Which Came First: Rainbow Or Chocolate Sprinkles?

Sprinkles, hundreds and thousands, jimmies, confetti — no matter what you call them, these small but mighty candies are great to have on hand to add a decorative flair and sugary crunch to everything from ice cream sundaes to funfetti cake batter. Sprinkles can transform ordinary dishes into works of art; after all, there's a reason it's called "fairy bread" and not "slice of toast with sprinkles on top." But these tasty little treats aren't just about showmanship. The added crunchy texture and sweet flavor can add a complex layer to your sweet treat. But before you add a sprinkle of childhood nostalgia to your dessert, you need to ask yourself an important question: Rainbow or chocolate?

Surprisingly, rainbow sprinkles have been around longer than their chocolate counterpart. Per Insider Food, rainbow sprinkles have been around since the late 18th century, crediting French confectioners as the first to use rainbow sprinkles to make their pastries even more enticing. Chocolate sprinkles didn't arrive on the scene until the early 20th century, although the exact origins are a hotly contested topic. 

Candy company Just Born claims that founder Sam Born invented the technology around 1930 that led to chocolate sprinkles, later referred to as "jimmies." While this is the most commonly recognized origin story, there are other contradictory retellings about who and where exactly chocolate sprinkles came from. Some believe it was actually Dutch chocolatiers who first created chocolate sprinkles in 1936, while other historians argue that chocolate sprinkles were already being enjoyed in Brooklyn, New York in 1915. While the first to invent chocolate sprinkles is still up for debate, the rainbow sprinkles that came before served as inspiration, and today we have a choice between the two delicious classics.

The decision of which type of sprinkles to adorn your dessert with is about more than just aesthetics — rainbow sprinkles and chocolate sprinkles provide a slightly different experience based on flavor and texture. Rainbow sprinkles traditionally taste of sweet sugar, but do not provide any additional flavoring. All colors in a rainbow sprinkle mixture taste exactly the same, similar to original M&Ms, which have a candy coating that differs in color but not in flavor.

Chocolate sprinkles, on the other hand, really do taste like chocolate. Some companies create chocolate sprinkles by mixing cocoa powder and sugar in a special machine until they form thin, pasta-like tubes, where they are then cut and mixed into tiny, chocolate-flavored sprinkles. This process may also explain why chocolate sprinkles usually feel thinner and longer than rainbow sprinkles. Other sprinkle manufacturers may choose to cut costs by skipping cocoa powder in favor of other artificial chocolate flavorings. Sadly for American sprinkle lovers, most sprinkles found in the United States contain very little actual chocolate — luckily, they still taste chocolatey! 

Ultimately, the decision of chocolate versus rainbow sprinkles comes down to personal preference. Reddit users shared their hot takes and reasonings about which sprinkle reigns supreme. One user wrote, "Rainbow sprinkles are sweet, soft and tasty whilst chocolate sprinkles are vile." A commenter defending chocolate sprinkles argued, "Rainbow sprinkles taste like food coloring, literally. While the chocolate ones taste like something; chocolate." Others laughed claiming that both types of sprinkles are virtually the same. No matter which side you are on, rainbow sprinkles do technically have the leg up as they were the first to be invented. 

For even more fun with these colorful and edible decorations, check out Daily Meal's guide for making your own sprinkles at home.