Orange Julius
intro
Frothy, creamy frozen citrus drink balancing bright orange and warm vanilla, the iconic retro American mall treat made in just 5 minutes at home.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep measured ingredients
Remove the frozen orange juice concentrate from the freezer 10 minutes before starting to let it soften slightly; do not fully thaw it. Measure all remaining ingredients into separate small containers, and confirm the milk and water are ice-cold (4°C / 40°F) to support the signature frothy texture.
Load liquid blender base
Add the softened orange juice concentrate, cold whole milk, ice-cold filtered water, and vanilla extract to the jar of a high-speed blender. Secure the blender lid tightly, pressing down firmly on all edges to prevent splatters during blending.
Blend base to dissolve sugar
Remove the blender lid’s center fill cap, add the measured granulated sugar, then replace the cap. Blend on medium speed (level 5 on most standard blenders) for 15 seconds, until the sugar fully dissolves and the base is a uniform pale orange with no lumps of concentrate.
Incorporate crushed ice gradually
Remove the center fill cap again, and add crushed ice one 60g (1/2 cup) scoop at a time to the running blender to avoid jamming the blades. Once all ice is added, replace the cap, turn the blender to high speed (level 10), and blend for exactly 30 seconds.
Check and adjust texture
Stop the blender, remove the lid, and stir the mixture with a long spoon to check for unblended ice chunks. If large ice pieces remain, blend on high for an extra 10 seconds; the finished drink should be pourable with a 1cm (1/2 inch) thick layer of light, bubbly froth on top.
Pour and serve immediately
Divide the finished Orange Julius evenly between four 355ml (12oz) tall glasses. Serve right away with a straw, as the froth will separate and the slush will melt within 10 minutes if left at room temperature.
Tips
2.For a richer, creamier variation, replace 120ml (1/2 cup) of the cold water with softened vanilla ice cream before blending for a milkshake-like twist on the classic recipe.
3.Avoid over-blending after adding ice, as excessive blending will melt the ice too quickly and result in a flat, non-frothy drink with no signature light, bubbly top.
OMG this tastes EXACTLY like the Orange Julius I used to get at the mall food court as a teen! I was so worried I’d never replicate that perfect creamy, not-too-sweet orange flavor, but this nailed it. 5 minute cook time? Game changer for after school snacks.
My kids loved it! I made this for our post-pool snack yesterday and they asked for seconds before they even finished their first cups. I did add a handful of frozen mango chunks to sneak in a little extra fruit, and nobody even noticed. SO good.
Super easy to throw together after my morning run. I used oat milk instead of regular dairy because that’s what I had on hand, and it still came out perfectly creamy. Tastes way better than the fast food orange slushies I used to grab on my way to class.
I brought this to our neighborhood block party last weekend and it was gone in 15 minutes! People kept coming back to ask for the recipe, even the neighbors who usually only drink soda. Will absolutely be making this for every summer get-together from now on.
Wait this is so cheap to make? I was paying $6 a pop for these at the campus coffee shop, now I can make a whole pitcher for like $3 total. Only note: don’t skip the vanilla extract, I tried it without on my first batch and it was missing that little something special.
Is there a way to make this ahead for a brunch? I’m hosting a baby shower next weekend and want to have this as a non-alcoholic drink option, but I don’t want to be blending batches while guests are here.
Made this for our family camping trip last weekend, it was the perfect cool treat after a long hike. I pre-measured all the dry ingredients (powdered sugar, vanilla powder) into a bag ahead of time so all I had to do was add orange juice, milk, and ice to the portable blender. 10/10, zero mess.
I added a tiny splash of coconut rum to mine after the kids went to bed, and wow. Adult version of this is chef’s kiss, perfect for a lazy summer evening on the porch. Will be making both the kid-friendly and adult versions all summer long.
I portioned this into popsicle molds after blending it, and now I have creamy orange popsicles for the whole week’s snacks. Way better than the store-bought ones that are full of weird additives, and they took literally 5 minutes to pour.
I used lactose-free whole milk and it came out just as creamy as the regular version! I was worried the non-dairy swap would make it watery, but no, that perfect frothy texture was still there. Finally, a creamy frozen drink I don’t have to pay extra for a milk substitute at the shop.
Uh, I think I messed up? I used crushed ice instead of ice cubes and it came out really watery? Did I do something wrong? It still tasted good, just not as thick as the pictures look.
I screamed when I found this recipe. I used to beg my mom to take me to the Orange Julius stand at the mall every time we went school clothes shopping, and this is spot on. The little hint of powdered sugar is exactly what I remembered. No notes, 10/10.
I made this for our church potluck last Sunday and set it up next to the punch bowl, and people were choosing this over the punch all night! I topped each cup with a little orange slice and a paper umbrella for fun, it looked so cute on the drink table.
I swapped the powdered sugar for a couple pitted dates to cut down on added sugar, and it was still so delicious! Blended the dates up with the orange juice first before adding the rest of the ingredients so there were no chunks. Great post-workout cool down treat.
I’ve been making my version of Orange Julius for my grandkids for 40 years, and I have to say, this recipe is even better than mine! The ratio of milk to orange juice is perfect, no curdling, no weird aftertaste. My oldest grandson asked for the recipe to take to college with him.
Made this at 1am after a movie night with my roommates, and we all agreed it’s better than the slushies we get at the gas station. So easy, we didn’t even have to run to the store, we had all the ingredients already in the kitchen. Will be a regular late night staple from now on.
I set up a little Orange Julius mimosa bar for my brunch last weekend! Had the classic batch, then little add-ins: coconut rum, prosecco, frozen strawberries, mint sprigs. People went wild for it, it was the star of the spread.
We made this today during the snowstorm when we couldn’t get out to the store, and it was such a fun bright pick-me-up! It felt like summer in a cup even when it was 20 degrees outside. My 7 year old helped measure the ingredients and thought it was the coolest thing ever.
I added a scoop of vanilla ice cream to mine for an extra thick treat, and it tasted just like the orange creamsicles I used to get from the ice cream truck as a kid. So rich and creamy, didn’t even need to add extra sugar because the ice cream added just enough sweetness.
I stored a batch in a large insulated tumbler for our road trip last weekend, and it stayed cold and frothy for almost 3 hours! Saved us so much money stopping for drinks along the way, and it was way tastier than the soda we usually bring. Will be a road trip staple from now on.