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Gratituesday: Creamy Orange Cooler

March 29, 2010 by Laura 63 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Wow I love me a good Creamy Orange Cooler!

Over the weekend when I was nursing a sinus infection, I found myself without an appetite. But, I knew I needed to keep some good foods going in so that my body would have something to work with to fight the infection.

Something made me think of a recipe I had tried years ago (like before Asa was even born), and suddenly it sounded SO GOOD. I got out my old recipe book, made several tweaks to the concoction and guzzled it down!!! If I hadn’t been sick and out of energy, I would have done a dance around my kitchen! Maybe I had been hungrier than I thought – or maybe this was just exactly what I needed. Either way, I made another batch the next day!

Creamy Orange Cooler

Creamy Orange Cooler

Gratituesday: Creamy Orange Cooler
 
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Author: Laura
Ingredients
  • Juice of 3 medium oranges
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoons real maple syrup (or more to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • a handful of ice cubes (optional)
Instructions
  1. Squeeze juice from the oranges and pour into a blender with remaining ingredients.
  2. Blend until smooth (or until ice is crushed if added).
3.4.3177

This drink is so easy to whip up. The buttermilk mixed with the sweet citrus creates an amazingly tangy taste that is SO refreshing!

I also love that this is a new way to get down some cultured buttermilk! (Learn how easy it is to make your own buttermilk here.)  I have a hard time drinking the raw, cultured buttermilk by itself, but in this mixture – I could just drink it straight from the blender!

And yes, I know dairy products aren’t great when you have a sinus infection…but I didn’t care. ;)  I needed something that would go down easily and satisfy my insides. It did exactly that. (Plus I used raw milk, which doesn’t have the same ill effects on the sinuses as store-bought milk does.)

Looking for more healthy, satisfying recipes? Here is a list of all my healthy Bread and Breakfast Recipes.

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Filed Under: Gratituesday, High Five Recipes Tagged With: God, grateful, Gratituesday, healthy, high five, orange julius, praise, recipe, smoothie, thankful

Comments

  1. It Feels Like Chaos says

    March 29, 2010 at 8:35 pm

    That does look yummy!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      August 17, 2014 at 7:10 pm

      what is the serving size for this? We are a family of 6.

      Reply
      • Laura says

        August 30, 2014 at 7:27 pm

        This recipe makes about 3 servings.

        Reply
  2. elaine says

    March 29, 2010 at 10:54 pm

    I could be mistaken – but I think the thing about no dairy when you have a sinus infection or cold doesn’t apply to good, raw milk. If I understand everything about this correctly, it has active enzymes that are so good for our bodies – especially when our immune systems need a boost. It’s the pasteurized, homogenized dead stuff that isn’t good for us – ever. I would think a cultured drink like buttermilk or kefir would be wonderful if you were fighting something!

    Reply
    • Coral E Nigolian says

      March 30, 2010 at 12:43 am

      I read somewhere that when people got sick back in the raw milk days, doctors would prescribe it. I agree raw milk is so good for you!

      Reply
  3. Lori @ Shine Like Stars says

    March 29, 2010 at 11:10 pm

    Sounds like the Orange Julius we made recently, except with regular milk instead of butter milk. I’m not sure I could get past the thought of buttermilk! I’m enjoying your healthy eating posts….esp. with the talk about asthma. Our three boys have it and so do I. And, Diet Coke is to me (still now) as Pepsi was to you.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 30, 2010 at 7:33 am

      I PROMISE the buttermilk in this recipe just makes the drink taste tangy! I can’t drink it alone, no way…but OOOH in this it’s so good!!!!

      Reply
  4. Donna says

    March 30, 2010 at 1:44 am

    Sounds great to me!
    Listen- you must “come to the South” where buttermilk and cornbread are a regular meal! ;-) Yep, crumble leftover cornbread into a glass and top with buttermilk and eat like you would cereal….its even better if the cornbread is still warm, was made with butter, and if it was poured in a hot skillet to bake -so the outside will be dark brown and crisp!
    -Hope you’re feeling better!-

    Reply
    • elaine says

      March 30, 2010 at 12:27 pm

      I don’t know about cornbread with buttermilk – but it’s AWESOME in a glass of cold milk … mmmm. We use bacon drippin’s (that’s how we say it in the south) in our cornbread recipe (and buttermilk). Heat up the grease in your cast iron skillet while you mix the batter and pour it in – it does make the most wonderful crispy crust. Oh. My. Goodness.

      Reply
  5. Megan says

    March 30, 2010 at 4:00 am

    I am thankful for housework. It means I have a home to clean and that I’m physically able to do so. Bring on the mopping!

    Reply
  6. Janine says

    March 30, 2010 at 4:52 am

    That looks so yummy! I am absolutely grateful for the recipe I posted…it’s healthy, and my family loves it! They all get excited when I say it’s on the menu for dinner!

    Reply
  7. Melinda says

    March 30, 2010 at 6:18 am

    I’ll admit, I am NOT a buttermilk fan (unless it’s in homemade biscuits!) – but this is intriguing! I may just have to try this out. My Nana would be proud. ;)

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 30, 2010 at 7:34 am

      Give it a try! If you don’t like it, you can give it to me!! I never thought about it, but I think my Nana would be proud too!

      Reply
  8. Crystal says

    March 30, 2010 at 6:56 am

    That looks good.. but I’m having a hard time getting past the buttermilk thing. I love it in baking.. but drinking it straight..just sounds gross to me. I might give it a try…. might. :)

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 30, 2010 at 7:34 am

      You can do it…you can do it. Focus on the orange juice…and just know that the buttermilk makes it creamy and tangy! I promise!

      Reply
  9. Barbara says

    March 30, 2010 at 7:14 am

    MY BLENDER BROKE and I really want to try this healthy, high-5 recipe, especially since I’ve had sinus problems for a week now! My in-laws gave me a gift certificate to buy a new blender, but I can’t decide what kind to get. Any recommendations?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 30, 2010 at 7:35 am

      I don’t know brands very well, but while I usually say “save money”…on this I’d recommend spending a little more because I always buy cheap blenders…then I use them to death in less than a year. Next time I get one, I’m spending more and getting a higher quality one that will LAST!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        March 30, 2010 at 9:10 pm

        I finally gave in and purchased a Bledntec blender – definitely NOT
        a cheap blender (about $400 at Costco – I know, yikes!). But I
        cannot say enough wonderful things about it. I have a child with some
        very severe (and unusual) eating issues and this blender has finally
        allowed me to get veggies smooth enough that he’s fooled into thinking
        that the food came from a baby food jar – and this is HUGE! He will not eat
        anything he thinks is “homemade.” (long explanation, but related to
        food anxieties). I can also use this blender as a juicer to make whole
        food smoothies – which I’m hoping to do a LOT more of this summer.

        And the best thing about purchasing it at Costco: the one year warranty
        for repair becomes four – and the satisfaction-guarantee becomes for LICE-
        mine, not the blenders!

        Reply
        • Jennifer says

          March 30, 2010 at 9:11 pm

          Uh-oh – that should be Blendtec.

          Reply
        • Jennifer says

          March 30, 2010 at 9:12 pm

          Yikes – and the satisfaction guarantee is for L-I-F-E! The window
          to type in was doing funny things. I couldn’t see the entire
          message I had typed.

          Reply
        • Nanci says

          January 1, 2013 at 11:47 pm

          Jennifer, this made me laugh out loud almost 3 years later… “guarantee for LICE- mine, not the blenders.” Hahahaha!! Glad to know it happens to someone besides me. :)

          Reply
  10. melanie says

    March 30, 2010 at 9:55 am

    This would be so yummy with the entire orange run through our Vita Mix… if only we had a cow to give us ‘fresh’ buttermilk! I’m glad God directed your thoughts to something so tasty for you!
    I’m thankful for another day of sunshine and wind – they both mean green grass and dry ground =)

    Reply
  11. Sara says

    March 30, 2010 at 11:50 am

    Ha ha melanie, that’s exactly what I just did! I followed the recipe but used whole (peeled) oranges instead of just juice, whirred it in our vitamix and it was very tasty! Thanks for the recipe Laura, I had some about-to-expire buttermilk in my fridge that I didn’t know what to do with (not raw, unfortunately…here in Maryland it’s illegal to sell raw milk products grrrr) so this was perfect!

    Reply
  12. Charity says

    March 30, 2010 at 12:08 pm

    I just made this. It is FABULOUS!!!! My kids love it. It takes just like an orange creamsicle. Yum!

    Reply
    • Beth says

      July 15, 2013 at 9:06 am

      I’ve been fiddling with trying to make a healthy creamsicle (I tried pureed mango/orange for the sides and honey flavored greek yogurt for the center – tasted great but not quite). I think I’ll try freezing this combo. Thanks!

      Reply
  13. lisa says

    March 30, 2010 at 12:17 pm

    Hi,
    First time linking up my personal blog. Today I’m talking about praying for our kids to get caught when they sin! :)

    Reply
  14. Angie says

    March 30, 2010 at 12:29 pm

    I’ve got no website but love reading others! And I’m thankful I found this one!!! Last week I prayed for an easy way to make inexpensive, healthy mac and cheese (the homemade one I grew up with had so much cheese! and you made it in the oven.) I made some homemade english muffins over the weekend and commented on how they were like bagels. My daughter said we should try to make some bagels so I googled homemade bagels and found your website. After I read the delicious looking recipe for honey bagels, I clicked on your home page……and lo and behold… easy mac and cheese!!! I love how the Father hears our littlest prayers. Thank you Lord! And thank you Laura for sharing your life!
    Momma of 5 little ones in PA

    Reply
  15. Jennifer says

    March 30, 2010 at 9:11 pm

    I’m heading out to buy buttermilk tomorrow… and if this recipe is a favorite here, I might just follow your tips for making my own buttermilk :D

    Reply
  16. Holly says

    March 31, 2010 at 2:22 pm

    I meant to write Gratituesday blog yesterday, but I suppose late is better than never!

    Reply
  17. Melodyà says

    April 1, 2010 at 2:23 pm

    I didn’t have fresh oranges handy but I did have “Simply Pure” which is not from concentrate and no junk added. For our first time we had to have equal ratio of buttermilk to orange juice and a bit more maple syrup. But we did like it!

    We also made this into our own orange-creamcycles. 2 thumbs up!

    Reply
  18. Megan says

    April 9, 2010 at 11:55 am

    I will pair this with some of my lunches next week.

    Reply
  19. Megan says

    April 11, 2010 at 4:41 pm

    I’m still struggling with the whole buttermilk thing. I may just use straight up milk. It’ll be a little less creamy, but shouldn’t affect the thickness too much (I use soured milk for buttermilk).

    Reply
  20. Vickie says

    May 23, 2010 at 9:49 am

    I made some creamy orange coolers to go with our oatmeal this morning & they were delicious! Thanks so much for all of the recipes you share.

    Reply
  21. Jenny says

    July 1, 2010 at 10:08 am

    This is delicious. I ran out of oj so just used strawberries with some honey for sweetening and vanilla. I can’t drink plain buttermilk like so many others, but this doesn’t even taste like buttermilk. Now I’m into making my own buttermilk so I can have this often. Thanks, Laura, for all your help with your recipes and your blog.

    Reply
  22. Kim says

    September 5, 2010 at 9:12 pm

    This sounds fabulous. Has anyone tried it with soy milk? Two of my kids have severe dairy allergies, but can tolerate soy milk. I’ve soured soy milk just as you do regular milk to use in muffins, etc. Thoughts?

    Reply
    • elaine says

      October 4, 2010 at 8:52 pm

      I haven’t heard anything good about soy milk. Unfortunately, we are terribly misinformed about the “benefits” of soy and unless it is fermented, it is not good for us. What about almond or rice milk? can your children tolerate either of those? they might be a better alternative. hope that helps!

      Reply
      • Kim says

        October 4, 2010 at 8:54 pm

        We have to stick with soy for now…we don’t do any nuts
        (testing in December, so maybe then. My daughter is allergic to
        rice – also re-testing in December. I could make it for
        myself with milk and just not share – that would solve the problem!
        :)

        Reply
        • elaine says

          October 4, 2010 at 9:03 pm

          ha ha – just a treat for mom :)

          Have you come across “Everything Free Eating” – a blog by a mom whose kids were allergic to absolutely everything. In addition to some pretty neat recipes, she an absolute hoot – I really enjoy her writing. You might find some helpful ideas at her blog.
          And, while I’ve got you on the line … I don’t know how much you know about the benefits of raw milk – so I don’t want to go on and on about something you already know about :) But, if your children aren’t “allergic” (something about a specific antigen or something like that?) then if their gut heals enough they might be able to tolerate it one day. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you get good news in December!!

          Reply
  23. Katie says

    September 12, 2010 at 3:43 pm

    This is sooo super yum with kefir. Oh thank you.

    Reply
    • elaine says

      October 4, 2010 at 9:04 pm

      Thank you for such an awesome idea! I’ve got plenty of kefir but no buttermilk!!

      Reply
  24. Megan says

    December 13, 2010 at 11:57 am

    Thanks for posting about using Kefir, I was scrolling down through the comments to see if anyone had tried plain yogurt (that’s all I had on hand) I tried it and it was *wonderful* Completely exceeded my expectations! Thanks Laura!

    Reply
  25. Christina says

    January 31, 2011 at 8:27 am

    Just tried this morning…oh my goodness! This recipe took my husband and me back to the Orange Julius days…but this is so, so much better for us. Thanks so much for another great recipe!

    Reply
  26. downhomemama says

    February 3, 2011 at 11:29 am

    I just tried this in a different version.
    2cups buttermilk
    1 cup frozen blueberries
    1/2 tsp vanilla
    2 tsp honey

    Ummm YUMMY!!! My kids LOVED IT!

    Reply
  27. Dana says

    April 5, 2011 at 12:37 pm

    Do you know if this will survive overnight in the fridge? I’m hoping I can make up a big batch and drink it over a few days, but I’m worried about how it’ll react when stored…

    Reply
    • Laura says

      April 5, 2011 at 9:09 pm

      It’s best when it’s fresh, but if you make it ahead of time and then SHAKE it really well before serving, it tastes just fine!

      Reply
  28. Billie says

    April 17, 2011 at 7:36 pm

    This sounds so yummy! If I remember correctly you drink raw milk, I just recently read that it is actually beneficial during sickness and does not add to mucus production. So drink up! I’m gonna try this as soon as I can get some organic oranges! Thank you!

    Reply
  29. Kayla says

    April 22, 2011 at 1:46 am

    As a child I had really bad allergies, and when I was really bothered by them in the middle of the night I would get up and drink milk (whole, but not raw, pasteurized and homogenized) and it seem to help. Some time later when I told my mother she said that’s strange its supposed to make it worse. It never did for me. One more reason to remember God made us all similar but not the same. My was born in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri and he credited milk to his survival before the moved to California. Milk was the number one item on our shopping list, we bought milk if we couldn’t afford anything else. He also talked about real whole milk when he was a kid and said “the stuff nowadays was crap” I guess he knew what he was talking about just not where to get it, without having a cow. Just thought I’d share! :D

    Reply
    • Kayla says

      April 22, 2011 at 1:48 am

      Sorry for the mistake. It should read: “My DAD was born…”

      Reply
  30. Catt says

    June 23, 2011 at 5:35 pm

    I know this is a really old post to comment on, but I make a very similar drink. I add a raw egg, too, and the creamy/froth factor goes up a notch, as well as the nutrition.
    Thanks!

    Reply
  31. CeCe says

    March 5, 2012 at 6:38 pm

    Sounds yummy! Unforturnately for me, I can’t tolerate a lot of acidic things… so the orange juice and extract are out for me. BUT I was wondering if you could make this with strawberries instead of oranges?? I could tolerate the extract in it if oranges were out of equation. Very interested in trying this in some way cause my kids would love it, I think. Thanks!!

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      April 10, 2012 at 9:58 am

      Strawberries would probably be delicious in this!

      Reply
  32. Mandy says

    August 7, 2012 at 7:04 am

    I was a little skeptical about how buttermilk would taste mixed with orange juice, but the answer is quite simply….grrrrreat! Once again, thanks for sharing all your delicious recipes, hard work and experience with us:)

    Reply
  33. jessica says

    March 4, 2013 at 9:02 am

    How many servings does one recipe make? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      March 13, 2013 at 4:14 pm

      This makes about two servings, although I’ve been known to drink the entire batch myself!

      Reply
  34. Karen says

    March 14, 2013 at 5:57 pm

    Thank you so much for this! I’m trying to recover from a cold. I trusted you on the buttermilk and made this the other night. It was excellent! I then realized that buttermilk isn’t so different from yogurt, so it was a bit like making a smoothie with plain yogurt. I make cultured buttermilk at least once a week (just to keep it alive) and sometimes don’t know what to do with it. This was the first time I actually drank it in something and it was great! I also happen to have an orange tree so everything was really fresh.

    Reply
  35. Corrina Burrell says

    March 18, 2013 at 12:36 pm

    Happend upon your site and have loved it. Thank you for creating foods that are healthy and wholesome goodness straight from the earth. I am allergic to Yeast, Msg, aspartame. i am just glad to come upon your site. thanks

    Reply
  36. Katherine says

    May 30, 2013 at 12:27 pm

    This is sooo good! My four boys love it too! :) I love that it has the cultured buttermilk in it and we all love it. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe!

    Reply
  37. Katherine says

    May 30, 2013 at 12:28 pm

    Oh and it kind of reminds me of my great-grandfather who would drink straight buttermilk and dip his cornbread in it. Must be a southern thing. ;)

    Reply
  38. Kirsten says

    February 2, 2014 at 7:37 pm

    I looked at your warm vanilla soother and this orange drink, but I really don’t like the maple flavor at all (rarely even have maple syrup on pancakes). I can easily substitute for the milk (although I wish I could get raw milk), but I really don’t know what to substitute for the maple syrup. Would agave syrup work as well? or do you have other ideas?

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      February 6, 2014 at 8:30 am

      You could use any kind of sweetener. Honey might work well!

      Reply
  39. Angela says

    December 29, 2014 at 10:46 pm

    We make a similar recipe, but I just put the entire orange in the blender – peeled ofcourse :)

    Reply
    • kentuckylady717 says

      March 12, 2015 at 9:07 am

      Yep, definitely can use Honey….I use it all the time and I also peel the orange, remove the seeds and cut in chunks and put the whole orange in there….haven’t tried the buttermilk tho, but will one day :)

      Reply
  40. Dawn says

    May 14, 2015 at 2:45 pm

    I’ve recently started making milk kefir at home in the hopes of correcting an imbalance of gut bacteria and I tried it in this recipe – it is wonderful! I used 4 drops of vanilla-flavored liquid stevia in place of the vanilla and maple syrup. Thanks for sharing, I’m glad to find another appealing way to use my kefir as I’m starting to get plenty of it!

    Reply

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