Healthy Homemade Orange Julius is copy-cat version of a childhood favorite. This Easy Orange Julius is made with zero sugars and dairy-free! Directions on how to turn this childhood favorite into a Tipsy Orange Julius Cocktail for adults to enjoy.
We were walking through the mall the other day and as my husband began to grow anxious and impatient as I drifted in and out of stores, I heard him mumble that he better get an Orange Julius out of this torture.
Torture?!! Okay I will admit, shopping is kind of tortuous for even me–I can NEVER find what I am looking for. Or on the rare chance I do, it doesn’t fit. Story of my life. So I forgave him of his little outburst and he did in fact find a place to get an Orange Julius.
When I asked him why they were so good, he looked at me with wide eyes. As if it was a sin to ask such a question. But the truth was, I never opted to get an Orange Julius at the mall. In fact, even though I had heard of Orange Julius’, I didn’t know what they were.
Chocolate is my vice. I want to indulge in Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshakes or Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothies, over tropical drinks.
What is an Orange Julius?
An Orange Julius is a blend of frozen orange juice concentrate, milk, vanilla, sugar, and ice. It’s like a dessert smoothie.
And I must admit when I tried a sip of the Orange Julius, it was good and refreshing, but the sugar in that sucker!! WHOA!
I knew I had to learn to make one of my husband’s favorites at home, so we could enjoy without the sugar crash.
Healthy Homemade Orange Julius
Behold my HEALTHY ORANGE JULIUS.
I took out the ALL the added sugars in the original drink to create a healthier take on an Orange Julius, and this recipe could not be any easier!
3 simple ingredients and I made a killer good rendition of the classic.
My secret?
Orange juice concentrate.
Oh yes, it is high in sugar–but natural sugars. And when you mix that with your choice of non-dairy milk, and a bit of vanilla extract, you have a nearly perfect rendition of the flavor or the original Orange Julius
Add in a splash of vanilla vodka and BAM– a TIPSY ORANGE JULIUS.
Notes on Homemade Orange Julius
- If serving this Orange Julius to adults, I suggest adding some vanilla vodka for a Tipsy Orange Julius Cocktail.
- I like to use unsweetened vanilla almond milk (that has zero grams of added sugar) in the base of this Orange Julius. Canned Coconut milk is another delicious non-dairy option and is a bit reminiscent of my Pina Colada Recipe.
- If you are not dairy free, you can use regular milk for this Orange Julius recipe.
- Be sure to use pulp-free orange juice concentrate for a smoother cocktail.
- If you use vanilla flavored non-dairy milk, you can omit the vanilla extract.
More Smoothie Recipes
- Blueberry Smoothie
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie
- Sweet Potato Smoothie
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Smoothie
- Mango Berry Smoothie from Minimalist Baker
Healthy Homemade Orange Julius
Ingredients
- 1 container orange concentrate still frozen
- 5 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4-6 ounces vanilla vodka optional
Instructions
- Place all ingredients (including vodka) into the blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If serving this Orange Julius to adults, I suggest adding some vanilla vodka for a Tipsy Orange Julius Cocktail. You can use up to 6 ounces (1 ounce per serving) I personally only use 1/2 ounce per serving.
- I like to use unsweetened vanilla almond milk (that has zero grams of added sugar) in the base of this Orange Julius. Canned Coconut milk is another delicious non-dairy option and creates a richer smoothie.
- If you are not dairy free, you can use regular milk for this Orange Julius recipe.
- Be sure to use pulp-free orange juice concentrate for a smoother cocktail.
- If you use vanilla flavored non-dairy milk, you can omit the vanilla extract.
For more Tasty Cocktails, Check these out from Food Network’s Let’s Pull Up a Chair Group:
Devour: Get Bowled Over by These Spiked-Punch Recipes
Creative Culinary: Bourbon Peach Smash Cocktail
The Lemon Bowl: Strawberry Mojitos
The Fed Up Foodie: Rainbow Tequila Sangria
FN Dish: End-of-Summer Swigs You’ll Want to Make by the Pitcher
Kristen Chidsey
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We add ice cubes to make it frozen and not so much milk. Love the idea of vodka in it! Been making it for 45 years,lol.
That is a great idea too Penny! Love that you have been making it for so long.
Are these 6 or 8 oz servings?
Hi Betsy, these are 8 ounce servings. Enjoy!
Oh I love a good Orange Julius. At home, I use frozen bananas to get it creamy and sweet without the added sugar. Concentrate is a great idea!
Give this a try Melissa! I also make a smoothie like this with bananas (with OJ, coconut milk as well), but this version is purely orange flavor!!
I remember going to the mall as a kid and getting Orange Julius. Thanks for the adult version!
You bet! I hope you enjoy it MORE than any one you had at the mall!
I remember Orange Julius! I loved it! Now that I’m a grown-up, I’ll take YOUR version! 😉
For sure!
This indeed very interesting.. especially the vodka 😉
😉
Bam indeed!!! Oh my goodness… who knew this could be so easy?? I remember getting these drinks as a kid on Sundays after church, but I haven’t had one in probably 20 years! (They did exist that far back, right??). Love the Tipsy version!
You will love this version so much more too!