Orange Julius is a popular drink that’s simple to make at home! It’s frosty and creamy. This copycat recipe is a refreshing treat that everyone in the family will enjoy.
If you like this copycat Orange Julius recipe, try my Copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf. Another homemade version of a restaurant favorite exists. This Olive Garden Breadsticks Recipe is a hit with readers too!
Copycat DQ Orange Julius Recipe
If you’re of a certain age, you probably spent many of your middle school and teen years hanging out at mall food courts. Was there anything better than greasy Sbarro pizza and free chicken teriyaki on toothpicks? Oh yes there was: the original Orange Julius!
Dairy Queen bought Orange Julius, and you can still get one at most DQ locations. However, it’s not quite the same.
Are you still wondering, what is an orange julius? An Orange Julius is a frothy, creamy orange drink with a vanilla flavor that makes it taste a little bit like an orange creamsicle.
Not quite a slushie, but not entirely a milkshake. Imagine of what would happen if you combined the two.
- To make homemade Orange Julius, you need just a few simple ingredients. You probably have most of them in your kitchen.
- The short ingredient list makes it simple. Making an Orange Julius is even easier. Just put everything in your blender and turn it on.
- It doesn’t get much more refreshing than an Orange Julius. Now that I know how to make them at home, I find myself craving them on hot summer days.
- This recipe is fun and brings back memories of the food court. So tasty, you’ll love it, even if you’ve never tried one before! Easy to make at home.
Important Ingredient Notes
- Frozen Orange juice concentrate – The kind that comes frozen in cylinders at the grocery store.
- Whole milk – Whole milk will give you the richest, creamiest results.
- Granulated sugar – You can adjust the amount to your liking.
- Pure vanilla extract – Real vanilla has the best flavor. Skip the imitation vanilla here!
- Ice cubes – For frothiness and frostiness.
How to Make an Orange Julius
Blend: Add all the ingredients, except the ice cubes, to your blender. Turn it on and blend until the mixture is smooth.
Make It Frosty: Add the ice cubes to the blender and blend again until the Orange Julius is smooth and frothy. Serve immediately.
- You can adjust the consistency of the Orange Julius if you’d like. More ice will give you a drink that’s more like a slushy. Skipping the water and adding extra whole milk will make it creamier.
- Want an Orange Julius milkshake? Skip the milk and the water, replacing it with 1 cup of vanilla ice cream.
- You can use a Magic Bullet to make this recipe if you have one.
- If serving a crowd, double or triple the recipe and make it in a full-sized blender.
- Try making different Orange Julius flavors with different varieties of frozen juice concentrates.
More Refreshing Drink Recipes
- Skinny Shamrock Shake
- Pina Colada Smoothie
- S’mores Coffee Milkshake
- Brown Sugar Latte
- Cranberry Orange Smoothie
- Grinch Drink
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItOrange Julius Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup frozen orange juice concentrate
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 6 ice cubes
Instructions
- Combine everything except the ice cubes in a blender and process until smooth and well blended.
- Add the ice cubes and blend until ice cubes are crushed and the drink is smooth. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a slushier drink, add more ice.
- For a creamier drink, use all whole milk and omit the water.
- For an Orange Julius Milkshake, omit the milk and water and add 1 cup of vanilla ice cream instead.
- Ingredients fit in Magic Bullet cup if you want to make it in that instead of a blender.
- If using a blender, easily double or triple the recipe!