Nonpareil is a French word meaning “without equal,” and in food it shows up in three distinct contexts: tiny round sugar sprinkles, the smallest grade of capers, and California’s most popular almond variety. Which meaning applies depends entirely on what you’re cooking or shopping for.
The Word Itself
Nonpareil comes from Middle French, combining “non” (not) with “pareil” (equal). It entered English as early as the 13th century as a general term for something unmatched or superior. Over time, food producers borrowed the word to label products they considered the finest of their kind, whether that meant the tiniest caper bud, the most delicate sprinkle, or the highest-quality almond.
Nonpareil Sprinkles and Candy
The most common food use of “nonpareil” refers to the tiny, round sugar beads you see on cupcakes, doughnuts, and ice cream. They’re made from sugar and starch, pressed into small spheres that deliver a satisfying crunch. Unlike jimmies (the elongated rod-shaped sprinkles) or dragées (larger metallic-looking balls with a very hard shell), nonpareils are small enough to blend into frosting while still being visible as individual dots of color. They typically come in multicolored mixes, though single-color versions are widely available.
One thing to know if you bake: nonpareils aren’t meant to go into the oven. Heat compromises their texture and causes the colors to bleed into batter. They work best applied after baking, pressed into wet frosting, icing, or melted chocolate.
That last method is exactly how chocolate nonpareils are made. These are flat discs of dark, milk, or white chocolate dropped onto a bed of nonpareil sprinkles and left to set. The result is a two-texture candy that became a staple in American confectionery in the early 20th century. They were one of the original movie theater candies, and you can still find them from specialty chocolatiers who hand-funnel them in small batches.
Nonpareil Capers
If you see “nonpareil” on a jar of capers, it refers to size. Capers are graded by diameter, and nonpareil is the smallest and most prized grade, measuring no more than 7 millimeters across. For comparison, the next size up (surfines) runs 7 to 9 millimeters, and the largest grade (grusas) covers anything over 14 millimeters.
Size matters here because smaller capers tend to be more tender, more concentrated in flavor, and less likely to overpower a dish. Nonpareil capers are the ones you want for finishing a plate of pasta, scattering over smoked salmon, or stirring into a vinaigrette. Larger capers work fine for cooking into sauces where they’ll break down, but nonpareils are the standard choice when the caper itself is a visible, intentional element of the dish.
Nonpareil Almonds
In the almond industry, Nonpareil is a specific cultivar, and it dominates California production. It represents about 40 percent of the state’s total almond crop, with a 2025 forecast of 1.20 billion meat pounds. Since California grows roughly 80 percent of the world’s almonds, this single variety has enormous reach.
Nonpareil almonds earned their name because of their quality. They have a thin, papery shell that’s easy to crack, yielding a kernel that makes up about 65 percent of the total nut weight. That high “crackout” percentage, combined with a smooth appearance and mild flavor, makes them the industry’s benchmark. They’re the almonds you’re most likely eating when you buy blanched, slivered, or sliced almonds at the grocery store. Other varieties like Carmel, Butte, and Mission are often grown alongside Nonpareil specifically because almond trees need cross-pollination from a different variety to produce fruit.
How to Tell Which Meaning Applies
Context makes it clear almost every time. A baking recipe calling for nonpareils means the tiny round sprinkles. A recipe or menu item referencing nonpareil capers means the smallest grade. And if you’re reading about almonds, Nonpareil is the cultivar name. In all three cases, the underlying idea is the same: this is the version considered the best or most refined of its type.