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This refreshing nostalgic drink tastes just like the original and whips up in 5 minutes!
What is an Orange Julius?
Who here has had an Orange Julius before? We’ve been long-time fans and recently decided to try making our own copycat version at home.
- Few Ingredients. It’s made up of ice, orange juice, sweetener, milk and vanilla is still found in mall food courts.
- Quick + Easy. Even a kid can make it, plus it’s made in minutes!
- Delicious. It’s kind of like an orange juice smoothie, except it’s more creamy and frothy. We think it tastes like a melted orange creamsicle.
Best of all, this orange julius recipe tastes just like the real version, which means we can make this at home whenever we want.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
- 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate – If you do not have the frozen orange concentrate you can omit the added water and use 1 cup of fresh orange juice along with orange zest (start with 2 tablespoons of zest and add more to taste).
- 1 cup milk – use whole milk for a creamier drink. Make it dairy-free and use coconut milk or almond milk.
- 1 cup water – added to get the right texture
- 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract – balances out the flavor of the drink
- ¼ cup granulated sugar – use more or less depending on the desired level of sweetness
- 1 cup ice cubes – keeps the drink cool, thick, and frothy
How to Make Orange Julius
- BLEND. Combine 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate, 1 cup milk, 1 cup water, 1-2 teaspoons vanilla, ¼ cup sugar, and 1 cup ice cubes in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
FLAVOR VARIATIONS
Frozen bananas or strawberries are particularly delicious. Add in some pineapple concentrate for a bit of extra flavor. Keep in mind that additions can cause a thicker or thinner texture.
Complete the Meal
- MAIN DISHES: Easy Pancakes, French Toast Sticks, Breakfast Casserole
- SIDE DISHES: Bacon in the Oven, Scrambled Eggs, How to Make Hashbrowns
- More DRINK RECIPES: Orange Juice Smoothie, Aloha Tropical Smoothie,
MORE COLLECTIONS: Summer Drinks, Non-Alcoholic Drink Recipes, Frozen Drink Recipes
Orange Julius
This refreshing, nostalgic Orange Julius recipe tastes just like the original and whips up in only 5 minutes with a few simple ingredients!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
- 1 cup milk, (or almond milk for a dairy-free option)
- 1 cup water
- 1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 cup ice cubes
Instructions
- Combine orange juice concentrate, milk, water, vanilla, sugar, and ice in a blender and blend until smooth and frothy. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Recipe Tips:
- For the best flavor use orange juice concentrate because it is 6x more potent than orange juice.
- To use 1 cup of orange juice, omit the orange concentrate and water, and add in 2 tablespoons of orange zest.
- Whole milk helps produce a creamier drink.
- For extra frothiness, blend in ¼-½ teaspoon of egg white powder.
- Add the 1 cup of ice gradually to reach your desired thickness
Nutrition
Serving: 1glass, Calories: 301kcal, Carbohydrates: 61g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 65mg, Potassium: 721mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 56g, Vitamin A: 520IU, Vitamin C: 123mg, Calcium: 190mg, Iron: 0.3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
What is Orange Julius?
- In the 1920’s, Julius Freed opened an orange juice stand in Los Angeles, but sales weren’t so great. His friend, Bill, made a less acidic, more frothy version of orange juice which Julius adopted and began serving at his OJ stand.
- People loved it and began ordering Orange Julius’ left and right. In 1987 Dairy Queen bought the Orange Julius Company. (Source)
No Eggs?
- Many traditional orange Julius recipes call for egg whites, or egg white powder to help get a nice foamy texture, but I managed to get just the right amount of foam without using raw eggs.
How to Store Orange Julius?
- Store leftovers in the fridge for a day or so in an airtight container
How to Freeze?
- My favorite thing to do with leftovers is to pour them into a popsicle mold as a refreshing treat.
Love these. They are one of my favorite drinks during the summer. Love your site and recipes. Thank you for sharing
I’ve made this before. It really is just like the “real thing.” I don’t know that there are many (any?) Orange Julius places around me. Thanks for the recipe.
This recipe is so easy and it tastes like summer. It’s light and refreshing and the kids love it. It reminds me of being at the mall and stopping in at Orange Julius.
I can’t wait to make this. This reminds me of my teenage years.
This is just the best !!!! – I just made this for the grand-kids and they fell in love 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing !
Walk Good – Sue
Love this Orange Julius recipe and so do my kids! Super easy to put together!
This looks great and thank you for the dairy free option. One o my family has to be dairy free. I think I want to freeze some too and enjoy on a hot summer day.
This reminds me of being in Middle School and going to the Mall for an Orange Julius! So yummy. Thank you for a quick easy treat~
Love it. So refreshing
This brings me right back to my youth. This is easy to make with easy-to-get ingredients. The vanilla makes all the difference.