Orange Julius at Home in Minutes

If you’ve ever had an Orange Julius, you know how the orange creaminess can make a bad day so much better.  I always have one when I go to the local mall.  It’s my treat for dealing with the crowds, or saving money at a good sale.  While they come in many flavors, the original Orange Julius is by far my favorite.  Lately, though, I’ve been on a kick of knowing what goes into my food, and eating out, even an Orange Julius, has gone by the wayside.  In order to save money, and know what’s in my food, I started trying to make them at home.  While Orange Julius’s cost varies from location to location, you can pay $3 for a medium!  With this recipe, you can make 4 mediums for about the same price!  What a savings!

Making an Orange Julius Healthy

In looking on the Orange Julius website, their version contains things like karaya gum, artificial flavors, dipotassium phosphate, and guar gum.  I have a rule in my cooking: use as many natural ingredients, and avoid as many things as I can that I have to google to know what they are.  I avoided those things by using frozen orange pineapple juice concentrate, milk, and raw sugar.  You could easily use stevia in this recipe too, if that is your favorite sweetener.  By using natural ingredients, you get amazing flavor and you know you are giving your kids something that’s pretty healthy for them.

Frozen Orange Julius: Freeze the Leftovers!

The recipe makes 4 servings, but often it’s just me to drink them. Take the Orange Julius leftovers and put them in a popsicle mold then freeze them.  They will be similar to an orange dreamcicle, only better!  In the summer, this will be an amazing treat for your kids and you!

1/2 can (12 oz) frozen Orange Pineapple Juice Concentrate

1 C milk

1/4 C sugar (white, raw, or stevia)

1 C water

1 1/2 t vanilla extract

10 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender.

Pulse until the ice is pulverized and the mixture is frothy.

Pour into glasses and enjoy!

Save some cash and make some Orange Julius at home!