Tim Hortons Donuts, Ranked Worst To Best
Tim Hortons has been a coffee and donut establishment since 1964, and it has since grown to become a staple of Canadian culture. As of 2021, according to Reader's Digest Canada, the chain sells nearly 1.5 million donuts per day. Some flavors vary in availability from location to location, but customers are sure to find at least one that suits their taste at their local Timmies or even find something new.
Locations are not only limited to Canada — Tim Hortons is an international brand that spans the globe. In the United States, there are currently more than 600 locations, and that number is set to expand very soon. While most of the locations are sprinkled throughout the eastern portion of the country, the Northern coffee and donut giant manages to rank third in the US, just behind Starbucks and Dunkin'. New locations throughout Texas and Florida could place the Canadian chain in the running to dominate those markets, as an estimated 3.5 million Canadians reside in Florida alone (via CNBC).
If you see a Timmies pop up in your location, how will you know which donuts are the best to order? How can you be prepared if the menu availability changes frequently? We've got that part covered for you by ranking a dozen of Tim Hortons donuts from worst to best.
Oreo Cookie
Oreos have been around for more than 100 years and have gone through countless experiments with various, unique flavors. However, its original chocolate cookie and vanilla cream filling have always held center stage. Tim Hortons has a donut on its menu that is dedicated to the iconic cookies and cream snack. The base consists of a rich, yet somewhat dry, chocolate cake donut stuffed with a creamy vanilla center — it's not a stiff cream like the type in an actual Oreo. White icing, a generous topping of real Oreo cookie bits, and some chocolate drizzle all decorate the top (via Narcity).
Honestly, though, it's too much. The level of sweetness is overwhelming, especially if you consider grabbing one for an on-the-go breakfast first thing in the morning. Maybe the Oreo Cookie donut is better reserved for another time of day, such as dessert time, if it's even appropriate at all. However, that didn't stop Tim Hortons from creating a newer Dream Donut variation of this Oreo mash-up in 2020 that was enough to make anyone's teeth ache (via Best Products). If digging into a slice of cake in the morning doesn't sound like the most appetizing thing to you, then it's definitely best to skip the Oreo Cookie donut. Upon eating it, you likely won't feel too great about it for the rest of the day.
Strawberry Dip
Strawberry is a quintessential sweet flavor in the vast universe of classic treats. You might be most familiar with ones such as strawberry shortcake, strawberry muffins, strawberry rhubarb pie, and even strawberry jam. These days, you're sure to find a strawberry-flavored donut or two at any donut shop around, including at Tim Hortons. The Strawberry Dip donut was introduced as a limited flavor in 2020, but it can still be found in some locations — you sort of have to be lucky enough to stumble onto whatever donut you crave. The Strawberry Dip is a lackluster-tasting donut. It's also remarkably similar to the Vanilla Dip donut, which is what it was originally created from, as per Fast Food Post. The base is a plain yeast-type of pastry with an artificial-tasting strawberry fondant icing and round rainbow sprinkles on top.
According to Romper, the Strawberry Dip was widely available this past Valentine's Day, which was understandably a great time to treat your loved one to a festive treat. Next time, though, it's better to opt for something different — perhaps something more natural and homemade — because this artificial Strawberry Dip donut will only disappoint.
Honey Dip
The Honey Dip is a dull donut that lacks its own distinctive taste profile, and it's much too similar to its regular glazed cousin. One would expect a more prominent honey taste in a donut named for the sticky substance, but it's just not there. In order to ramp up the excitement, Tim Hortons had launched a couple of different menu items — you can think of them as secret menu items or hacks — just to give this donut more of a standout presence among its customers.
One of those ancillary items from 2018 was a combination of the Honey Dip donut and a breakfast sandwich. It featured the customer's choice of breakfast sandwich (for example — sausage, egg, and cheese on an English muffin) and replaced the bread portion with two halves of the unimaginative donut (via Canadify). Another hack that the company introduced, as per Daily Hive, was instructions to lightly grill two Honey Dip donut slices and assemble a scoop of ice cream and fruit in between for a quick and easy summer treat. If you need to add this donut as a part of other recipes, though, that simply means that it cannot stand out on its own. It's just too bland.
Chocolate Glazed
The plain glazed donut was the most popular flavor of donut in the US in 2020, according to The Waycroft. Americans normally enjoy a chocolate treat, too, so would a combination of both be worth it? Unfortunately, Tim Hortons is not the ideal place to seek out such a combination of a decadent chocolate glazed donut.
Tim Hortons has several types of chocolate-centric goodies, but Chocolate Glazed is one of the donut flavors that severely lacks in consistency. Concerned customers on Reddit discovered some that appeared to have been smothered in the sugared coating. Another post on Twitter by @AkhilPatankar proved there is usually a lack of glaze on this particular donut at their local shop. However you may find the donut glaze prepared, the dull chocolate taste and flakey, sugary coating that falls all over the place isn't worth the run-around to find one. Also, if you're going to waste 280 calories and 14 grams of fat on a tasty donut, check out all of the other offerings at your local Tim Hortons before settling for this one (via Fast Food Nutrition).
Raspberry-filled
The Raspberry-filled, or sometimes simply referred to as a jelly-filled donut, is a yeast donut that is injected with jam-like raspberry-flavored fruit filling and then fully coated with powdered sugar. It was featured by Tim Hortons as a special holiday menu item a few years back, but these jelly-filled donuts can still be found year-round, depending on the location. If you expect to bite into a gushing gelatinous center, you will be further disappointed, even if you find the elusive donut. Customers have taken to Twitter to express their disappointment in the lack of jelly filling, such as user @Mrs_Trottier, who claims there's not enough of it "every time" they order them. Twitter user @themark716 wishes that they had gone to a different donut shop for this specific variety.
If you opt for the jelly-filled Timbits, you will be better off. The Timbits version offers a decent pop of fruity filling, surrounded by the light and fluffy yeast donut pastry (via Eater). This donut still ranks low since it's never guaranteed you'll find them at your location, let alone find ones with enough of a jelly center.
Old Fashioned Plain
This cake-based donut is a moderately good place to start if you're new to Timmies. The texture is nicely dense, but it's soft enough to melt in your mouth, especially when paired with a Double Double, an iconic Tim Hortons coffee order that contains double the sugar and cream. When compared to yeast donuts that are more fluffy and chewy, this plain cake donut has a much richer taste and can withstand being dunked in your morning coffee (via Greatist). The taste is not overly sweet, and it doesn't feel like you're indulging in a slice of birthday cake first thing in the morning. The Old Fashioned Plain at Tim Hortons makes for decent neutral ground if you're not ready to take the plunge into the variety of flavorful dipped, cream-filled, and jelly-filled donuts. We recommend having it with a beverage or you may find it a bit too dry and crumby.
Reviews on Chickadvisor claim that the Old Fashioned Plain "never disappoints," and it's the best way to satisfy a sugar craving without being too sweet. There is also a "hint of nutmeg" that gives the taste a little something extra as far as plain donuts are concerned.
Double Chocolate
The Double Chocolate donut is similar to the Chocolate Glazed in that it uses the same chocolate cake donut, but the major difference is all in the coating — this one is dipped in a smooth chocolate frosting rather than a flaky, sugar glaze. If you're going to choose a chocolate donut, you might consider going all the way with this delightful sweet treat. This donut is so luscious that it was awarded its own ice cream flavor when the company created and distributed its own line of ice cream products in early 2022. The ice cream even includes bits of the fudge-like Double Chocolate donut mixed in (via Tim Hortons).
Tripadvisor user Tansy2015 is a fan of the Double Chocolate donut at the Tim Hortons in Brighton, Mich., and says it's "crispy on the outside and nice and soft on the inside." For some customers, they find that the Double Chocolate doesn't compare in size to other similar offerings. Twitter user @MadWitticism found that the Chocolate Dip looks to be twice as big. If you're okay with skipping out on half the chocolate for more of an actual donut, perhaps consider it.
Apple Fritter
When it comes to fast food apple fritters, it's slim pickings outside of McDonald's, but you can skip it and head straight to Timmies for a more moist and flavorful apple fritter. This deep-fried pastry is a nostalgic trip for anyone who grew up going to a summertime carnival — the aroma, taste, and texture of a funnel cake that's been stuffed with baked apples and kissed with a dash of cinnamon. The flavors are not too bold but rather sweet and enjoyable. Tim Hortons makes a good apple fritter, but they're one of the only players in the game. The competitor at McDonald's, according to the McDonald's nutritional info, is a shocking 510 calories, which is quite a bit more than this one.
As of March 2022, Tim Hortons Apple Fritter donut is made with a revamped recipe that adds 40% more apples to the batter, giving it more of a fruity punch. This aligns with the company's goal to always provide the best products to its devoted customers. The Apple Fritter is well worth a try — it's unlikely that you'll be disappointed — unless, of course, you don't like apples.
Canadian Maple
This plain yeast donut is stuffed with a sweet vanilla custard filling and topped with maple-flavored frosting. Since maple syrup is the epitome of Canadian flavor, of course, Tim Hortons had to ace this donut. While donuts are not the healthiest foods, this one is 210 calories and 6 grams of fat, which isn't too horrible for this deep-fried delicacy (via Calorie King). The sacrifice is more than worth it for one of Timmie's tastiest treats.
Consumer TerryElvers on Tripadvisor recommends fellow Tim Hortons customers to get the Canadian Maple donut because it is "something you will remember." It likely has to do with how the smooth maple-flavored icing meshes with the creamy custard center. It helps cut back on some of the sweetness and preserves a nice balance. Believe it or not, this is not a bulky donut — it won't make you feel like you're indulging too much at any time of the day. You can opt for the Canadian Dip donut, which comes without the cream filling and is topped with the same maple icing. However, we highly encourage going for the full delicious experience.
Honey Cruller
The Honey Cruller was the top-selling donut at Tim Hortons in Canada's Quebec province in 2020, as per MTL Blog. It's awarded the No. 3 spot overall because of its lovely combination of softness, crispness, and outstanding taste. The nice, chewy, and somewhat eggy texture on the inside lends itself to a donut-eating experience like none other — it's technically a plain flavor, but it has a similar taste profile of a delicate cream puff. The outside is coated in a non-sticky honey glaze and offers a mildly crisp bite. All of these different textures work together to make the Honey Cruller one of the yummiest donuts at Tim's. If you're in need of a quick sugar fix to get you through the rest of the day, this one was made for you.
Cruller-type donuts have been found at other chain donut shops, such as Krispy Kreme and Dunkin', but none have received quite the love that this one from Tim Hortons has. Users on Reddit have praised the Tim's Cruller for its "custardy inner texture," slightly crisp exterior, and its overall enjoyable taste.
Sour Cream Glazed
At 336 calories, it's one of the highest in the Timmies donut lineup, according to the Tim Hortons website, so you have to ask yourself if it's worth it. That being said, we're here to tell you that it is. Besides, who is honestly counting calories when it comes to donuts anyway? The Sour Cream Glazed is a classic cake-based donut that adds a bit of sour cream and sweetness — it's like an old-fashioned glazed, but with the flavor amped up. Because of the higher fat content and thickness of the sour cream, the texture of the cake turns out much denser and smoother than what you'd find in a standard donut. The sugared glaze adds just the right amount of extra sweetness to make this donut even better.
A menu hack, courtesy of Style Democracy, suggests asking for this donut (or any others) to be warmed whenever you order — this takes it to a whole other level of deliciousness. It makes sense because if you've ever made homemade donuts, you know how divine they are when they're fresh out of the oven or fryer. This Sour Cream Glazed allows you to skip the work yourself and get a freshly heated donut at the local Timmies.
Boston Cream
The Boston Cream donut at Tim Hortons reigns supreme in that it's like a combination of a few donuts all in one — a plain but fluffy yeast-based donut, a cream-filled donut, and of course, a donut with chocolate frosting on top. It's both chocolate and vanilla, and it's sweet but not overpowering. What more could a donut lover ask for?
According to Tim Hortons itself, Boston Cream was Canada's best-selling donut in 2020, and it's not difficult to figure out why once you've sunk your teeth into its supreme richness. Tallis Voakes, the culinary lead at Tim Hortons, said that the inspiration for this donut came from the 100-year-old Boston Cream Pie dessert, which is basically the same idea — a buttery cake with a vanilla custard cream center, slathered in a gooey chocolate topping. It was destined to become a donut one day, and now it's safe to say that the Tim's version has solidified itself in donut history by being its best sellers and a genuine fan favorite.
If you're one of the people in the US whose favorite type of donut is cream-filled, as per a poll by Ipsos, this will be your new go-to. Enjoy it with a steaming hot cup of coffee or an iconic Iced Capp and you have yourself a divine treat.