Orange Floats

There’s no better (or easier!) way to cool off on a hot summer day than with a refreshing Orange Float. Made with 3 simple ingredients, this bubbly orange ice cream float tastes like a sippable creamsicle!

Combine these Orange Floats with other favorites like Strawberry Rhubarb Floats and Apple Cider Floats to create your own Ice Cream Float Party.

Easy Orange Float for Hot Summer Days

When I was pregnant with my oldest son, my biggest craving (other than grilled cheese with banana peppers, which…weird) was for Orange Julius and Orange Floats. I would’ve eaten them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I hadn’t had another human inside me for which I felt some sense of nutritional responsibility.

I was due at the beginning of August, which meant I was MEGA pregnant right when Ohio was dishing out its muggiest, sweatiest days. The kind of days where stepping outside feels like stepping into a mouth.

So of course I was cranky and tired and people kept sharing their horrifying birth stories with me, when all I really wanted was for them to hand me a big, bubbly ice cream float and tell me all the extra sweat made me “glowy.”

Nothing, and I mean nothing hits the spot for a hot and bothered pregnant lady quite like a bubbly Orange Float. Refreshing, icy cold, and creamy, these floats are the easiest way to cool off on a hot summer day.

Key Ingredients

Vanilla ice cream– Choose a high quality vanilla ice cream you love! Vanilla bean, French vanilla, or basic vanilla all work well.

Orange juice– You can use pulp free or regular orange juice for this recipe. I really enjoy a pulpy orange juice that coats the ice cream, but I understand some of you are probably repulsed by the idea of pulpy ice cream (and the word pulpy at all), so feel free to go pulp-free if you prefer. Our favorite brand is Simply Orange.

Lemon lime soda– Growing up, we usually made orange floats with 7-Up or Sprite, but Ginger Ale also works really well here.

How to Make Orange Floats

Step 1: Place two scoops of vanilla ice cream in a tall float glass, like these.

Step 2: Pour orange juice over the floats, to about ⅔ of the way full.

Step 3: Top off the glass with Sprite or 7 Up. Serve with a spoon and straw for sipping!

FAQs

Can you use orange soda instead of orange juice?

Sure! I love the flavor of fresh orange juice, but you can substitute an orange soda, like Crush or Fanta, if you prefer.

Can you use other flavors of ice cream?

The short answer is, you can do whatever you want! The longer answer is, I’m not sure this would taste the same with other flavors, but it doesn’t hurt to try.

I think it could be particularly fun to experiment with sherbert or a mango sorbet for a really fun tropical flavor.

Can I swap out the juice?

Of course! This is the best part about using fresh orange juice instead of orange soda. You can swap it with any of your favorite juices! I think this would be particularly wonderful with pineapple or peach juice.

More Ice Cream Desserts to Try

• Oreo Ice Cream Dessert
• Faux Fried Ice Cream
• Ice Cream Crepes with Strawberries and Nutella
• Kahlua Milkshakes