Dirt Cake Cups is a childhood classic recipe that’s so easy to toss together! Creamy, fluffy chocolate pudding is layered with Oreo cookie crumbs and topped with gummy worms. Whether you’re making these for the kids or to treat your inner child, you’ll love this fun dessert recipe!
What’s in this Dirt Cake Recipe
Chocolate pudding, Oreos, and gummy worms are the key ingredients in this fun handheld dessert recipe.
- Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix: Any brand will do the trick!
- Whole Milk: I don’t recommend swapping this with any other dairy product. Whole milk yields the creamiest results.
- Whipped Topping: If you buy a frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip), you’ll need to make sure it’s thawed prior to using.
- Unsalted Butter: Room temperature butter is needed for the easiest mixing.
- Cream Cheese: Don’t use a low-fat version if you can help it. Also, this should be room temperature as well.
- Powdered Sugar: This adds sweetness and helps to create the best consistency.
- Oreo Cookies: You can have some fun by choosing a unique Oreo flavor if you’d like!
- Gummy Worms: Any kind of gummy worms work, but I like the ones that are plain and not sour/coated in sugar.
PRO TIP: 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.
Do I need to use name-brand ingredients for dirt cake?
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.
Chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos and gummy worms are the key ingredients for dirt cups.
These kid-friendly treats became popular in the 1980’s. Thank you, Midwestern mothers of the 80’s, for creating these chocolatey pudding desserts with candy on top!
How to Store
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.
Serving Suggestions
Easy to make and fun to dig in to, these mini dirt cups are the cutest kid-friendly treats to serve after school and at birthday parties!
More Kid-Friendly Dessert Recipes We Love
- Candy Grapes
- Fairy Bread
- Fruity Pebbles Treats
- Cotton Candy Marshmallows
- Funfetti Donuts
- No Bake Circus Cookie Cheesecake
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!