My girlfriends and I used to hit up the mall every single weekend in college. We spent our money on cheap outfits from Forever 21 and stopped by the local Orange Julius to refuel after walking laps and laps.
If you know me, you know I’m in love with everything and anything orange flavored. Think iced Italian orange cookies, my healthier orange chicken, paleo orange loaf with dark chocolate and even pumpkin orange muffins. Any other orange recipes requests?! Drop them in the comments!
Anyway, my whole orange obsession + Orange Julius nostalgia encouraged me to create this luxurious creamy orange smoothie. Sip it down, get in your vitamin C + a hint of veggies and prepare to fall in love.
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What you’ll need to make this orange creamsicle smoothie
This easy orange smoothie recipe is made with 5 core ingredients plus a couple of extra flavor boosts. Feel free to customize with your fav mix-ins, too! Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Medjool dates: instead of using banana, this orange creamsicle smoothie is naturally sweetened with medjool dates. If you don’t want to use dates, a banana will also work!
- Orange juice: for that true orange flavor! Be sure to use freshly squeezed OJ for the best flavor that isn’t overwhelmingly sweet.
- Yogurt: add a boost of protein and creaminess from greek yogurt. Feel free to use vanilla or plain!
- Coconut milk: we’re adding even more creaminess and flavor with some light coconut milk from the can.
- Cauliflower: that’s right, we’re sneaking in veggies with frozen cauliflower! It blends up amazingly well, thickens the smoothie and you won’t be able to taste it at all.
- Flavor boosters: I always add a little vanilla extract and almond extract for incredible flavor. Trust yo girl.
Optional ingredient swaps
If you’re out of a few ingredients or are looking to customize, here’s what I can suggest:
- Make it dairy free. Simply use your favorite dairy free greek yogurt. A coconut yogurt would be delicious in this orange smoothie!
- Out of dates? Feel free to use a ripe frozen banana instead.
- No cauliflower? If you don’t have any frozen cauliflower you can try swapping for ice cubes, just note that the smoothie may be a bit more watery and less creamy.
- Swap your milk. I love the flavor that slight tropical sweet flavor that coconut milk gives this orange smoothie but feel free to use any milk you have on-hand.
Add extra nutrition to this orange smoothie
Looking to add a nutrition boost to this smoothie? Here are some great add-ins I can suggest:
- Flaxseed meal: this is one of my favorite ingredients to add to smoothies for a little boost of fiber and minerals, and is especially great for nursing mamas as flaxseed can help increase milk supply. Usually, a tablespoon is plenty! Here’s a brand I love.
- Chia seeds: feel free to add a tablespoon of chia seeds to your orange smoothie for a boost of healthy fats and fiber.
- Hemp seeds: if you’ve been wondering what to do with those hemp seeds lurking in your cupboard, feel free to throw in a tablespoon into your smoothie for a boost of healthy fats, omegas and minerals.
- Spinach: if you’re looking to get more greens in your smoothie, try adding a cup or two of raw or cooked spinach. You’ll never be able to taste it, but just know that it may change the color of your smoothie to a greener color.
- Protein: Easily add more protein to a smoothie by adding 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder. I recommend Vital Protein collagen peptides or Bob’s Red Mill Plant Based Vanilla Protein Powder.
What does this orange creamsicle smoothie taste like?
Remember those orange creamsicle treats you got from the ice cream truck in the summer? Or occasionally when you were at the mall and used to pick up an Orange Julius smoothie?
Oh yes. This smoothie is basically that in breakfast form. It’s creamy, perfectly sweet and has that distinct creamsicle flavor thanks to the coconut milk and almond extract.
Tips for making a creamy orange smoothie
- Use frozen ingredients. Using frozen fruit & veggies is best as it they help keep the smoothie cold and thick. Sometimes ice doesn’t blend as well, so it’s best to skip unless absolutely necessary. That’s why we’re using frozen cauliflower in this recipe!
- Add more liquid. Don’t be afraid to add more liquid if your smoothie is too thick or won’t fully blend. High powered blenders tend to blend frozen fruit much better, so if you have a regular or personal size blender, you may need to add more milk.
- Start on low speed. Start the blender on low speed, then gradually increase to high to help blend all ingredients. Finally end with the blender on low speed.
- Sweeten it up. If a smoothie doesn’t taste sweet enough for your liking, you can add a 1/2 tablespoon of honey, pure maple syrup or another pitted Medjool date, but you likely won’t need it with this recipe.
- Use your fav milk. Feel free to use any milk you’d like in smoothie recipes according to your preferences. Almond milk tends to have a neutral taste in smoothies, coconut milk will add a more tropical and creamy flavor, and regular milk will add a boost of protein.
Meal prep this orange creamsicle smoothie
Yes, you can make this orange smoothie ahead of time! I have three amazing ways to prep & store smoothies right in your freezer. Learn the ice cube tray, mason jar and freezer pack methods.
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I hope you love this healthy orange creamsicle smoothie! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
Orange Creamsicle Smoothie
Ingredients
- 3 medjool dates (¼ cup packed pitted Medjool dates)
- 2/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1/3 cup plain or vanilla greek yogurt (or sub dairy free yogurt of choice)
- 1/3 cup light coconut milk (from the can or carton), plus more to thin if necessary
- 1 cup frozen cauliflower
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- First soak your pitted dates in 1 cup of very warm water for at least 5 minutes. This will help them soften up and perfect for blending. While the dates are soaking you can get all your other ingredients out, measured and ready.
- Next add all ingredients to a high powered blender: pitted dates, orange juice, yogurt, coconut milk, cauliflower, vanilla extract and almond extract. Feel free to add any optional add-ins to your smoothie if you’d like. Blend until smooth, adding more coconut milk to thin, if necessary. Pour into a glass and enjoy! Serves 1. Feel free to double the recipe to serve 2.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
31 comments
Absolutely delicious! I didn’t have all the ingredients so I had to adjust the recipe just a tad by using bananas instead of dates and used whole oranges instead of just the juice to get some added fiber. I also didn’t have cauliflower or almond extract I used vanilla extract instead. It was absolutely heavenly!
Perfect! I’m glad those swaps worked out well!
just saw this recipe and I really want to try it! one thing though… I dont have any frozen cauliflower… any substitutes?
You can try swapping ice! Check the full post for all ingredients swap suggestions 🙂
This recipe is a definite keeper! You’re exactly right and it took me right back to the days of going to the mall and getting an orange julius! So excited to have this recipe in my smoothie rotation.
Absolutely! Glad you loved it 🙂
Oh my God so tasty. Used some “Boost” instead of coconut milk because it was what I had and fresh cauliflower and ice.
Perfect! Glad you loved it!
I made it according to recipe, just swapped out the greek yogurt for unsweetened Forager plant based yogurt and it was really good! It took me 1 1/2 oranges to make 2/3 cup OJ, for anyone that may be wondering.
Thanks for the inspo!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Easy ingredients and really yummy! I used a frozen banana but the orange flavor was still dominant. Definitely tasty enough to hide some spinach in here next time. Also used OJ with pulp because I am lazy, fresh squeezed would probably taste even better.
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
I love orange Julius recipes
So good!
I am always looking for healthy optionss. This is one I can’t wait to try this.
Hope you love it!
This was absolutely delicious! I bet it would freeze into amazing popsicles too. I only had full fat coconut milk and no almond extract but otherwise made as is. My new favourite way to eat (drink!) cauliflower.
That sounds amazing! So glad you enjoyed 🙂
Hi! If I wanted to just throw in orange instead of juicing them, how many would you recommend for this recipe?
Also, I made your Healthy Carrot Cake Smoothie recipe and it was to die for! So good.
I actually tried making this with a whole orange and didn’t love the flavor as much or the texture because of the pulpiness. If you want to use a whole orange, I would do 1 whole orange in place of the juice! So glad you loved the carrot cake one, too 🙂
I’m excited to make your featured smoothie. My mall used to have an Orange Julius.
One food item that would possibly interest you are chocolate-dipped mandarin oranges slices. Any chocolate, I think, would do; although I’d recommend dark chocolate. Since the mini bundt cakes are trending, how about featuring some in orange? I’m glad you love anything orange. It would be great for you to post them on your website. Thanks.
I hope you love this one! And yes, I absolutely love chocolate & orange combinations, too 🙂
Just made this in hopes of sneaking healthy ingredients into my kids. It’s so good & I found all supplies at Aldi:)
So glad to hear that!!
This is very refreshing and a great dessert or sweet snack!
I’m so happy you’re enjoying it, Charis!
Creamy and dreamy indeed!
I call it the orange dreamsicle smoothie because it tastes like a dream!! My favorite smoothie ever. I love the taste and knowing that I get some veggies in!
Right?! So happy you’re enjoying it!
I’ve made this smoothie twice. The first time, I followed the recipe exactly and I’m sad to say that (at least to my taste buds) it was very unpleasant. The second time, I used ice instead of cauliflower and added a half banana and teaspoon of chia seeds. It was MUCH better the second time- thoroughly enjoyed 🤗
Thank you Monique!
So glad this turned out for you the seconds time, Asa. Thanks for your review!