Amish frozen fruit slush is a lovely and refreshing summertime treat. It's a pineapple slushie made with orange juice, crushed pineapple, and fresh fruit. It gets frozen until solid and then thawed just long enough to turn it into a fruit slushie.
Fruit slush is similar to my delicious Lime Slushie. However, instead of being a drink, it is packed with nutritious fruit and enjoyed with a spoon as a refreshing snack. It is an amazing treat to enjoy on a hot summer afternoon.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Pineapple Fruit Slush Recipe
- Cool and refreshing. This frozen fruit slush is the perfect treat for hot summer days.
- Packed with fruit. Made with pineapple, bananas, berries, and orange juice, it's full of fresh, fruity flavor.
- Easy to customize. Use your favorite fruits or whatever is in season. Peaches, cherries, grapes, and mango all work beautifully.
- Make-ahead friendly. Freeze it ahead of time and thaw just enough to enjoy as a slushy snack.
- Perfect for picnics and gatherings. A big batch serves a crowd and travels well in a cooler or ice chest.
- A nostalgic Amish favorite. This old-fashioned fruit slush recipe brings back memories of Amish youth picnics, softball games, and summertime gatherings.
- A fun alternative to ice cream. It's cool and refreshing, but lighter than many frozen desserts and loaded with fruit.
Ingredients
- Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate provides a concentrated orange flavor and adds a refreshing citrusy base.
- Water is used to dilute the orange juice concentrate and create the desired consistency.
- Sugar adds sweetness to the slush, and it also helps to achieve a smoother slushy texture by lowering the freezing point, preventing the slush from becoming too icy or hard. (You may think it doesn't need any sugar since fruit is already sweet. However, adding sugar does make a difference in the texture of the slush.)
- Crushed Pineapple with Juice contributes a tropical sweetness and texture. The juice from the pineapple also adds moisture and helps to keep the slush from being too thick.
- Bananas add a creamy texture and a natural sweetness. They also provide additional nutrients like potassium.
- Strawberries add a vibrant color, sweetness, and tartness.
- Blueberries add a rich, deep color to the slush and contribute a sweet and slightly tart flavor. They also provide a burst of antioxidants and other nutrients.
These ingredients work together to create a refreshing and flavorful fruit slush with a balance of sweet, tart, and citrusy notes, along with varied textures from the different fruits.
However, this list of ingredients is versatile, so feel free to use whatever fruit you have on hand.
Variations
One nice thing about this fruit slush recipe is its versatility. The fruit listed is simply there to give you an idea. Feel free to use whatever fruit you have on hand or is in season.
Fresh peaches and sweet cherries are great additions. Maybe you don't care for bananas; swap them out with a fruit you love. We often use fresh fruit, but frozen fruit works just as well.
If desired, you can also substitute some of the water with 7-Up or Sprite.
How to Make Frozen Fruit Salad with Orange Juice (Fruit Slush)
- Prepare the Base
- Combine the frozen orange juice concentrate and water in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the sugar.
- Stir the mixture until the orange juice concentrate and sugar are fully dissolved.
- Add Pineapple
- Add the can of crushed pineapple and its juice to the orange juice mixture.
- Stir well to combine.
- Prepare the Fruits
- Slice the bananas and strawberries.
- Ensure the blueberries are washed and drained if using fresh. If using frozen, no preparation is needed.
- Combine All Ingredients
- Add the sliced bananas, strawberries, and blueberries to the bowl.
- Stir the mixture thoroughly to ensure all fruits are evenly distributed.
- Freeze
- Pour the fruit mixture into a large, freezer-safe container. For smaller servings, divide it into smaller freezer containers. Leave a bit of headspace allowing room for it to expand.
- Place the container in the freezer and let it freeze for at least 24 hours or until solid.
- Thaw for Serving
- Remove the container from the freezer a couple of hours before you plan to serve the slush.
- Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator until it is partially thawed and has a slushy consistency.
- Serve
- Scoop the partially thawed slush into serving dishes or glasses.
- Enjoy your refreshing fruit slush!
You may notice that my fruit slush in the one photo is really dark colored. It's because I used frozen blueberries. I didn't have fresh ones on hand, so I added frozen. It affected the color, but it tasted the same.
Thawing Frozen Fruit Slush
Thawing time will depend on the size of the container that you freeze it in. For a big container, it may take four to six hours in the refrigerator, to thaw enough to stir and eat as a slushie.
If you are in a hurry to have it thawed, you can thaw it at room temperature. The only problem is that the slush on the outside edges of the container will thaw and become watery before the inside is thawed enough to stir. So it's better to thaw it slowly.
Every time I make fruit slush, I put some of it in two-cup containers and freeze it to put in my husband's lunch box. Just place it into the lunch box in the morning and it should be partially thawed by lunchtime.
Whenever we took this Amish fruit slush along for our picnics, we froze it in ice cream buckets. Then we placed them into ice chests to take them with us to the park. By mid-afternoon, it was perfectly thawed to enjoy it as a slushie. And it was a very refreshing afternoon snack!
Tips:
- Freeze in smaller containers for quicker thawing.
- Thaw in the refrigerator for the best texture.
- Leave some headspace in containers because the slush expands as it freezes.
- Add fresh fruit just before serving if you want brighter colors and firmer fruit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Frozen fruit works just as well as fresh fruit. It may slightly change the color of the slush, especially if using frozen blueberries, but the flavor remains the same.
Stored in an airtight freezer container, fruit slush will keep well for at least 3 months or more.
The sugar doesn't just add sweetness. It also lowers the freezing point, helping create a softer, scoopable slushy texture instead of an icy block.
Old Fashioned Slush for Picnics
Frozen fruit slush was a dish that we often took along for our Amish youth picnics at ballparks, etc.
Our youth group loved to play volleyball and softball. Volleyball was a regular Sunday tradition for us, while softball games were more sporadic, occurring only a few times each summer.
Most of the Amish do not necessarily observe Memorial Day and the 4th of July. (Read more about the Amish holidays here.)
However, we had a few other holidays that we observed, such as Ascension Day and Pentecost Monday. We usually had a church picnic (in someone's field) on one of those holidays, and the young men and maybe a few ambitious young ladies played a couple of games of softball.
Several times throughout the year, our youth group also went to a park to play softball. Everyone took food along, and we had a big picnic together.
Our menu often included frozen fruit slush, because it was a perfect afternoon treat for a hot summer day.
Growing up Amish : Fun Times and Good Food
I have good memories of many fun times with my Amish youth group. We didn't do the wild Rumspringa, but we had lots of fun activities. Every summer we went camping. We played lots of games and spent a lot of time singing together.
A couple of our youth were assigned the responsibility of planning the activities and the food menu. It always took lots of food to feed our group, but everyone pitched in together and brought a dish or two.
Amish frozen fruit slush was always a summertime favorite! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
If you try this Amish recipe for frozen fruit slush, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
In case you're interested, I am adding an affiliate link for a book that tells the true story of an Amish woman's survival...
📖 Recipe Card
Amish Frozen Fruit Slush Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
- 3 cups water
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 can crushed pineapple with juice (20 oz.)
- 3 - 4 bananas, sliced
- 3 - 4 cups strawberries, sliced
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Mix orange juice concentrate, water, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir until dissolved.6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate, 3 cups water, ¾ cup sugar
- Add a can of crushed pineapples along with the juice.1 can crushed pineapple with juice (20 oz.)
- Add sliced bananas, strawberries, and blueberries. Stir to mix.3 - 4 bananas, sliced, 3 - 4 cups strawberries, sliced, 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
- Pour the mixture into a large (gallon-sized) freezer container. For smaller servings, freeze it in smaller containers. Leave a bit of headspace for room to expand.
- Freeze until solid. For large containers, it will take at least 24 hours.
- Remove from the freezer several hours before serving so that it's partially thawed for a slushie. (Thaw in the refrigerator for best results. A gallon container of fruit slush takes 4 or more hours to thaw enough to serve.)
Anna
A summer favorite!
Carla
This sounds delicious, and the perfect way to use fresh fruit that is needing to get used up. A healthier summer dessert than icecream. I will be trying it , this summer.