What’s the Best Tim Hortons Donut? We Ranked Them All
Why Canadians Obsess Over Tims Donuts
Tim Hortons sells two million donuts every day; for many of us, they’re as Canadian as long weekends at the cottage. In 2024 the chain even released a year‑end “Tops at Tims” report, crowning the Apple Fritter the nation’s most‑ordered donut. Yet new flavours and limited‑time Dream Donuts drop almost monthly, so a “best of” list from last year barely lasts longer than a Boston Cream in the break room. That’s why we grabbed napkins, recruited a sugar‑loving panel, and sampled every donut available nationwide in April 2025—including returning Retro favourites like the Walnut Crunch and flashy newcomers like the Cadbury Mini Eggs Dream Donut.
How We Built the Rankings
Taste & Texture (40 %) – balance of sweetness, depth of flavour, crumb freshness, glaze quality.
Icon Status (25 %) – nostalgia, cult following, and contribution to “true Tims” culture.
Availability (20 %) – must be nationally sold for at least four weeks per year; LTOs flagged.
Value (15 %) – calorie bang‑for‑buck, filling ratio, and mess factor (key for drive‑thru diners).
No fancy scoring spreadsheet—just sticky fingers and brutally honest takes.
The Tim Hortons Donut Power Rankings
(Countdown from #20 to the donut we’d elbow grandma for.)
20. Old Fashion Plain
Reliable but forgettable. Dunk‑worthy, yes, yet too dry solo. Even our “black coffee only” taster called it “breakfast drywall.”
19. Honey Cruller
Love the airy French‑style dough or hate the stick‑to‑teeth glaze—there’s no middle ground. Extra points for melt‑in‑mouth texture but quickly collapses if not eaten fresh.
18. Vanilla Dip with Sprinkles
Instagram‑cute, kid‑approved, adult sugar‑bomb. The frosting tastes more like carnival cotton candy than vanilla bean; sprinkle fallout litters the car.
17. Walnut Crunch (Retro)
Nostalgia hits hard: cocoa‑cake base, molasses warmth, and crunchy walnut shards. Production is sporadic, though, so freshness can be dicey outside big cities.
16. Chocolate Glazed
Dense chocolate cake with sugary shell—satisfying but one‑note. It’s the donut you grab when your real favourite has sold out.
15. Maple Dip
A syrup‑sweet glaze the colour of Muskoka dock boards. The maple punch is authentic enough, yet the yeast ring underneath sometimes leans chewy instead of fluffy.
14. Sour Cream Glazed
Tangy crumb + crackly coating = underrated coffee companion. Loses ground for being oilier than other cake options.
13. Cadbury Mini Eggs Dream Donut (LTO)
Spring‑only superstar: vanilla cake topped with white fondant, rainbow chocolate eggs, and pastel drizzle. Beautiful but nearly 500 calories—and cracking chocolate shells mid‑commute is perilous.
12. Blueberry Sour Cream (Retro)
Moist, fragrant, and speckled with real berries. Toasted edges add crunch, but availability is limited to Retro drops, keeping it from stratospheric status.
11. Honey Dip
The quintessential raised donut: light yeast ring kissed with translucent honey glaze. When fresh, it’s cloud‑soft perfection; past its prime, it tastes like air.
10. Chocolate Dip
Yeast dough + thick chocolate frosting = pure comfort. Not winning awards for complexity, yet its “score me a 93‑octane sugar rush” mission never fails.
### 9. Double Chocolate
Cocoa‑cake base plus chocolate fondant equals brownie‑for‑breakfast energy. Edges stay tender even when the shop is on its late‑shift batch.
8. Canadian Maple
Think Boston Cream, but swap vanilla custard for silky maple filling. Balanced sweetness and patriotic vibes rocket this one into our top ten.
7. Strawberry Filled
Bright strawberry jam core, light icing sugar dust—messy but worth every sticky finger. Pro tip: cut in half before biting to avoid geysering your shirt.
6. Sour Cream Timbits — But Full‑Size
Regional gem: some Ontario stores fry the Timbit dough as a full ring. Tart, cakey, and crispy‑edged; if you spot it, pounce.
5. Dutchie (Retro)
Raisins folded into a pillowy square of glazed yeast dough. It’s basically granny’s bread‑pudding memory in donut form—a taste of 1964 Tims heritage.
4. Apple Fritter
Still the nation’s top‑seller for good reason: cinnamon‑spiced dough, chunks of apple, glossy glaze. When the caramelized ridges are warm you’ll swear off grocery‑store fritters forever.
3. Old Fashion Glazed
The Plain’s glow‑up sibling: golden brown cake dunked in vanilla glaze. Stable crumb for dipping, plus crunchy crust micro‑blisters that sing with each bite.
2. Boston Cream
A hockey‑legend classic—thick chocolate fondant cap over cool vanilla custard. Ratio is everything; Tims nails it 90 % of the time. Cross‑section reveals generous filling pocket, not the dreaded smear.
1. Chocolate Toasted Coconut Dream Donut
Dream Donuts come and go, but this one sticks around by public demand. Cocoa yeast ring, chocolate fondant, toasted coconut shreds, and velvety Bavarian‑cream center. It’s tropical vacation meets hockey‑arena concession, and every tester reached for seconds. Decadent yet balanced—the undisputed champion of 2025.
Honorable Mentions
Seasonal Bunny Donuts with cake‑Timbit “tails” – Easter‑only sugar sprint.
Filled Ring Dream Donuts (Caramilk, Oreo Double Stuf) – great novelty but supply inconsistent across small‑town stores.
Sugar Twist Retro – fab cinnamon‑roll vibe, but pulled after a limited June run.
The Verdict
From the humble Old Fashion to the coconut‑crusted Dream superstar, Tim Hortons continues to prove that donut culture evolves as fast as Canadian weather. If calorie math rules your day, stick with Honey Dip or Old Fashion Glazed for < 300 kcal satisfaction. Want wow factor? Pray your local Tims stocks the Chocolate Toasted Coconut Dream Donut and thank us later.
Either way, donut rankings ignite debate faster than a Leafs playoff exit—so grab a mixed dozen with friends, run your own taste test, and let the sweet squabble begin. Because in Canada, arguing about Tim Hortons is practically a national sport.
