Delicious Orange Creamsicle Smoothie | Ambitious Kitchen

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.

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:

1. Make it dairy free. Simply use your favorite dairy free greek yogurt. A coconut yogurt would be delicious in this orange smoothie!
2. Out of dates? Feel free to use a ripe frozen banana instead.
3. 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.
4. 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

1. 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!
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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!

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats