Make this iconic Orange Julius recipe right in your kitchen in minutes! No need to drive across town, wait in line, or pay premium prices when you whip up this homemade Orange Julius in your blender, conveniently at home. Customize this classic drink with your own high-quality ingredients, and be sure to check out my tips for the best Orange Julius copycat. You’ll be amazed at how much it tastes like the original treat!
What Is An Orange Julius?
This classic drink has been around since the 1920s (can you believe nearly 100 years?!) and has a flavor profile similar to a creamsicle. It’s smooth, frothy, and full of orange flavor, so it makes sense that it would become such a popular drink!
What’s In This Homemade Orange Julius?
To make this copycat drink as close as possible to the original, you’ll need:
- Frozen concentrated orange juice, thawed
- Milk
- Water
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Ice
I always double-check the ingredients on any can of frozen concentrate, as some contain extra ingredients that I don’t want. Use the highest quality you can find!
What’s The Secret Ingredient?
To impart the creaminess and froth that is essential to a perfect Orange Julius, you need to add a little baking soda!
Sounds weird, right?
You don’t taste the baking soda at all, but it neutralizes the acidity of the orange juice while also producing the carbon dioxide bubbles that create the light froth.
How To Make An Orange Julius
It is sooooooo easy. So easy. Just dump everything into a blender and whiz it up.
That’s it!
Serve it with fresh orange slices or whatever else suits your fancy. I clearly had some fun adding some lime slices and fresh edible flowers.
If you’re dairy free, you can easily swap with any other milk on the market, though my personal favorite in this recipe would be coconut milk. I think the flavors just complement each other better than with nut milks. You can also swap the sugar with other varieties such as coconut sugar, just know that each swap will result in a different flavor profile and possibly a slightly different texture.
Just don’t skip the baking soda, don’t do it!
Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe
Skip the long lines and whip up your own Orange Julius recipe right at home! With easy ingredients like orange juice, milk, water, and ice, you can’t go wrong with this iconic drink, so make a homemade Orange Julius today!
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Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups ice
- 1 (12 oz) can frozen orange juice concentrate thawed
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
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Originally posted 08/23/2013 and updated 04/29/2019
Michael S says
Hello Karly and thank you for this wonderful recipe! I have been looking for an orange Julius recipe to try & I found yours. I am so glad I tried it! It was the best! It’s super easy to make & I love that it doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. Thank you for sharing this!
Beth says
This recipe just made my day – it totally takes me back to hanging out at the mall with my friends and ordering an Orange Julius!!! Can’t wait to give it a try for a quick, tasty, refreshing drink and remember the good ‘ol days!
Allison says
I haven’t had one of these in years! Now I get to introduce my kids to them – thanks for sharing!
Kim says
Thank you for developing and sharing a homemade Julius recipe! Last time I bought an Orange Julius at a mall, it was very disappoint — not at all the goodness of childhood memory. I would never have guessed the baking-soda secret.
Chris says
I tried really hard to like this. I couldn’t get past the baking soda. I mean it was almost perfect, but it had that baking soda after taste. I am going to try again without the baking soda. Thanks for the receipe.
Karly Gomez says
That’s unfortunate! Maybe you just ended up with a small clump in your cup, because you shouldn’t taste it at all. It’s exactly what’s in the real Orange Julius to make it smooth and creamy!
Natasha Hoover says
Baking soda?! I never would have guessed! So cool – I love cold things and have to try this! Visiting from the From Dream to Reality hop!
Karly Gomez says
I know, right?!? Probably why it took me so long to figure it out! It was a well-held secret!
Casey K says
Oh thank you so much for posting this! I can’t wait to make it. Thank you thank you thank you!
Karly Gomez says
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy it!
Lish says
ooh I can’t wait to try this!! I too always get reminded of my teenage years visiting the mall whenever I hear the word Orange Julius!!!
Karly Gomez says
Ha ha ha YES! Exactly the same for me!