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.
If you want to love them even more, you could use these: https://shopsweetlulu.com/item/plastic-push-pop-containers/11/c43 Just saw those the other day and I thought they would be fun for summer. Thanks for sharing your recipe! :)
What a nice recipe!
A healthier version of a classic treat….sometimes we all need to splurge a bit and take a trip down memory lane :)
I am a fan of orange drinks and I especially like to make an orange pomegranate smoothie that was inspired by my travels in Istanbul, where they sold fresh-squeezed fruit juices on every street corner (of course, orange pomegranate was the best combo):
2 small or medium whole oranges,
½ cup pomegranate seeds (approx. half a pomegranate)
½ cup orange juice
2 tbsp fat free Greek yogurt (optional)
1 to 2 cups ice cubes
Did you know that you can buy push-up molds online? Just google ice cream push up molds. Cool,huh?!
wow!! yum!!
would love it if you could share this on my link party
https://serenityyou.blogspot.com/search/label/Serenity%20Saturday
Natasha
This looks like a cloud of creamy orange bliss. :)
This is a great idea! I have to try it! thanks for sharing
I love it! Push-ups brung back so many childhood memories. I must make this.
Be still my heart! I LOVE this idea! I will be sure to give this recipe a try. I used to LOVE push-ups and haven’t had one in years. I have a feeling my kiddos will love them to.
Those vanilla and orange ice cream cups were my favorite as a kid. Then following that were the push-ups. Orange Julius was sooo good! The only thing I really didn’t like was any fruit-flavored pop. It always just tasted weird to me. But it doesn’t matter how cold the weather is, I’m always ready for a smoothie!
Hi Averie,
Thanks for sharing this adorable Mexican frozen snack! I shared it with the readers of my blog: https://www.mexfoodrecipes.com – Check it out for more great Mexican-inspired desserts!
Have a great day! Maria
Just saw it and thanks for the link up!
Thank you! This could not have come at a better time. 2 boys with spacers in their mouths (getting braces next week)- their mouths are so sore it’s soft foods only for them! I added some hemp seeds and vanilla Sun Warrior and made it part of breakfast this morning!
So glad you tried it and it was a hit!
Just gorgeous, and absolutely wonderful memories!! Love then photo too of the original with the polka dots. My dad uses to take me to the food court at UTC, which opened when I was in elementary school, and we’d get an orange Julius. It was such a treat for me! Orange juice blended with ice and egg white powder pretty much tastes the same. Can’t wait to try your lovely concoction!
Wow growing up here with memories of UTC mall. Awesome and I bet the place has changed so much over your lifetime!
yummm !! this is so refreshing
I haven’t had a push-up in so long!! I am so going to make these – yum!