Do you miss the bold, citrusy flavor of a freshly squeezed orange while you’re living the keto life? This Keto Orange Julius recipe brings back the creamy, dreamy taste of the classic mall treat, but without all the sugar and carbs. It’s a perfect way to enjoy a refreshing, guilt-free indulgence that fits perfectly into your ketogenic lifestyle. This recipe is incredibly easy to make, requiring just a few simple ingredients and a blender. It's an excellent choice for breakfast, brunch, an afternoon snack, or even a light dessert.
Why This Recipe Works
The original Orange Julius is a blended frozen drink where sweetened orange concentrate is the star. It’s a cross between a drink, milkshake, and smoothie - it tastes like a creamsicle! Unfortunately, the traditional version is loaded with sugar. This keto-friendly version captures the essence of the original while keeping the carb count low. The secret lies in using sugar substitutes and creative ingredient choices to mimic the creamy texture and bright orange flavor.
Ingredients
- Heavy Whipping Cream: This forms the base of the smoothie, providing a rich and creamy texture.
- Cream Cheese: Adds a subtle tang and helps to thicken the smoothie, giving it a milkshake-like consistency.
- Erythritol: A keto-friendly sweetener that provides the necessary sweetness without spiking blood sugar levels.
- Pure Orange Extract: This is crucial for achieving that authentic orange flavor without using actual oranges, which are too high in carbs for a keto diet. Make certain to use pure orange extract and not orange flavoring.
- Lemon Juice: A touch of lemon juice enhances the orange flavor and adds a hint of tartness to balance the sweetness.
- Food Coloring (Optional): A drop or two of orange food coloring can enhance the visual appeal of the smoothie, making it look more like the classic Orange Julius.
- Crushed Ice: Essential for creating a frosty, slushy texture. Crush your ice first, as using crushed ice versus ice cubes makes all the difference. If your refrigerator doesn’t have a crushed ice function, no worries! Simply grab a cutting board and place cubes in a zip-lock bag on top.
- Optional Garnish: An orange slice can be used to garnish the drink for a visual appeal. Please note that the optional orange slice for garnish is not included in the nutritional information.
Equipment
- Blender: A high-speed blender is ideal for creating a smooth and creamy texture. Looking to purchase a small-capacity blender to make your keto orange smoothie? I prefer to use a small, personal-size blender.
- Measuring Spoons and Cups: For accurate measuring of ingredients.
- Glasses: For serving the finished smoothie.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: Add heavy whipping cream to a blender (I prefer to use a small, personal-size blender). Add the cream cheese, erythritol, pure orange extract, lemon juice, food coloring (if desired), and crushed ice.
- Blend: Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy. Using crushed ice vs. ice cubes helps the shake come together quickly.
- Adjust Sweetness: Taste and adjust the amount of erythritol as needed to reach your desired level of sweetness.
- Serve: Pour into one large or two small glasses.
- Garnish (Optional): Garnish with an orange slice if desired.
Tips and Variations
- Consistency: For a thicker consistency, add more crushed ice.
- Sweetness: Adjust the amount of erythritol to suit your taste preferences.
- Orange Flavor: If you want a more intense orange flavor, add an extra drop or two of orange extract or 1-2 drops orange essential oil - optional for stronger orange flavor.
- Dairy-Free Option: While this recipe relies on dairy for its creamy texture, you could experiment with coconut cream for a dairy-free alternative. Be aware that this will alter the flavor profile.
- Frozen Treat: Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe/microwave-safe container to enjoy later. When ready, either thaw at room temperature OR pop in the microwave and defrost on high heat for 30-45 seconds. Frozen leftovers remind me of orange sherbert.
The History of Orange Julius
Founded in 1926 by an orange-crazed fella named Julius Freed, the guy simply loved oranges. In fact, he liked them so much that he decided to open his very own orange juice stand. Julius’s passion for oranges combined with Bill’s creative concocting founded a formula for success… and business soared! So much so that the bigwigs over at DQ took an interest. Most people probably associate an Orange Julius with their teenage years and hanging out at the local mall, which usually had at least one (if not two) juice stands selling this drink. Good times!
Orange Julius was originally an orange juice stand created by Julius Freed in Los Angeles. Sales on his cups of orange juice were slow, so a friend suggested adding a few secret ingredients to make it creamy and frothy.
Nutritional Information
The following nutritional information is an approximate calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
- Net Carbs: 1.8g (This number is staggering!)
Other Orange Julius Inspired Recipes
Copycat Paleo Orange Julius Smoothie
This copycat Paleo Orange Julius smoothie tastes like a creamsicle, but only has 4 ingredients. So creamy and delicious, this one is a hit with every one in our family. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, with no refined sugar. This drink is only sweetened by honey! There are multiple ways to make it, depending on what you have on hand. You can make it in a blender more like a smoothie. Or, you can mix it in a blender then thicken it in an ice cream maker. The ice cream maker is our favorite method as it turns out nice and thick like a Sonic Orange cream slush. Also, if you let it go even longer, like a sorbet. Jump to RecipeRecipe makeover! This creamy orange dreamsicle shake is still sweet, citrusy and frosty, but now sugar-free and dairy-free! A healthy Orange Julius you can feel good about!
Healthy Orange Julius Recipe is a Flashback to Childhood!
This fresh orange smoothie is a much healthier version, as shown in the nutritional stats comparison below! As a kid, we didn’t go to malls or eat out often. When we did, my mom was pretty lax about the choices we made. A stop at Orange Julius at the mall food court was mandatory! Creamy, delicious, and - made of oranges? Once I realized what was actually in the orange smoothie recipe, I quickly learned to make my own at home.
Healthy Orange Julius Smoothie
This healthy Orange Julius Recipe gets it’s creamy texture from banana and coconut milk, and has a boost of protein that gives it the light and airy texture. *Note: Many homemade Orange Julius recipe call for egg whites to give it a frothy texture.
A Healthier Take on a Classic
This Healthy Orange Julius Recipe is a flashback to childhood! They were my favorite treat when visiting malls. This fresh orange smoothie is a much healthier version, as shown in the nutritional stats comparison below! As a kid, we didn’t go to malls or eat out often. When we did, my mom was pretty lax about the choices we made. A stop at Orange Julius at the mall food court was mandatory! Creamy, delicious, and - made of oranges? Once I realized what was actually in the orange smoothie recipe, I quickly learned to make my own at home.
Nutritional Stats of a classic Orange Julius vs. The mall drink is packed with more sugar than a can of soda, and besides having vitamin C from the orange juice it contains, it’s devoid of nutrients.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Does this healthier homemade version taste like the real thing? Not exactly - but I have had many people tell me it’s even better! My Copycat Orange Julius recipe is made with real fruit, and contains no added sugar. The 20 grams of sugar it contains come straight from the oranges and banana. Instead of many recipes that use orange juice concentrate (highly processed!) for the orange flavor, this uses fresh whole oranges.
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto