This easy and simple 4-Ingredient Orange Julius Recipe is healthy, refreshing, and way tastier than the original recipe. Sweet and frothy with just a hint of vanilla, enjoy it for breakfast or dessert!
This recipe is totally flexible, meaning you can make it vegan, turn it into a cocktail, or just add in as many fruits as you desire. You could even freeze them in popsicle molds for fun orange yogurt popsicles!
This copycat recipe was inspired by the original orange julius recipe invented way back in the 1920s. While the original is so delicious and frothy, it isn’t very healthy. My version has really simple ingredients, like fresh oranges, creamy Greek yogurt, and a little vanilla.
It takes no time at all to whip up, so you can enjoy this sweet clementine smoothie as a quick breakfast or dessert. It’s like a creamsicle in a glass!
🍊 What is an Orange Julius?
An orange julius is two things: a fruit drink company, and a frothy orange drink. The company and the drink were founded in the 1920s in Los Angeles, California. Fun fact: the drink was invented and named after the company’s founder, Julius Freed!
He coined the iconic orange drink, which was originally made from orange juice, powdered egg whites, milk, vanilla, and ice. Home cooks all over the world have played with the recipe since, simplifying the ingredients or making fun additions.
🛒 Ingredients needed
- Vanilla Greek Yogurt: For an extra creamy orange smoothie with a hint of tang. Feel free to use regular vanilla yogurt if that’s all you have. You can also swap the yogurt for milk or dairy-free milk instead.
- Vanilla Extract: The touch of vanilla rounds out the flavors and complements the sweetness.
- Ice: This will help make the drink slushy and refreshing.
- Clementines: Yep, we’re using real oranges in this recipe! The flavor is 10 times better than juice from concentrate.
📋 How to make it
It really doesn’t get any easier than this. Just throw all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve with a colorful straw and enjoy!
ℹ️ FAQ
Do I have to use clementines?
I used clementines instead of oranges in this recipe because they’re so much easier to peel, seedless, and have a sweeter taste than other oranges. Go ahead and use any oranges you already have on hand. Swap out the four clementines for two large oranges and you’ll be good to go.
Is an orange julius made with eggs?
Egg whites were included in the original recipe to help make it extra frothy. I chose not to include eggs to keep things simple and the number of ingredients low. Plus, you may feel more confident drinking a version that doesn’t include any raw eggs.
🕕 Making it ahead of time
If you want to save time and make this smoothie ahead of time, blend everything together and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days before enjoying. The ingredients may separate while the drink sits, so give it a good stir or blend it again quickly to help everything come back together.
Alternatively, you can make the orange julius recipe as normal and pour it into ice cube trays. Whenever you want a smoothie, just pop a few orange ice cubes in the blender and blend until smooth.
✔️ Recipe variations
Make it a little more fun and add a few extra flavors into your drink, such as:
- 1 or 2 ounces of alcohol, such as vanilla-flavored vodka and Cointreau.
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream (to replace the Greek yogurt).
- A splash of orange or pineapple juice.
- Top it with whipped cream!
Don’t just settle for the orange flavor! Swap out the clementines for more fruit and berry combinations:
- Swap in bananas and strawberries.
- Add in 1 frozen banana and a handful of mixed berries to the recipe.
- Replace the yogurt and oranges with coconut milk and frozen pineapple chunks.
🍹 How to serve
This is a beautiful and colorful drink that’s best enjoyed in a clear glass with a fun straw and an orange wedge. It goes well with plenty of dishes and is great for any time of day:
- Enjoy it with a Greek yogurt bowl for breakfast or a snack.
- A glass with my breakfast cookies would make for a quick and filling breakfast.
- Blend a batch and freeze in molds for an orange julius yogurt popsicle.
- Triple the recipe and serve one to all of your friends at a pool party.
- Pair it with my mango cobbler for a light dessert.
👩🍳 More smoothie recipes
- Healthy Strawberry Smoothie
- Blackberry Smoothie Without Banana
- Peach Smoothie
- Dragonfruit Smoothie Bowl
- Green Goddess Smoothie
Orange Julius Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 clementines (peeled)
- 1/2 cup ice
- 1/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.
Nutrition
🍴 More Copycat Recipes
- In-N-Out Sauce
- Chick Fil A Sauce Recipe
- Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad
- Costco Quinoa Salad Recipe
- PF Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
- PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef
- Starbuck’s Cranberry Bliss Bars
- Starbuck’s Bistro Boxes: 3 Ways
- Starbuck’s Sous Vide Egg Bites
- Boston Market Meatloaf
- Shake and Bake Pork Chops
Check out the web story here.
Love copycat recipes. My all-time favorite is the baked garnet yam from Lone Star steak house, baked low and slow until the sugars seep out. Amazing.
That sounds delicious Bill – I’ll need to seek that recipe out!
Simple and easy recipe! Love when things so simple just taste so good! Also Orange Julius – yum yum!
I love an easy recipe too Lindsay! Especially first thing in the morning when I’m too tired to think!
As a kid I loved orange julius! Now I find them too sweet, but this is the perfect fix!
This should be just right Meredith – It’s definitely not too sweet at all – Just right! Enjoy!
Oh my goodness, talk about childhood memories! My kids are going to love this recipe — and so will I! Thanks! And, congrats on being able to eat again. You survived! I’m not sure I would have! 🙂
Yay – I hope your kids love this Marlynn!
Glad to hear you are back on solid foods again, Erin! Two weeks on liquids is enough to make anyone go nuts. I used to love getting an Orange Julius back in my “mall days,” and every so often I get a yen for one even now. I will have to give this a try. Cheers!
Thanks Renée – Reunited and it feels so good!
Love this – I think I may be having one for breakfast tomorrow morning!!!
Cheers to that Kathryn!
Erin, this is absolutely beautiful smoothie! I’d love to drink those 2 glasses you have there! Glad to hear you’re feeling better!
Thank you Shinee! I’m feeling SO much better – It’s hard for a self-proclaimed foodie not to eat!
The second I saw the picture I knew this was going to be something I could get behind. To find out how simple it was to make just made my whole day. Guess I am going to have to get some clementines.
http://www.dawnehanks.com
Thanks Dawne! It’s a perfect way to start the day!
Yum! I used to get an Orange Julius almost every weekend at the mall when I was in middle school. I’ll have to try your homemade version.
It was definitely a teenage favorite for me – This version we’ll call our “grown up” version 😉 Much healthier!
Hi! My family & I detest yogurt of any kind so can anything be used as a substitute? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Gina. You could use ice cream in place of the yogurt.
Forgive my ignorance but do you use the entire Clementine including the rind?
Sorry Joan – No, you should peel the clementines. I just updated the recipe card to be more clear. Thanks!