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This classic Orange Julius recipe is an easy and delicious smoothie made with frozen orange juice concentrate, milk, water, sugar, vanilla, and ice. It’s frothy, creamy, cool, and sweet. If you love an orange creamsicle, you’ll love this drink!
Orange juice for breakfast just got a million times tastier with this frothy orange drink. And if you love oranges as much as I do, you could combine this drink with my Orange Rolls for a complete citrus feast.
This is actually one of those recipes I got in my home economics class. If it’s easy enough for teenager to make, then anyone can make it!
Growing up we only ever had homemade Orange Julius on a rare occasion. It was saved for when we had a really nice breakfast, but I love this drink! It’s simple, creamy, frothy, and sweet.
What is an Orange Julius?
Orange Julius is an American beverage chain that is famous for their creamy orange drink, named after the owner, Julius Freed.
You might remember the drink stands at the mall. Nowadays they are combined with a Dairy Queen.
Fun fact, my mother-in-law used to work at an Orange Julius stand, and the original recipe uses egg whites. Yes, egg whites.
This “copycat recipe” might be different because there are no egg whites, but it’s still creamy, sweet, and full of orange citrus flavor.
Simply add orange juice concentrate, milk, water, sugar, vanilla and ice to a blender, and mix until smooth.
Want to make it without orange juice concentrate and use fresh juice instead? Or make it dairy-free? Try this recipe.
More Orange Julius Flavors
This smoothie can be made into a variety of flavors by simply adding other fruits. Here are some ideas:
Orange Banana – throw in half of a fresh banana. Add the whole banana for extra banana flavor.
Strawberry Orange – add 1-2 cups of fresh strawberries.
Strawberry Orange Banana – add 1 banana, and 1 cup of strawberries.
Pineapple Orange – add 1 cup of fresh pineapple.
NOTE: You can substitute frozen fruit for fresh, but decrease the amount of ice so it will still blend easily.
8 Comments on “Classic Orange Julius (Copycat Recipe) + Video”
Terry — Reply
Recipe
Amber Brady — Reply
There is a “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page that will take you straight to the recipe card to view or print the recipe. Unfortunately you scrolled past the recipe card to get to the comment form.
Susan — Reply
Can you use coconut water or coconut milk instead of the water and milk what would the calories be
Hey, I can’t believe I just doing this now, but I am now following you. Although I have seen your recipes on Pinterest. Looks like you are doing great. I really want some Orange Julius.
Karen, did you not know that I started this blog? It is going really well. Getting close to 100 posts. I sure love how I get to try new things all the time! I am pretty good at finding & trying only the good recipes now. Glad you are finally following 🙂 You can go ahead & like me on facebook too 🙂 Link at the top right of the page! haha.
And my blender just stripped a gear yesterday. This recipe looks wonderful. Wish I could make it for supper. (I know, its a breakfast drink but we don’t do breakfasts around here.) I love your blog.
But it was Freed/Fried's real estate agent, Willard “Bill” Hamlin, who made the first real Orange Julius. Hamlin convinced Freed/Fried to carry his secret powdered vanilla-ey formula that turns blended orange juice, sugar syrup, and crushed ice into that icy cold, fluffy, Creamsicle-y drink.
But it was Freed/Fried's real estate agent, Willard “Bill” Hamlin, who made the first real Orange Julius. Hamlin convinced Freed/Fried to carry his secret powdered vanilla-ey formula that turns blended orange juice, sugar syrup, and crushed ice into that icy cold, fluffy, Creamsicle-y drink.
Around 2019, Dairy Queen discontinued the citrusy beverage at its Grill & Chill locations. Nowadays, the Orange Julius can only be purchased at some Dairy Queen Treat Centers. The Dairy Queen website claims, rather vaguely, that the Orange Julius is available at participating locations only.
In 1987, Orange Julius became "a fully owned subsidiary of International Dairy Queen." That's lawyer speak for "now you can get your Dilly® Bar where you get your Julius® Original!”
The chain has been in business since the late 1920s. The signature beverage is a mixture of ice, orange juice, sweetener, milk, powdered egg whites and vanilla flavoring.
An Orange Julius is a blend of frozen orange juice concentrate, milk, vanilla, sugar, and ice. It's not quite a smoothie; it's too sweet — more like a dessert — to be considered a smoothie. And it's not as milky or thick as a milkshake, either. It's sweet and frothy, lightly frozen, and tastes just like a Creamsicle.
Orange Julius' premium fruit smoothies are made with real fruit, low-fat yogurt, and ice. Some also contain a "nutrition boost" in the form of protein, antioxidants, energy, vitamin C, or fresh banana.
Orange juice that has been opened and is stored in the refrigerator will typically last for 5 to 7 days. It is important to store it in an airtight container to help preserve its quality and prevent spoilage. Consuming the orange juice within the first few days after opening is recommended for best quality and taste.
A bit of history of success, Orange Julius was the official drink of the 1964 World's Fair. In 1987 DQ Dairy Queen bought the rights to the Orange Julius Chains and marketed the drink at their DQ Treat Stores. Now in 2023 Dairy Queen seem to be phasing the drink away from some of its stores.
A nutritional comparison between an Orange Julius and a homemade orange smoothie. The mall drink is packed with more sugar than a can of soda, and besides having vitamin C from the orange juice it contains, it's devoid of nutrients. It's a sugar bomb with no protein and no fiber.
Back in the 1960s and 1970s, besides orange juice we had orange flavored soft drinks like Orange Crush, and then we had the Orange Julius. An Orange Julius was a real treat, especially on warm days, and franchises were purchased and buildings erected just to sell the frothy, ice cold beverage.
The "Royal" blizzards on Dairy Queen's menu tend to contain the most calories and sugar of all available blizzard treats. The Royal Rocky Road Trip DQ Blizzard Treat and Royal New York Cheesecake Blizzard Treat each contains 1,510 and 1,350 calories, respectively.
An Orange Julius is a blend of frozen orange juice concentrate, milk, vanilla, sugar, and ice. It's not quite a smoothie; it's too sweet — more like a dessert — to be considered a smoothie. And it's not as milky or thick as a milkshake, either. It's sweet and frothy, lightly frozen, and tastes just like a Creamsicle.
The mall drink is packed with more sugar than a can of soda, and besides having vitamin C from the orange juice it contains, it's devoid of nutrients. It's a sugar bomb with no protein and no fiber.
Orange Julius is a sativa-dominant hybrid weed strain made by crossing a proprietary “Blockhead cut” of Agent Orange with Keebler Cookies. The effects of Orange Julius are believed to be cerebral, creative and uplifting.
Introduction: My name is Patricia Veum II, I am a vast, combative, smiling, famous, inexpensive, zealous, sparkling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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