4-Ingredient Orange Julius Recipe (5-Minute)

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7/13/2023Updated: 7/13/2023

In our culture of smoothies galore, anything goes. Smoothie add-ins range from whey protein to wheatgrass to collagen.

I’m not betting on wrinkles miraculously disappearing by gulping smoothies. {Anything’s possible?} That said, this Chia Seed Pudding and this Tropical Green Smoothies are on-trend, healthy, and taste pretty awesome.

But sometimes, we all just long for sweet and simple. Nothing fancy, but everything delicious. Something classic, yet definitely improved. We’re talking this 4-ingredient homemade Orange Julius smoothie that brings you back to childhood summers at the mall.

We’ve got nostalgic memories of begging Mom for that frothy Orange Julius we saw everyone else buying at the mall. This 4-Ingredient Orange Julius recipe is healthier, budget-friendly, and every bit as delicious. It’s frothy, cool, and scrumptious. It’s just like what you get at the mall, without actually going to the mall. In fact, you don’t have to go anywhere. And it takes only a few teensy minutes to whip up.

Just 4 ingredients for homemade Orange Julius. (Courtesy of Amy Dong) — Just 4 ingredients for homemade Orange Julius. Courtesy of Amy Dong

Just 4 Ingredients And A Blender

You’ll be amazed at how easy and fast this classic smoothie is to whip up at home. You’ll need just 4 basic ingredients and a good heavy duty countertop blender. You’ll probably want to keep your blender on the counter all summer long, for homemade Orange Julius smoothies on the regular. We keep our trusty blender within easy reach for Strawberry Julius smoothies, too.

This frosty orange smoothie is so easy, the kids can help gather the ingredients and watch, you blend up this family treat. Pro mom tip: be sure to divvy up everyone’s share evenly, right in front of the kids’ watchful eyes, because they’ll absolutely be monitoring the situation. Here’s what you’ll need:

Orange Juice Concentrate, from frozen
Whole Milk; low fat milk can work, too, though it will be less creamy
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract

(Courtesy of Amy Dong) — Courtesy of Amy Dong

How To Make

It may be somewhat unexpected, but you’ll be using a can of 100 percent frozen orange juice from concentrate in this recipe. Rather than juicing fresh oranges or using liquid juice, frozen orange juice is perfect because it’s already freezer-cold and boasts an intense orange flavor. We keep several cans of 100 percent orange juice in the freezer at all times now.

Our recipe uses low-fat milk, but whole milk will work wonderfully for a slightly richer texture. Powdered sugar and real vanilla extract round out the recipe.

There are no unknowns and no questionable ingredients. It’s all pure and simple.

Somehow, these 4 little ingredients plus plenty of ice, will blend up all fizzy and bubbly. Your drink will stay nice and frothy for awhile, so you can sit back and sip slowly, and savor every drop of this refreshing classic – it’s kinda hard to sip slowly, but it sounds good in theory.