This Strawberry Orange Julius is the perfect refreshing drink for a hot summer day. It’s sweet, super creamy, and couldn’t be easier to whip up at home.
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Homemade Strawberry Orange Julius Recipe
This homemade Strawberry Orange Julius totally hits the spot on a hot day. Based off of our copycat recipe for Orange Julius, this easy frozen drink tastes like a melted strawberry creamsicle. All you need are a few ingredients, a blender and about 10 minutes.
The original Orange Julius was developed in the 1920s in Los Angeles by a man who owned a little orange juice stand. Its popularity skyrocketed in the 1960s and now there are even hundreds of Orange Julius stores owned by Dairy Queen across the country.
And if you love frozen treats, be sure to try our Dole Whip recipe, Blue Smoothie Bowl, and our famous Acai Bowl Recipe.
Our Strawberry Orange Julius recipe uses frozen strawberries, frozen orange juice concentrate, whole milk, a little sugar and vanilla and plenty of ice. Blend it up, serve with a straw and prepare to chill.
Ingredients in Strawberry Orange Julius
- Milk - whole milk is best, but 2% will work. For a thicker smoothie, you could even substitute yogurt.
- Water - for an even richer drink, you could skip the water and substitute more milk, or even orange juice.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract tastes best. Even just a little bit adds a lot of flavor.
- Sugar - white granulated sugar adds sweetness and balances out all of the tart juice concentrate.
- Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate - this adds the best orange flavor to the drink since it is so concentrated. You could substitute orange juice but the Julius drink will be much thinner.
- Frozen Strawberries - frozen strawberries give this more of a fruit smoothie consistency than if you were to use fresh strawberries. You can absolutely freeze fresh strawberries if you’d like, or just purchase a bag of frozen strawberries.
- Ice - small ice cubes will blend up easier in the drink.
How to Make This Strawberry Orange Julius Recipe
- Blend. In a blender, add the milk, water, vanilla extract, sugar, orange juice concentrate and frozen strawberries. Blend until smooth.
- Add ice. Add the ice and blend again until smooth.
- Serve. Pour into individual glasses and serve with a straw. Enjoy!
Strawberry Banana Orange Julius Recipe
If you want to make a Strawberry Banana Orange Julius recipe, toss a couple bananas in the freezer ahead of time. Add 1 frozen banana to this recipe, thinning down with more milk as needed to reach your desired consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! If you want to use fresh strawberries, you should still freeze them ahead of time. The frozen fruit, along with the ice cubes, is what helps to create a smoothie texture.
If you have any Strawberry Orange Julius left over, don’t toss it. Instead, put it into popsicle molds or even ice cube trays with popsicle sticks for a tasty homemade popsicle.
You definitely can, although the texture will be a little thinner and it won’t have quite as strong of an orange flavor. I would definitely skip the water in the recipe if you plan to go this route.
Recipe Variations for Strawberry Orange Julius
If you're a fan of the classic Strawberry Orange Julius, you're in for a treat! This delicious and refreshing beverage can be easily customized with a variety of ingredients to create exciting flavor variations. Here are some creative recipe ideas to elevate your Strawberry Orange Julius experience:
- Tropical Twist: Add a tropical twist to your Strawberry Orange Julius by blending in a handful of pineapple chunks and a splash of coconut milk. This combination will transport you to a sunny beach paradise.
- Berry Blast: Boost the berry flavor by incorporating a handful of fresh blueberries or raspberries. This will add a vibrant burst of color and a tangy twist to your Strawberry Orange Julius.
- Creamy Dream: If you prefer a creamier texture, swap out the regular milk for vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt. This will create a luscious and indulgent version of the Strawberry Orange Julius.
- Citrus Zing: Enhance the citrusy goodness by squeezing in some lime juice or adding a splash of lemonade to the mix. This will give your Strawberry Orange Julius a tangy kick that will awaken your taste buds
- Protein Power: Boost the nutritional value of your Strawberry Orange Julius by adding a scoop of protein powder. This will turn your drink into a satisfying and energizing post-workout treat.
Homemade Strawberry Orange Julius Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 cup Water
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Sugar
- 12 ounces Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate
- 2 cups Frozen Strawberries
- 2 cups Ice
Instructions
- In a blender, add the milk, water, vanilla extract, sugar, orange juice concentrate and frozen strawberries. Blend until smooth.
- Add the ice and blend again until smooth.
- Pour into individual glasses and serve with a straw. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Drink Recipes For the Whole Family
- Breakfast Punch
- Breakfast Tropical Punch
- Disney Copycat Dole Whip
- Virgin Strawberry Pina Colada
- Mint Lemonade
- Holiday Punch
- Caramel Apple Punch
- More Summer Recipes
- More Copycat Recipes
This Strawberry Orange Julius is a summer drink recipe the whole family will love. Just combine orange juice concentrate, frozen strawberries, milk, sugar, vanilla and ice for a simple treat.
Ashley
This reminds me of my favorite childhood drink. Yum! It's so good, I will definitely make it again.
Liz
This was the perfect way to cool off on a hot and humid day! So yummy!