Orange Julius Copycat

orange julius copycat

By Melissa Griffiths of Bless This Mess

One of my favorite recipes in the Blendtec cookbook is banana ice cream. You simply blend frozen bananas until they are the consistency of soft serve ice cream and enjoy. We make this all of the time! I was dreaming of an Orange Julius the other day but didn't feel like I wanted to commit to that many calories just for a drink.

Then I had a "light bulb" moment! If I replaced the ice cream in a traditional Orange Julius with banana ice cream, I'd save a whole lot of calories. Using almond milk also helps. So before I knew it, I had a super clean and healthy Orange Julius recipe that is light on calories, big on taste, and pretty darn good for you. And I've made this recipe every other day for the last two weeks; we just can't get enough.

Using fresh, seasonal oranges makes a huge difference in this recipe. They add so much flavor and sweetness! To quickly "peel" oranges, cut off  a thin slice of peel from the top and the bottom of the orange. Set the orange on its new flat bottom, and then use your knife to slice down the sides right under the peel following the curve of the orange. It's ok if there is a bit of white pith left—it's nothing the Blendtec won't take care of!

Orange Julius Copycat Recipe

Clean and Healthy Orange Julius Copycat

2 oranges, peeled
4 frozen bananas, broken into chunks
2 cups vanilla almond milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Add all of the ingredients to the jar of your Blendtec blender, secure the lid, and blend on the Ice Cream cycle. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash more almond milk and blend again. Pour into 2 large glasses and enjoy right away.  

For more recipes that are quick, healthy, and family-friendly, check out my blog, Bless this Mess. You'll also find lots of good eats, the fun we have raising a dozen backyard chickens, and an honest picture of a happy small town life. You can connect on Facebook and Instagram too!


23 comments


  • Dana

    His version is anything BUT healthy as it contains refined sugar, which is toxic to the human body (most don’t realize this). It also has the same effect on the brain as heroin (hence why peeps who eat/drink lots of sugary “foods”/drinks, find it difficult to pull away from other sugar “foods”/drinks. Keeps one craving more. It’s also a cancer feeder! … or exacerbates any health issue one may have—from minor to more serious). And if he uses Splenda, that’s just as bad if not worse as it’s extremely toxic as well (too much to share here, but if interested you can go to: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/12/18/sucralose-side-effects.aspx or simply google “dangers of splenda”. This is not NEW news.

    Also, any non-organic dairy is LADEN with awful things (from the horribly sick cows who are forced to exist in the horrors of factory farms). Non-organic dairy also contains hormones (to increase volume. This creates hormone imbalances in people, which in turn, creates a plethora of health issues) and antibiotics (because the animals are so sick they’re pumped with antibiotics which completely mess with one’s overall health since they destroy one’s healthy gut flora and HEALTH begins in the gut). Any non-organic soy is GMO. Again, this version of an Orange Julius is, unfortunately, the furthest thing from healthy.


  • Don the "RAWkstar"

    hugs Youre the best Surya. I am on a raw living food plan and you hit the bullseye with this one :) Thx a million Keep on RAWkin!


  • Ed

    Key words COPYCAT Orange Julius


  • Linda

    MUCH better, no bananas. Thanks.


  • Joy

    Rice milk, cashew milk (easy to make) or raw goat milk would be a much better substitute than soy milk. BTW, for those who are lactose intolerant, the culprit more often than not is pasteurization. It kills every enzyme that nature put in the milk for digestion. Most (not all) lactose intolerant people can drink raw milk with no problem.


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