Double double, the Canadian way
Two creams, two sugars. Canada's most ordered coffee, poured into a paper cup. Simple, sweet, milky — and strangely perfect on a cold morning.
The double-double is a Canadian institution. Coffee with two creams and two sugars, served in a paper cup from Tim Hortons, drunk in the driver's seat of a parked car. It tastes specifically of Canadian winter mornings, sweet, hot, milky enough to drink fast, strong enough to wake you up. The home version is identical in every way except for cost: the same medium-roast coffee, the same table cream (not milk; the difference matters), the same two teaspoons of white sugar. The point is not the gourmet version. The point is the original.
Method
Brew.
Brew the coffee strong using a drip coffee maker, pour-over, or French press. Pour into a large cup.
Add two of each.
Stir in 2 tablespoons of cream and 2 teaspoons of sugar until dissolved. Drink immediately, ideally while it is still warm. Do not overthink it.
Frequently asked questions
- Why cream and not milk?
- Table cream (10–18% fat) gives the double-double its specific texture: silky, slightly heavy, never thin. Whole milk turns the coffee weak and watery. Half-and-half is an acceptable substitute.
- What roast is "Tim Hortons" coffee?
- Medium roast, balanced, not too acidic. Any quality medium-roast Arabica works at home. Avoid dark roasts, they overpower the cream-and-sugar profile.
- Can I make this with espresso?
- Not really, the double-double is built around drip coffee with its longer extraction. An americano (espresso diluted with hot water) is the closest espresso equivalent.
- How many calories in a double-double?
- About 230 calories in a medium (475ml) cup: roughly 130 from cream, 100 from sugar. The drink is small breakfast as much as it is coffee.
- Is the "triple-triple" a real thing?
- Yes, three creams, three sugars. Common order, especially in rural Canada or among shift workers. Sweetness is at the edge of being too much, but plenty of people prefer it.
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