Fresh Pressed Orange Juice Recipe

Wash and room temperature

Rinse the oranges under cool running water to remove any wax or residue. Pat dry with a clean towel. Let sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes if they were refrigerated — room-temperature fruit yields more juice.

Roll to loosen juices

On a cutting board, press each orange firmly with the palm of your hand and roll it back and forth several times. This breaks down internal membranes and helps extract more juice.

Cut oranges

Using a sharp knife, slice each orange in half crosswise (through the equator), exposing the segments for juicing.

Using a manual citrus juicer

Place an orange half on the juicer and press/rotate to extract juice. Continue with remaining halves. Pour extracted juice through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher to remove seeds and excess pulp if you prefer less pulp.

Using an electric citrus juicer

Fit the reamer and cup, place an orange half onto the reamer and press down to activate. Collect juice in the juicer’s container. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher if desired.

Using a blender

Peel the oranges, remove as much of the white pith as you prefer, separate into segments, and place in a blender. Add up to 1/2 cup cold water to help blending. Pulse briefly (10–15 seconds) until broken down but not frothy. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a pitcher, pressing solids with the back of a spoon to extract juice. Discard solids.

Taste the freshly pressed juice. If it's too tart or not sweet enough for your preference, stir in up to 1 teaspoon granulated sugar or simple syrup until dissolved. If you want a slightly brighter flavor, add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice and stir.

If the juice is very concentrated, you can dilute it with up to 1/2 cup cold water for the batch, stirring to combine. Refrigerate the pitcher for at least 10–15 minutes to chill, or serve immediately over ice.

Garnish glasses with a twist of orange zest or an orange slice, if desired. Serve cold.