This creamy Orange Smoothie tastes like the Orange Julius smoothies I used to love growing up! It’s made with whole, real food ingredients, and there’s no added sugar either, which makes it a treat healthy enough for breakfast.
Do you remember those creamsicle popsicles, or orange sherbet… or Orange Julius smoothies? You name it, all those creamy – dreamy orange concoctions from childhood are the best!
Today I have a simple, 3-ingredient smoothie that’s good enough to keep me away from coffee in the morning – at least for a couple of hours anyway.
This one tastes even better than the Orange Julius smoothies I remember getting from the mall. It’s super creamy and just packed with orange flavor. Combine that with a touch of vanilla, and it almost feels like drinking a milkshake
The success of this smoothie really depends on the quality of the oranges. Whenever you have a simple recipe, the quality of the ingredients becomes more important since there isn’t any way to cover up a lack of flavor!
If cara cara oranges are available, be sure to try them because they usually have a lot of zip to them.
Ingredients for this Orange Smoothie
- Oranges – Any orange like Navel or Cara Cara works here as well as tangerines and mandarins as well. Just make sure whatever you choose for this smoothie is full of flavor. Bland citrus makes for a bland smoothie because there are only a few ingredients here.
- Orange Zest – For a really deep orange flavor, I used a microplane zester to zest one of the oranges. The orange zest really brings out the orange flavor that would otherwise get masked by the coconut milk.
- Coconut Milk – This is what makes this smoothie so creamy and adds the creamsicle factor. I like to pour canned coconut milk into an ice cube tray and freeze it to add to this smoothie to make it frostier. It’s important to use canned coconut milk for the best creaminess. I don’t recommend almond milk in this recipe because it isn’t creamy enough. You can also use Greek yogurt to make this smoothie creamy.
- Vanilla – This is optional, but I love adding a touch of vanilla for that creamsicle flavor!
- Optional sweetener – if your oranges are too sour, try sweetening this smoothie to taste with a touch of maple syrup or honey. You can also add frozen banana or fresh banana, but it will significantly change the flavor.
Tips & Tricks
- A high-powered blender with give you the smoothest results!
- Freeze either the oranges or the coconut milk into cubes as pictured for a frosty almost milkshake-like effect.
- For everything you need to know about smoothies, check out my How to Make a Smoothie (30+ recipes). If you want to add a superfood like bee pollen etc. check out my Superfood Smoothie Boosters. Just be careful not to go overboard adding things to your smoothie or it most definitely will not taste good.
Ways to serve this
- Serve this smoothie for a light breakfast or afternoon pick-me-up snack.
- Include this smoothie in a breakfast menu along with my Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole and Paleo Morning Glory Muffins.
- Or try it with Veggie Scrambled Eggs and Air Fryer Sausage Links.
Storing leftovers
- To store – store any leftovers in an airtight sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Make ahead – this smoothie tastes best and most fresh right away, but you can refrigerate it for up to 2 days. However, I recommend prepping the ingredients ahead instead, then blending the smoothie to enjoy it fresh. Try using my Make Your Own Freezer Smoothie Packs for make-ahead tips.
I really hope you enjoy this healthy Orange Creamsicle Smoothie! If you do get a chance to make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Orange Smoothie
INGREDIENTS
- 6 medium oranges - peeled
- 2 tbsp orange zest - (from 1-2 oranges)
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk - refrigerated, or frozen in ice cube trays
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- water - orange, or apple juice as needed if it’s too thick
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all the ingredients for the smoothie in the order listed to the blender.
- Blend, starting on low and working your way up to high speed, until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Serve immediately for the best flavor, or refrigerate up to 2 days in a sealed container.
- To make 2 servings of this smoothie, use 1/2 cup + 1/3 cup canned coconut milk and halve the rest of the ingredients.
NOTES
nutrition facts
This post was originally published in 2014, but has been updated in 2021 to include more information, tips, and new photos!
If I substitute Greek Yogurt instead of Coconut milk how much yogurt would I use?
1 cup of Greek Yogurt should be a good starting point, and you can always add more to taste if desired!
This is great tasting! The CaraCara orange makes the difference
Cara Cara oranges really do add so much more flavor!
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I say there’s really nothing wrong with black coffee! Yes, there’s a lot of caffeine but it’s packed with antioxidants and overall pretty good for you.
Loving this coconut milk + orange smoothie btw, full of goodness and delicious!
Of course, I forgot about the essential antioxidents, (better have another cup)!