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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 Recipe
Refreshing & simple Orange Julius takes a minute to make and tastes just like the real thing. It is a favorite family treat!
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 all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Freeze It: Our favorite thing to do with leftovers is to pour them into a popsicle mold and freeze for a refreshing treat during the summer.
Julius with a Twist: Add other ingredients to the Orange Julius, like frozen bananas, strawberries or even pineapple juice, for extra flavor.
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.
This is sooooo refreshing! Perfect for snacks or parties! Such a crowd favorite!
Although I love the original I really wanted to have a thicker parenthesis almost like a shake or insurance. Would it work if I substituted vanilla ice cream for the milk?
You bet!
I learned how to make this in 7th grade.that was in 1997. To this day I still make this. My 4 sons have grown up on this drink. I still make this on holidays and my boys(being grown men)still stand by the mixer with glasses. Thank you for bringing back great memories for me!
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Simple and great tasting.
This recipe really took me back to my teenage years and being at the mall. It’s been ages since I’ve had an Orange Julius and it really is as good as I remember! Had it this morning and 2 kids gave it 5 stars and one gave it 4.5, but that is because she remembers her grandpa making her something like this like 6 years ago. You can’t mess with grandparents and nostalgia 🙂 I wasn’t going to add in the sugar initially because I don’t like having unnecessary sugar and usually cut down what recipes call for. Glad I kept it in! The orange juice concentrate had quite a bit of a sour to it so it needed the extra sugar love. Glad we used only half of the can of concentrate so we can make some more. I’m sure the kids will be making this by themselves in no time. To make it even creamier I will probably experiment with some heavy cream this summer as well! Yum!!!
I made this today for some friends! It was so good and refreshing on a hot Florida summer day. I shared the recipe with everyone too. We are just a group of 50 something ladies who get together 1 Friday every month to catch up.
We will try a different drink recipe next month and can’t wait. Thanks for sending me such amazing recipes to share with friends.
So yummy and delicious 🤗
As for the adult side, add 1-2 ounce of coconut rum and enjoy while you watch the children play.
3 or 4 oz even better
Fun and easy re pie. Kids loved it.