When I was growing up, one of my favorite things to do was ride my bike with my friends to the local gas station’s mini-mart and reach into their freezer case and pull out an Orange Push-Up.
If you like Orange PushUps, Orange Creamsicles, or Orange Julius this is the smoothie for you.
I loved Push-Ups and seeing those brightly colored dots meant that creamy orange goodness was soon going to be mine.
I love it when Push-Ups begin to melt because they taste even sweeter, creamier, and better.
The same was true with this smoothie. As it began to melt, it got even better.
This smoothie is a dead ringer for Orange Push-Ups.
Don’t skimp on the sugar if you want it to taste exactly like an Orange Push-Up and I promise, it does.
Sweet oranges ‘n creamy perfection.
I used this mango-orange from Hawaii’s Own brand for the concentrate. It was on sale for 99 cents for the can at my grocery store and I was being cheap being budget conscious and didn’t want to buy the Minute Maid which was $3.29 for one can.
If you can’t find this concentrate, I’m sure any OJ concentrate or citrus juice concentrate blend should be fine. I really didn’t taste mango per se, just an orangey citrus flavor.
This recipe made three good-sized smoothies and since I wasn’t going to drink them all at once, I popped the leftover smoothie mixture in the freezer and realized after the fact that I should have poured the extra into Popsicle molds for homemade Push-Ups. Next time, I’ll do that.
For now, I’ve been eating it like orange sherbet style with a spoon from the glasses I poured it into and then froze.
The variations of what I’m going to do with this addictive orange mixture is exciting and has my wheels turning:
1. Pour it into molds and freeze like traditional Push-Ups (or frozen into ice cube trays or poured into paper Dixie cups with a makeshift stick inserted and peel off the paper cup after it has frozen)
2. Freeze it and eat in a bowl as orange sherbert
3. Drink it smoothie style
Now if the weather could just warm up a bit so my teeth don’t chatter while I slurp copious amounts of orange sugary liquid.
But I’ll shiver and chatter for this stuff any day.
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Orange Push-Up Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 can orange juice concentrate, slightly thawed
- 1 cup milk, half and half, cream, nut milk, soy milk, vegan milk, etc.
- ½ cup granulated sugar, or to taste (you can reduce the sugar or use an alternate sugar substitute such as stevia
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups ice, or to taste
- 1 to 2 ounces of Rum, Malibu, Vodka, Citron, Marshmallow Vodka, Gran Marnier or similar, per smoothie portion, or to taste, optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients, except ice and optional alcohol, in a large blender or Vita-Mix and blend until smooth and creamy, taking care the sugar has dissolved and is well incorporated. Keep blending until it dissolves. If desired, add a splash more water or milk.
- Add the ice and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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If you’re a fan of fruity and creamy smoothies, try:
Pineapple Banana & Coconut Cream Smoothie
Peaches & Coconut Cream Smoothie
Or just cut to a dessert smoothie with a Creamy Cookie Butter White Chocolate Banana Smoothie. Use peanut butter or almond butter if that’s what you have available because there’s a cookie butter shortage.
Questions:
Do you like Push-Ups?
Do you like orange drinks?
I also love Orange Julius and Orange Crush soda. I haven’t had either in years, but I am fond enough of Orange Crush to order Orange Crush checks.
I am apparently stuck in a 1982 timewarp where people still write out checks and long to lick melty Push-Up with dots on the paper wrapper from the gas station.
While I’m at it, I’d like to do this all while watching The Brady Bunch and Three’s Company reruns and use my bike as my primary mode of transportation. Ahh, childhood memories. And maybe I’ll pour an Orange Creamsicle soda while I’m at it, too.
Oh goodness! That smoothie looks so delicious! When I was a young teenager, my friends and I would go to the Northway Mall in Anchorage and get Orange Julius. I LOVED those things. They were so good. I tried and tried to re-create them at home when I was 13 but never could. This could be it!! :-) You are so awesome…LOVE your recipes! xo
Orange Julius’ from the mall are pretty much a teenage memory I cherish!
We made this exact same recipe when I was a kid, to duplicate Orange Julius. It’s pretty close (in fact, I would say it’s closer to orange julius than it is to a push up!).
The brand of concentrate I used gave it a very Push-Up quality. I love both Orange Julius’ and PushUps!
I haven’t had a push-up since I was a kid! I loved them. Your smoothie looks wonderful! I love your summery drinks even though it’s winter. It adds fun to the season and makes me look so forward to spring!
Orange Push-ups were my gas station treat growing up. the Flinstone ones were the best! I love anything orange and creamy – Dreamsicles from the ice cream truck, orange julius, orange crush (still drink it)…Love it.
I loved those Hawaiian drink mixes too. I grew up on those.
I love the colors used in this smoothie… I feel like I should be sitting on a tropical beach somewhere basking in the sun and talking to cute boys :) The other smoothies posted here look absolutely delicious as well. I didn’t think it was possible, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to gain 3 pounds with the massive amounts of consumption I’ll be doing with these drinks!
Your photos are gorgeous!!! Love the sound of this smoothie, perfect for going back down memory lane :)
Thanks, Lisa, that means the world coming from you. You have some drink photos that are seriously magazine worthy…one that floats around Pinterest a lot and every time I see it, I think….wow :)
Mmm. This looks too good. I wasn’t a huge push up fan as a kid because I thought they were too messy, but I love this sophisticated version!
ooo looks sooo nice and refreshing :D
love the name of this smoothie!! and your pictures are perfect. I find smoothie pictures are hard to take, any tips?
Gosh…they can be hard and aside from making sure your lighting is good, your shot is properly food styled/props, shooting tons and from every angle b/c sometimes the glare of the liquid can cause focusing issues for me, and I’ll delete a block of like 10 shots so I am always glad I (over)shoot lots so I have options…but your photos are great!
These are delightfully reminiscent of a childhood favorite. So lovely, and so whimsical! Great recipe.
Thanks, Gena. The taste is spot on of my childhood fave :)
I used to aaaaaalways eat orange push-ups!!!! I completely forgot about those!
Having a child now, you get reminded of all this stuff you forgot about which is how I remembered.
I loooove push-ups! Both the refreshing treats and the arm fatiguing exercises ;) I’m super, super jealous of your sunny California sky and the fact that you can actually enjoy a treat like this in January. I should tuck this one away for June ;)
Looks so refreshing! And, may I add, your photography is beautiful! Very pretty photos of the smoothie and makes me want one even more! :)
Thanks for the compliments on my photography!
Yo, good looikn out! Gonna make it work now.
This looks soo good! I love push-up pops and haven’t had one in ages. Your photos are just gorgeous!
Thanks for the compliments on my photos!
My grammi used to always have these in her freezer!! I loved the ones with Flintstones characters on them :)
Yeah you’re alot younger than me…they didn’t have flinstones on the wrappers when I was a kid :)
Oh my goodness, I wish I could just reach into the screen and take one of those smoothies! Do you have to use OJ concentrate or could you alter it to use fresh OJ?
Well, you probably could but the frozen aspect when blending is key for consistency AND the concentration of flavor, too. The juice may water it down…but go ahead and try and report back if you do.
I’ve never liked those pops or creamsicles. I think it’s because (warning – TMI!) when I was about 5 or 6 my dentist gave me orange flavored fluoride and I threw up – on myself and the hygienist. It wasn’t a good day.
A tasty fun orange drink, though, is Fanta Orange with Liquor 43 (that was the go-do disco drink when I lived in Spain).