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.
I tried this. my kids loved it. it really does have that push up taste. it is very sweet. thanks
Glad it was a hit and that you were able to recreate that orange pushup flavor!
What size OJ concentrate do you use? I want to try these soon!
Standard sized can of concentrate, 12 ounces
yummy!!!! going to definately try this and also love the other ideas for smoothies too!!! however, because there is milk in it, it isn’t vegan. not that i care, i’m not a vegan. just saying’.
yes, to keep it vegan you’d use vegan milk, nut milk, soy milk. etc which are the suggestions I made in the recipe section in parentheses.
I don’t usually post comments on sites but this was so good I just had to let you know!!!! Soooo yummy! I used Dole Pineapple Orange Juice Concentrate and Vanilla Silk. I used 1/2 cup of sugar and that was plenty for us. Drank some, put some in popsicle molds and still had some left to freeze in a bowl! My husband and kids loved it!
Thank you so much for the detailed feedback! All the info helps me, helps others who read the comments…so thank you! And glad you loved it…dole pineapple-OJ, with Silk vanilla. And popsicle molds…love it!
orange push up smoothie be still my heart! can’t wait to make this one just screams summertime!
I tried these a couple of weeks ago and the first batch was a little grainy from the sugar, but on my second try, I put the sugar in first and added just a little bit of hot water to the sugar (enough to just melt it). Let it sit for a couple of minutes to melt well and then add everything else and blended away. It was perfect!!! I also used minute maid Low acid orange juice concentrate and it turned out perfectly..not bitter taste at all! I have even halved the recipe to make on those nights my husband and I want something cold to drink here in the hot southern weather!!
good info about the hot water and sugar and then the Minute Maid Low Acid…glad to hear it works like a champ – thanks for the comment!
Oh thanks for the tip! I just made this and it is yummy but I don’t like the grainy texture from the sugar either. I have a sweet tooth and used a full cup but I think I will cut back a little next time lol!
Or dissolve it in equal parts water/sugar, i.e. a simple syrup, and then use that rather than whole, granular sugar. Glad you liked it overall though!
So yummy! Perfect cool treat after playing outside. I use turbinado in my kitchen and I could taste it in the smoothie. I just have an older Kitchen Aid mixer, so it didn’t combine the sugar real well with the rest of the smoothie. I think I’ll replace it with honey next time to sweeten it up.
Glad you made it and enjoy…honey or agave could work, yes! Or make a simple syrup of water/sugar on the stove and use that as your liquid sweetener.
Hi Averie,
I tried the smoothie today, but had the sneaking suspicion that it might turn out bitter/sour, based on some of what you explained above. I think that the key is that the frozen juice probably needs to be a frozen “drink” or “beverage” vs 100% fruit juice. I had a limited selection in the Harris Teeter supermarket near me, so I’ll have to shop around next time. I’m determined for my smoothies to taste like your smoothies look in the pictures above! :-)
– Karen
Harris Teeter. Omg. We used to live in NC & SC and that’s what they had there. Memories.
As for the explanation “drink” or “beverage” vs 100% fruit juice…good points. And yes, real juice would be sour. It has to be something that’s frozen with plenty of sugar, i.e. a juice “beverage”. Good clarification.
I just made these and they are delicious!! I used a 12 ounce can of five alive, unsweetened almond milk, the vanilla extract, and 1/4 of splenda. My hubby is in heaven and so am I. Thank you so much for a delicious recipe.
Wow, love your variation…good to know that Five Alive works (childhood memories!) And 1/4 cup? I’m assuming of the splenda baking blend? And unsweetened almond milk got it creamy enough, good to know!
Yes, I only used a 1/4 cup of the regular granulated splenda. (not the baking blend) I’ve been doing weight watchers since last August so I’m used to less sweet things, but I think the five alive is pretty sweet on its own. I wouldn’t say it was super creamy, because almond milk is pretty thin, but it was still pretty smooth. I would think that regular milk or sweetened condensed would make the drink much more creamy, but I loved it either way.
We made it with Five-Alive, Splenda, and half-and-half. Wow! Tastes perfect.