Not many people have tried the Tim Hortons French Vanilla, but I will tell you it is one of the best drinks they have. I recently tried making it at home, and it turned out way better than I thought it would. Sure, you can easily buy their French vanilla mix for under $10, but it's way tastier to make it from scratch.

Can't get enough of Tim Hortons? Try my Steeped Tea and Cheese Tea Biscuits next!

cup of french vanilla coffee with Tim Hortons containers in the background

☕ About This Recipe

If I’m being honest, I don’t drink coffee that often. I like the flavor, but I’ve always tried to avoid caffeine whenever I can. 9 out of 10 times I prefer my coffee black but occasionally I get a craving for flavored coffee, and French vanilla is always my go-to!

To me, the French vanilla flavor is a combination of hazelnut and vanilla flavoring. I’ve tried a lot of French vanilla recipes only, but they always seem to lack a bit in the hazelnut department. Recently I did some research online and lot of people have had success with hot chocolate powder. I gave it a try and actually tastes really close! It turns out cocoa powder is actually an ingredient in Tim Hortons French vanilla mix.

🧂 Ingredients

Milk: I normally use whole milk for making coffee at home, but if you want the full Timmies experience, you should use heavy cream or half and half.
Instant Coffee Granules: I hate bringing out my coffee maker, so I always use instant coffee. You can also use freshly brewed coffee. Also, if you're going for the best copycat, I recommend the Tim Hortons medium roast coffee.
Hot Chocolate Mix: I'm using the Nestle brand, but any will work.
Vanilla Extract: You can also use a ¼ a vanilla bean if you're feeling fancy.
Sugar

🔪 Instructions

stirring boiling water with coffee and hot chocolate mix

STEP 1: In a cup, combine instant coffee granules, hot chocolate mix, and sugar with ½ cup of boiling water. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

STEP 2: Then, just add warm milk and vanilla. If you want it more creamy, you can use heavy cream.

📋 Frothed milk
Some people like a frothed milk look. However, I've never had it like that at Tim Hortons. If you want a frothed milk look, just heat some milk to around 160°F. Then, pour it into a small jar or glass container and shake it vigorously to create a lot of bubbles. Then, spoon it over your coffee.

cup of french vanilla coffee with frothed milk on top

📋 Recipe