I’m from I guess (:
As for the eating out of the container… Heh.. You caught me!