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Homemade Orange Julius — Creamy, Frothy & Refreshing
If you’ve ever loved that sweet, creamy drink from the mall, you’ll be thrilled to know you can make it right at home — quickly, easily, and with simple ingredients you probably already have. This Homemade Orange Julius is a nostalgic treat that tastes like a frozen creamsicle and is perfect for breakfast, snacks, dessert, or anytime you want a refreshing sip. This is a family favorite, my mom used to make when I was little.
While orange is the classic flavor, you can easily swap in other frozen juice concentrates like strawberry or pineapple and even add fruit like bananas or berries for fun twists.
Why This Drink Is a Favorite
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Quick & easy: Ready in just minutes.
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Creamy texture: Smooth milk, vanilla, and blended ice make it frothy and satisfying.
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Customizable: Switch up flavors with different juice concentrates or add-ins like fruit.
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Perfect for any time: Serve it at brunch, as an afternoon pick-me-up, or with dessert.
Ingredients
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6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate — (¾ cup) Half of a 12 oz can
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1 cup milk — whole milk, 2%, skim, or even almond, oat, or coconut milk may be used
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1 cup water — helps balance the drink and lighten the texture
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¼ cup powdered sugar — granulated sugar may be substituted
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract — adds a subtle, complementary flavor. Homemade Vanilla is perfect in this recipe
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10–12 ice cubes (about 1½ cups) — for that signature frothy, cold finish
Instructions
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Add the Ingredients: Place the orange juice concentrate, milk, water, powdered sugar, vanilla, and the ice cubes into a blender.
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Blend until smooth: Start on low speed, then blend on high for about 30–60 seconds until everything is combined and creamy.
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Serve immediately: Pour into tall glasses and enjoy fresh — it’s best right out of the blender.
Tips & Variations
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Less sweet: Cut back on sugar or use honey/maple syrup as an alternative.
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Fruit twists: Try using strawberry, pineapple, or mango juice concentrate instead of orange.
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Dairy-free option: Substitute almond, oat, or coconut milk for a dairy-free version.
Homemade Orange Julius
Ingredients
- 6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate (¾ cup)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup powdered or granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 10-12 ice cubes (approx. 1½ cups)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and frothy. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
- A RATHER CLASSY GLASS: On the surface it may look like an average highball glass. But this is the JoyJolt Faye Glass, and it’s anything but average. Crafted from Lead-Free Crystal and 2.5” wide it’s the perfect sized drinking glass for ice, and the perfect glass for your finest and shiniest cocktails!
- LOVELY TO BEHOLD: With its slimline 2.5” grip, 1.7oz heft and 3mm rolled rim, Faye alcohol glasses feel fantastic to hold. They’re light enough so as not to weigh your summer mojito down, but not so light that you feel as though it would break when you SET it down. Take a sip of satisfaction and see.
- LEAD-FREE CRYSTAL GLASSES: Notice how thick, robust and slender your skinny drink glasses are. Strong crystal glass like this is free from glass bubbles, easier to set down without worrying about breakage, and easier to clean. These 6” Tall drink glasses are Dishwasher Safe and effortless to fit!
- FOR DAILY USE: When you’re not filling your 13oz glass cups with a vibrant cocktail, you’ll also love using them as sturdy kitchen glasses and general drinkware. Popular as: a fresh squeezed juice glass that makes colors pop, dainty iced tea glasses, mocktail glasses, water glass and 12oz skinny beer glass
- SECURELY BOXED: Faye 6 PC Bar Glasses Sets for the home, come securely bubble-wrapped in a thick box, so any plans for gifting will be success! Affordably priced for this type of quality, and with a 12 Month Guarantee, they’re a practical and beautiful gift for anyone who likes to imbibe joy.
- UNIQUE COCKTAIL GLASSES: The first thing you notice about the Gwen highball glass is its unique “lava lamp” shape. And when you add your Tequila Sunrise with ice, you’ll see! Crafted from Lead-Free Crystal with a big 18oz capacity, it’s a most unique glass, and it wants your most significant, most vibrant drink!
- FOR SERIOUS DRINKS: With its 2.5” – 3.25” grip, 2.5oz heft, and 3mm rolled rim, Gwen alcohol glasses feel fantastic to hold. They’re light enough so as not to weigh your summer mojito down, but not so soft that you feel as though it would break when you SET it down. So take a sip of satisfaction and see.
- LEAD-FREE CRYSTAL GLASSES: Notice how thick, robust, and perfectly curved your drink glasses are. Strong crystal glass like this is free from glass bubbles, easier to set down without worrying about breakage, and easier to clean. In addition, these 6” Tall drink glasses are Dishwasher Safe and effortless to fit!
- FOR DAILY USE: When you’re not filling your 18oz glass cups with a vibrant cocktail, you’ll also love using them as sturdy kitchen glasses and general drinkware. Popular as: a freshly squeezed juice glass that makes colors pop, large iced tea glasses, mocktail glasses, water glass, and pint holding beer cup!
- SECURELY BOXED: Gwen 4 PC Bar Glasses Sets for the home come securely bubble wrapped in a thick box, so any gifting plans will be a success! They are affordable for this type of quality. With a 12 Month Guarantee, they’re a unique and beautiful gift for anyone who likes to imbibe joy.
- SHIPMENT CONTAINS: 100 flexible plastic straws in assorted vibrant colors (blue, green, and red), 7.5" long for convenient sipping
- VERSATILE DESIGN: Sturdy, bendable straws ideal for soda, juice, lemonade, cocktails and everyday beverages like cold brew or iced tea
- CONVENIENT USE: Single-use straws provide easy cleanup after parties, gatherings, or daily use
- PERFECT FOR GATHERINGS: Great for summer pool parties, birthday celebrations, office socials, and other large events
- PACKAGING MAY VARY: Packaging may be different than what is shown but item and quality remain the same
- STANDARD 7.75 INCH LENGTH FOR 16 OZ CUPS: A classic straight drinking straw that reaches the bottom of 12 to 16 oz glasses, iced coffee cups and soda cups, with enough above the rim to sip comfortably.
- SIZE CHECK, 0.21 INCH WIDE: A regular-width straw for water, soda, iced tea, iced coffee, lemonade and cocktails. It is not wide enough for thick smoothies, milkshakes or boba; choose a wide straw for those.
- 11 COLORS FOR PARTIES AND EVENTS: Black, clear, gold, pink, red, blue, green, orange, purple, yellow and assorted. Match wedding colors, birthday themes, holidays, bar menus and team colors.
- BOXED, NOT BAGGED: Straws ship flat in a box that keeps them straight and clean and doubles as a dispenser at coffee bars, drink stations, restaurants and office kitchens.
- FOOD-SAFE PLASTIC IN BULK COUNTS: These plastic disposable straws are made from food-safe polypropylene that will not go soggy like paper straws. Available in 250, 500, 2,000 and 10,000 count for homes, cafés, bars and caterers.
