Homemade Iced Coffee, just like Tim Hortons

Me: Do you have a recipe for iced coffee like the serve at Tim Hortons?

ChatGPT: you’re chasing that classic Tim Hortons-style iced coffee, it’s actually pretty simple once you know the trick: it’s brewed coffee, chilled, then mixed with cream and a bit of sweetness—not cold brew.

Here’s a very close copycat:

☕ Tim Hortons–Style Iced Coffee (Copycat)

Ingredients (1 large)

1 cup strong brewed coffee (important!)

½–¾ cup ice

2–3 tbsp cream (10% or 18% works best for that taste)

1–2 tsp sugar (or simple syrup)

Step-by-step

Brew it strong

Use about 1.5–2× your normal coffee strength.

This keeps it from tasting watered down over ice.

Cool it down

Let it sit to room temp, then refrigerate until cold

(Tim’s chills their brewed coffee—not hot over ice)

Build your drink

Fill a glass with ice

Pour coffee over the ice

Add cream

Add sugar or syrup

Stir well

That smooth, slightly sweet, creamy taste should hit pretty close

🔑 What makes it taste like Tim’s

It’s not cold brew (that’s smoother and less “bitey”)

Uses regular brewed coffee, chilled

Cream > milk (this is a big one)

Slightly sweet, but not overly sugary

Optional upgrades (very “Tim’s-like”)

Add a splash of vanilla syrup for their flavored versions

Use simple syrup instead of sugar so it dissolves instantly

Want it extra authentic? Go heavier on the cream than you think 😄

Me: Do you have a recipe for the simple syrup?

ChatGPT: Absolutely—simple syrup is one of the easiest things you can make, and it’ll make your iced coffee taste way closer to that **Tim Hortons smooth sweetness.

🍯 Basic Simple Syrup

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Instructions

Add sugar and water to a small saucepan

Heat over medium, stirring occasionally

Once the sugar is fully dissolved, remove from heat

No need to boil hard—just dissolve it

Let cool, then store in the fridge

🧊 Storage

Keeps 2–3 weeks in the fridge

Store in a sealed jar or bottle

👍 Pro tips

Use warm syrup in cold coffee = perfect mixing (no gritty sugar)

Want it richer? Use a 2:1 ratio (2 cups sugar, 1 cup water) for a thicker “bar-style” syrup

🍦 Optional flavors (easy upgrades)

Add while heating, then strain:

Vanilla: 1 tsp vanilla extract (add after cooling)

Caramel vibe: a tiny pinch of brown sugar mixed in

Maple twist: replace some sugar with maple syrup (very Canadian move 🇨🇦)