Orange Julius Copycat Recipe

This shopping mall classic Orange Julius Copycat Recipe is an iconic frothy drink that can be brought to life at home with just a few simple ingredients. You need less than 5 minutes to make this nostalgic and creamy orange-flavored beverage, so skip the food court!

We've been loving re-making classics food court and take-out favorites at home lately. So many of them are so delicious and easy to make, cue this re-make of the classic Orange Julius!

Does anyone else remember roaming the mall with a frothy, delicious orange-flavored beverage in hand? These drinks are now being phased out in stores around the US, so it's the perfect time to figure out how to make it at home!

We promise it's so easy, and you might even have everything you need to make it on hand already!

Looking for more copycat recipes? Try these Little Caesar's crazy puffs, this Starbucks copycat strawberry latte, this Chic-Fil-A peach milkshake copycat, or this iced white mocha (Starbucks copycat).

You may also enjoy these copycat oatmeal creme pies!

❤️Why We Love This Recipe

• Nostalgic flavors. One sip of this drink and suddenly it's the early 2000's in your local mall all over again! The nostalgic orange creamsicle-like flavor of this drink is so satisfying.
• Made with 5 ingredients. Everything you need to make this recipe can be found at any grocery store, and you probably have most of what you need at home already!
• Ready in minutes. If you're craving a refreshing and satisfying treat - you only need 5 minutes to make this easy copycat recipe. It's so easy, anyone can make it!

🍊Ingredients

Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.

• Milk. Use at least 2%, preferably whole milk, for the creamiest result.
• Orange juice from concentrate. This is how you get that concentrated orange flavor! Let it sit out for about an hour at room temperature, or run it under hot water for about 5 minutes to thaw it slightly before mixing up your drink.

Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.

✨Substitutions & Variations

Here are a few suggestions on additional flavors to try, or simple variations to this recipe.

• No orange juice concentrate. You can omit the water, and add orange juice, plus orange zest to taste to achieve that pop or orange flavor.
• Dairy-free. Swap the milk for your favorite dairy-free milk, or coconut cream for an extra creamy drink.
• Creamier. Instead of milk, you could use half-and-half or heavy cream to make this drink extra creamy.
• Use sweetened condensed milk. You can swap the milk and sugar for sweetened condensed milk for an extra creamy and luscious-tasting sip!
• Add extra fruit. This isn't traditional, but we imagine adding pineapple, bananas, or a little of both would make for an incredible drink!

This recipe hasn't been tested with any other substitutions or variations, so we can't guarantee any results. If you make a change, let us know how it goes in the comments below!

🔪Prep Work

• Bring the orange juice concentrate out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour so it can thaw a bit, and pour easily. You can also run it under hot water for about 5 minutes to thaw it quickly.
• When it's time to make the drink, measure out all of your ingredients.
• Cut some orange slices to garnish your drink if desired.

Add water, milk, orange juice concentrate, vanilla, sugar, and ice to a blender. (Image 1)

Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste, and adjust sugar if needed. (Image 2)

⭑Pro tip: We like to add liquid to the blender first before adding the other ingredients to help it blend better.

Pour into glasses. (Image 3)

Garnish with an optional orange wedge, and enjoy!

⭑Pro tip: Serve right away! This mixture is a tad bit runny rather than thick, so it will begin to melt.

✨Top Tips

• Use fresh ice. Old ice that has been sitting in the back of the freezer for a while is bound to taste a little stale. It may even begin to taste like something with a strong odor! So to make sure your Orange Julius tastes like a creamsicle and not shrimp, use fresh ice!
• Sweeten to taste. It's your drink - so make it how you like! Add as much or as little sugar as you'd like to suit your preferences.