Mini Dirt Cake Cups are the cutest chocolate treats ever! Chocolate pudding, Oreos, and gummy worms are the key ingredients to making these fun handheld desserts.
Individual Dirt Cake Cups
When I reminisce about my childhood, my mind immediately goes to all the snacks I loved! In between thoughts of Dunkaroo’s, PB & J sandwiches, and fruit punch, dirt cakes always make me smile the most.
I mean, when you’re a kid, is there anything more fun than pretending to eat dirt and worms?! I don’t think so! This tried and true recipe is fun and always makes kids (and adults) of all ages happy.
This recipe is oh-so-simple, and it yields 8 perfectly portioned dessert dirt cups! If you’re making these for a party, consider doubling or tripling the ingredients, that way everyone gets the chance to indulge in their childhood favorite snack.
Why You’ll Love this Mini Dirt Cake Recipe:
- Fun! Any recipe that calls for gummy worms is a fun time. And this one makes it look like the worms are crawling around in dirt – so cute!
- Timeless. Everyone’s had a dirt cup at one point or another in their life. However, the timeless treat has never been this delicious.
- Perfectly portioned. The mini dirt cakes are portioned so that everyone can enjoy the pudding treat without being overly indulgent. Plus, it’s perfect for those tiny kid hands!
Trademark Note: In the spirit of transparency, I want to note that some of these ingredients are trademarked products. Oreo is a proprietary brand that I want to acknowledge and give credit to.
How to Make Dirt Cake Cups
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Mix the jello mixture with milk. Allow to set for 5 minutes.
- Fold in the whipped topping.
- Cream together the butter and cream cheese with the confectioners’ sugar.
- Combine the pudding and cream mixtures.
- Add mixture to gallon sized bag.
- Snip a corner off of the bag to help easily fill the cups.
- Crush the Oreo cookies.
- Assemble the dirt cups. Don’t forget the gummy worms!
Of course not. If you’re looking to pinch a penny and squeeze a dime, you can use generic brands of instant pudding mix and cookies and cream cookies. They should be just as good as the name-brand stuff!
If your pudding isn’t setting to the right consistency, you may have accidentally added a bit too much milk. It can happen to the best of us! Just be sure to follow the package directions of the instant jello mix exactly, that way you have perfect pudding.
In an airtight container in the refrigerator, these adorable dirt cups will stay fresh for about 3 days once they’ve been assembled. These are great make-ahead desserts! Make them the day before a party to avoid that stress of making them right before the big event. They’ll hold up well.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Any kind of gummy worms work, but I like the ones that are plain and not sour/coated in sugar.
- Use a full-fat whipped topping for the most creamy, thick results. The same goes for the whole milk! Skim won’t do the trick.
- A food processor works best for crushing the Oreo cookies. However, if you don’t have one, you can just pop the cookies in a Ziplock baggie and crush them with a mallet or rolling pin.
Easy to make and fun to dig in to, these mini dirt cups are the cutest treats to serve after school and at birthday parties!
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
Dirt Cake Cups Recipe
Ingredients
- 3.9 ounces instant chocolate pudding mix 110 grams (1 box)
- 2 cups whole milk 454 grams, chilled
- 8 ounces whipped topping 227 grams, thawed, such as Cool Whip
- ¼ cup unsalted butter 57 grams, room temperature (½ stick)
- 8 ounces cream cheese 227 grams, room temperature (1 brick)
- 1 cup powdered sugar 113 grams, sifted
- 16 ounces Oreo cookies 453 grams (about 40 cookies), crushed
- 24 gummy worms 210 grams
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Hand Mixer (optional)
- Stand Mixer (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the instant pudding mix with the milk according to package directions. Allow to set for 5 minutes. Once set, fold in the whipped topping.3.9 ounces instant chocolate pudding mix, 2 cups whole milk, 8 ounces whipped topping
- Using a hand or stand mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add the powdered sugar and mix until light and airy.¼ cup unsalted butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar
- Add the pudding mixture to the cream cheese mixture. Stir well.
- Transfer the mixture to a large Ziplock bag. Cut off one of the corners of the bag to easily fill the cups.
- Working in layers, pipe some of the cream mixture into the bottom of each cup. Add a layer of crushed cookies. Pipe another layer of the cream mixture on top. Garnish with more cookies and gummy worms. Serve chilled and enjoy.16 ounces Oreo cookies, 24 gummy worms
Notes
- Any kind of gummy worms work, but I like the ones that are plain and not sour/coated in sugar.
- Use a full-fat whipped topping for the most creamy, thick results. The same goes for the whole milk! Skim won’t do the trick.
- A food processor works best for crushing the Oreo cookies. However, if you don’t have one, you can just pop the cookies in a Ziplock baggie and crush them with a mallet or rolling pin.
Easy to make as cupcakes. Made it plenty of times before but first time doing it as cupcakes.
I hope you enjoyed them!