Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe (2024)

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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!

Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe (1)

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!

Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe (2)

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!

Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe (3)

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.

Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe (4)

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 (5)

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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  • Instant Cherry Ice Cream
  • Banana Peach Green Smoothie

Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe (6)

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!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert, Drinks

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 296kcal

Author: Karly Gomez

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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 335mg | Potassium: 738mg | Sugar: 62g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 117.5mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 0.3mg

MADE THIS RECIPE?Click here to leave a comment + star rating! ★★★★★

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Originally posted 08/23/2013 and updated 04/29/2019

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About Karly

From her childhood home in Southern Minnesota, Karly embraces the crazy of everyday life by creating delicious dishes her family and friends love, while experimenting with new flavors and techniques and photographing the results. Karly’s love for beautiful foods and joy for creating is infectious to all who meet her.

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Comments

  1. Elite Proxy says

    Thank you for some other great post. Where else may anybody get that kind of info in such an ideal means of writing? I have a presentation next week, and I am at the look for such information.

    Reply

  2. Michael S says

    Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe (8)
    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!

    Reply

  3. Beth says

    Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe (9)
    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!

    Reply

  4. Allison says

    Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe (10)
    I haven’t had one of these in years! Now I get to introduce my kids to them – thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  5. 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.

    Reply

  6. 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.

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  7. 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!

    Reply

    • Karly Gomez says

      I know, right?!? Probably why it took me so long to figure it out! It was a well-held secret!

      Reply

  8. Casey K says

    Oh thank you so much for posting this! I can’t wait to make it. Thank you thank you thank you!

    Reply

    • Karly Gomez says

      You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply

  9. 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!!!

    Reply

    • Karly Gomez says

      Ha ha ha YES! Exactly the same for me!

      Reply

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Easy Homemade Orange Julius Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What was the original Orange Julius made of? ›

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.

What is the white powder used at Orange Julius? ›

But years later, and after lots of research, I've discovered that it was egg white powder mixed with dry milk and vanilla flavoring. That's it! That's the "secret ingredient"! But it's not just the secret powder that makes it an Orange Julius - it's also the directions on how to make it.

Does an Orange Julius have milk in it? ›

What Exactly Is an Orange Julius? If you've never tried this frothy drink, you're in for a sweet treat! An Orange Julius is a blend of frozen orange juice concentrate, milk, vanilla, sugar, and ice.

Is an Orange Julius good for you? ›

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.

What is the difference between Orange Julius and original? ›

The Julius Originals preparation method for DQ locations uses the Misty® slush, and the Julius Originals preparation method for Orange Julius locations (Orange Julius without a DQ component) uses simple syrup. Nutritional information between the two preparation methods may vary significantly.

When did Orange Julius change their recipe? ›

Orange Julius was eventually sold to International Industries in 1967 and then to Dairy Queen in 1987, which began the decline of the brand and a major change to the way the product was made with a move towards more artificial ingredients.

Why does Dairy Queen not have Orange Julius? ›

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.

Why is it called an Orange Julius? ›

It all started with a guy who really liked oranges. People called him Julius Freed. Julius liked oranges so much, in fact, that he opened his very own orange juice stand.

What is the name of the white powder? ›

Cocaine is a white powder. Crack cocaine is generally a white crystallized rock type substance.

What is in a triple berry Julius? ›

Tripleberry® Julius® Original

Real Strawberry, raspberry, blackberry blended together with a secret ingredient to Orange Julius® frothy perfection.

Does Orange Julius have pina colada? ›

Sweet Pineapple and coconut flavour blended together with a secret ingredient to Orange Julius® perfection.

Can you have Orange Julius while pregnant? ›

Orange juice is good to drink while you're pregnant, but you should only have it when it is pasteurized and fortified with calcium. This is especially good to consume if you have high blood pressure or your obstetrician has told you that you are at risk for it—also known as preeclampsia—during your pregnancy.

Is high pulp OJ better for you? ›

Orange pulp is rich in fiber and helps to regulate your digestive system, control blood sugar and decrease unhealthy cholesterol, says Escobar. "Orange juice with no pulp doesn't contain this source of fiber and may cause a rapid spike in blood sugar, even if there is no sugar added," she notes.

Are McDonald's smoothies made with real fruit? ›

The McCafé® Strawberry Banana Smoothie recipe features the perfect combination of real strawberry and banana fruit purees and juices, blended with creamy low fat yogurt and ice. As a part of the McCafé® Menu, Strawberry Banana Smoothie is available in small, medium, and large sizes.

How long does Orange Julius last in the fridge? ›

Unrefrigerated orange juice can last for 3 to 9 months if it's still sealed up tight. But once you open it, you'll want to stick it in the fridge and drink it up within 8 to 10 days as well.

Does Orange Julius exist anymore? ›

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.

Is pulp in OJ real? ›

Orange juice is now commonly marketed as smooth (no pulp) juice and juice with pulp (or 'with bits' in the UK) (OJP). The pulp is derived from the cellular tissues of the endocarp [22].

Where was the original Orange Julius? ›

History of Orange Julius

Julius Freed opened an orange juice stand in 1926 on South Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles. In 1929, the orange juice was developed into a specialty drink by Freed's real estate broker Willard Hamlin.

When did Dairy Queen stop selling Orange Julius? ›

Well, not entirely, at least. Dairy Queen did, unfortunately, discontinue the Orange Julius menu at its Grill & Chill restaurants in 2019. However, its treat-only locations still offer a selection of Orange Julius products, including the original Orange Julius drink we all know and love.

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