This refreshing Orange Julius recipe blends sweet orange juice concentrate with milk, vanilla, and ice for a frothy, creamy treat that tastes just like the mall favorite. It’s a quick and easy drink that both kids and adults will love!
Table of Contents
If you enjoy orange treats, don’t miss this orange juice cake, these orange cranberry muffins, and this orange pineapple fluff salad, too!
The Classic Orange Julius Drink
An Orange Julius is a sweet, frothy drink made with orange juice, milk, vanilla, and ice, all blended together until it’s smooth, creamy, and refreshing. Children of the 80s and 90s (like me!) will fondly remember the days of wandering around the mall, this nostalgic treat in hand.
After all, the Orange Julius was popularized at mall food courts and is like a cross between a smoothie and a milkshake. It’s a delicious, refreshing treat at any time of day: with breakfast, for an after-school snack, or even for dessert on a hot summer evening. With just a few basic ingredients, you can recreate the magic at home anytime — even if shopping mall food courts are largely a thing of the past!
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- You’ll only need half of a can of orange juice concentrate, so save the other half of the can for your next batch. I toss mine into the blender while it’s still frozen — no thawing necessary.
- The orange juice concentrate works better than regular orange juice for a couple of reasons. First, it has more concentrated flavor for a more “orange-y” Orange Julius. Second, it’s frozen, so it thickens and chills the beverage for the best texture.
- Whole milk yields a really creamy drink. Heavy cream or half-and-half would also be great. If you prefer, you can sub with just about any milk of your choice — the flavor and texture will just be slightly different. For instance, 2% or skim milk works fine, or even dairy-free alternatives like almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk, or cashew milk are okay.
- Vanilla extract gives the drink that classic Orange Julius flavor — a combination of fresh citrus and creamy vanilla. Feel free to add more vanilla extract for an even more prominent flavor.
- While I’ve listed it as an optional ingredient, we always use a tablespoon of instant vanilla pudding mix. The dry powdered mix makes the Orange Julius creamier, thicker, sweeter, and provides a richer vanilla flavor.
How to Make Orange Julius
Skip a trip to the mall food court and enjoy a copycat orange julius recipe at home! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Place all of the ingredients in a blender.
- Blend on high speed until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and frothy. If you like it thicker, add some extra ice cubes. To thin it to a more pourable consistency, add a splash of milk.
- Pour into glasses, garnish with fresh orange slices if you like, and serve!
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Orange Julius
Equipment
- high speed blender
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (half of a standard 12-ounce can) frozen orange juice concentrate
- 1 cup whole milk (or sub with another milk of choice)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ to 2 cups ice cubes
- Optional: 1 tablespoon instant vanilla pudding mix (for extra creamy, thick, sweet vanilla flavor)
Instructions
Combine
- Add the orange juice concentrate, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and ice to a blender. If you’re using pudding mix, add that as well.
Blend
- Blend on high speed for about 1 minute, or until smooth, creamy, and frothy. Add a splash of extra milk, if needed, to thin the drink until it reaches your desired consistency. If it's too thin, you can add extra ice cubes.
Serve
- Pour into glasses and enjoy immediately!
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
- Swap some of the milk for vanilla ice cream to make it even richer and more indulgent. It will be like a Creamsicle!
- Use frozen lemonade concentrate instead of orange juice concentrate for a frosty lemonade!
- For some tropical flare, add ½ of a banana, some pineapple juice, and/or a handful of frozen mango.
- Try a lower sugar option by using a sugar substitute like Stevia or monk fruit. You’ll likely need to adjust the quantity of these alternative sweeteners to reach your preferred level of sweetness.
- Add a scoop of vanilla protein powder or Greek yogurt for a more filling, high-protein drink.
- Toss in a handful of strawberries or raspberries for even more flavor.
- The original orange julius recipe from the 1920s included a raw egg white to give the drink its signature frothiness. I prefer not to give my kids raw eggs, and I don’t think it’s necessary here.
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This is so delicious, reminds me of the dominican morir soñando
Thank you, Celenny!