Did you know that you can make a delicious copycat Orange Julius recipe right in your own home! With just a few ingredients and just a few minutes, you can have a yummy and refreshing beverages that will bring on memories of hanging at the mall with your friends. Don't forget the platform shoes!
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This past year has been a strange one for much of the world, and as a result we are missing some of our favorite comfort foods. Since many restaurants have been closed or reduced in capacity, folks are looking for copycat recipes of their favorite foods like crazy! I've been making up batches of Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana to help me cope, but now that summer is on its way, I'm looking for something a little more refreshing. Enter this copycat Orange Julius recipe!
Loaded with orange flavor, whipped, creamy, and frothy. This is just like the yummy beverage that I remember from my teen years. It was like taking a step back in time when I took a sip of this lovely concoction. I just had to save some in the fridge for my husband to try once he got home from work.
A Refreshing Beverage for Summer
While I look forward to summer every single year, I always find it incredibly hot and unbearable once it actually gets here. Where I live in the Northeast, air conditioning isn't very common. So we live with very humid summers, sans air conditioner. I'm always looking for something refreshing to help satisfy my sweet tooth. This copycat Orange Julius recipe fits the bill, and I'll be sure to make it when we want a special treat through the summer months.
What is in Orange Julius?
While the Orange Julius that you purchase at the famous restaurant is made from many processed ingredients (including dried egg whites), you can make a really great copycat Orange Julius at home using just a few simple ingredients!
To make an Orange Julius you need:
- Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate
- Milk
- Water
- Sugar
- Vanilla
- and Ice
As an added option for an ultra creamy texture, you can add a few tablespoons of heavy cream as well.
How to make an Orange Julius at home
Once you have your basic ingredients, it's very easy to whip up your favorite orange beverage! All you need is a high powered blender like:
- Ninja: I have the Ninja professional and it does a great job for the low price point!
- Blendtec
- Vitamix
Then, it's just about placing your ingredients in the jug of your blender, blending until smooth and frothy, and then serving up your delicious copycat Orange Julius recipe!
Instructions:
- Add your ice cubes to the jug of a high powered blender.
- Add in the water.
- Then, add the milk, sugar, vanilla, orange juice concentrate, and heavy cream (if using).
- Blend until smooth and frothy.
- Pour into glasses and serve with an orange wedge as garnish.
Copycat Orange Julius
This copycat Orange Julius recipe is inspired by the mall favorite! Just taking a sip of this will bring you back to your teen years, trust me. Made with a few simple ingredients, it's a fun way to create your very own Orange Julius at home!
Ingredients
- 8-10 ice cubes
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 6oz frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
- 2 tbsp. heavy cream (optional)
Instructions
- Add the ice to the jug of a high powered blender.
- Add in the water, milk, sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream (if using).
- Add in the thawed orange juice concentrate.
- Blend until smooth and frothy.
- Pour into glasses and serve immediately.
Notes
Heavy Cream: This is completely optional here, and isn't used in the original Orange Julius. We just like the added creaminess that this adds, and so only include it if you are wanting something a bit richer than the typical copycat Orange Julius.
Storing for Later: If you want to save some of this for later, simply place it in an airtight tumbler in the fridge and consume within about 24 hours for best results. It will be a little runny from the ice cubes melting, but will still have that delicious Orange Julius inspired flavor.
Orange Juice Concentrate: This recipe calls for 6oz of concentrate, which is about ¾ of a cup of orange juice concentrate. You can use frozen if you did not thaw in advance, just reduce the ice cubes slightly for the best texture.
Garnish: If you're serving guests or want to make this extra special, serve with a garnish of fresh orange slices.
Blenders: You'll want to use a high quality, high powered blender like a Ninja, Blendtec, or Vitamix.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: ½ of recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 400Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 70mgCarbohydrates: 74gFiber: 1gSugar: 69gProtein: 7g
Nutrition information is an estimate only.
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