Hosting a Halloween picnic party or want a fun dessert for a kid’s picnic? These Oreo Dirt Cake Cups with Gummy Worms, layers of pudding and crushed Oreos are a quick and easy treat to whip up.
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Why I Love This Recipe
We all love a good Oreo dessert (my easy Oreo Chocolate Cake is the perfect example). This simple Oreo Dirt Cake recipe is easy to make (ready in 30 minutes) and is a fantastic make-ahead dessert—make it the night before and pop it in the fridge.
It’s also a great picnic dessert, especially if you are looking for kids’ picnic food ideas, as it is individually portioned, so there is less mess.
Ingredients
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Oreos: You can use any brand of Oreo-style sandwich cookie. You can also switch up the Oreo flavors for different occasions: Golden Oreos make great sand for a beach pudding cup. Decorate with cocktail umbrellas or gummy fish.
- Pudding Mix: I use both Vanilla and Chocolate Pudding mix to create the colored layers. You can use chocolate only and layer it with Oreo dirt.
- Decorations: Just like you can switch up the Oreo flavors, you can switch up the decorations as well. For an Easter Picnic Dessert, you could add bunnies or Easter eggs, or you could add edible flowers for a Spring picnic idea. The ideas are endless.
- Truwhip: You can use Cool Whip, but I prefer Truwhip as it is a healthier alternative. You can also use heavy whipping cream. Add it to the cream cheese, butter, and sugar at step 2 and whip until you have nice, firm peaks.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and notes.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the vanilla and chocolate instant pudding in separate bowls. Add 1 ½ cups of cold 2% milk to each bowl and whisk until smooth and thick.
Set aside.
Step 2: Add the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy.
Add the Truwhip to the mixing bowl and mix gently with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated.
Step 3: Divide the cream cheese mixture between the chocolate and vanilla pudding mixes and gently combine with a rubber spatula.
Spoon the vanilla and chocolate mixtures into separate piping bags or large ziplock bags with the tips snipped off.
Set aside.
Step 4: Place 30 Oreos into a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs.
Add a thin layer of Oreo crumbs to the bottom of your serving cups.
Step 5: Pipe a generous swirl of the vanilla pudding mixture on top of the Oreo crumb layer in each cup.
Step 6: Add another layer of Oreo crumbs.
Pipe a generous swirl of the chocolate pudding mixture over the Oreo crumb layers.
Continue layering until you reach the top of the cups. Finish each cup with an Oreo crumb layer.
Step 7: Top each cup with several gummy worms and a whole Oreo.
You can serve them immediately, but they are better if refrigerated overnight. If you need to serve immediately, try to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Dirt cakes are thought to be inspired by Mississippi mud pie, a popular chocolate dessert from the 1960s. They feature layers of cookie crumble and pudding, similar to a trifle. The first dirt cakes appeared in the 1980s, mainly in the American Midwest, as a fun treat for kids.
Yes, dirt cake can be made and stored in the fridge for 1-2 days, making it a convenient option for parties or picnics.
Essentially, you can freeze dirt cake. However, it may change the texture of the pudding and cookies, so it’s best to serve it fresh or refrigerated.
Expert Tips
- Ingredients at Room Temperature: For the best consistency, try to have all your ingredients at room temperature except the milk for the pudding.
- Pudding Mix: Use really cold milk to achieve a good pudding consistency. Also, be careful not to add too much milk. You can always add more, but you don’t want it to be too runny.
- Any pudding mix brand will work, but it must be instant pudding. A 3.4-oz box is ideal for this recipe.
- Chill Time: While you can serve immediately, try to chill them for at least 30 minutes if possible.
- Make ahead: I prefer to make these the day or night before to allow them to set. However, I would not leave them longer than 1-2 days as the cookie crumbs will start to soften.
- Making the Oreo Dirt: A food processor is best for crushing the Oreo cookies to achieve a uniform texture. If you don’t have one, place the cookies in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or meat mallet.
How to Serve Oreo Dirt Cake Cups at a Picnic
I always like to look for eco-friendly picnic ideas for transporting picnic food. These ideas offer practical and eco-friendly ways to transport picnic desserts like these Oreo Dirt Cake Cups, whether feeding a crowd or a small group.
Plant Based, Compostable Cups with Lids
These plastic containers with lids are made entirely from plants, making them fully compostable and environmentally friendly. They’re perfect if you need to feed a crowd.
Overnight Oats Containers
These small overnight oats containers with a lid and spoon are perfect for transporting desserts like Oreo Dirt Cake Cups.
Related Recipes
Did you try these Mini Oreo Dirt Cakes?
Please leave me a ⭐ rating below and let me know in the comments how you enjoyed them.
Recipe Card
Oreo Dirt Cake Cups with Gummy Worms
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter - room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese - room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3.4 oz chocolate instant pudding mix packet
- 3.4 oz vanilla instant pudding mix packet
- 3 cups milk - 2%
- 19 oz Truwhip tub - Cool Whip can also be used
- 36 Oreo Cookies
- Gummy worms
Instructions
- Mix the vanilla and chocolate instant pudding in separate bowls. Add 1 ½ cups of cold 2% milk to each bowl and whisk until smooth and thick. Set aside.
- Add the cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy.
- Add the Truwhip to the mixing bowl and mix gently with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated.
- Divide the cream cheese mixture between the chocolate and vanilla pudding mixes and gently combine with a rubber spatula.
- Spoon the vanilla and chocolate mixtures into separate piping bags or large ziplock bags with the tips snipped off. Set aside.
- Place 30 Oreos into a food processor and pulse until you have fine crumbs.
- Add a thin layer of Oreo dirt crumbs to the bottom of your serving cups.
- Pipe a generous swirl of the vanilla pudding mixture on top of the Oreo crumb layer in each cup.
- Add another layer of Oreo crumbs.
- Pipe a generous swirl of the chocolate pudding mixture over the Oreo crumb layers.
- Continue layering until you reach the top of the cups. Finish each cup with an Oreo crumb layer.
- Top each cup with several gummy worms and a whole Oreo.
- You can serve them immediately, but they are better if refrigerated overnight.
Notes
-
- Ingredients at Room Temperature: For the best consistency, try to have all your ingredients at room temperature except the milk for the pudding.
- Pudding Mix: Use really cold milk to achieve a good pudding consistency. Also, be careful not to add too much milk. You can always add more but don’t want it to be too runny.
- Chill Time: While you can serve immediately, if possible, try to chill them for at least 30 minutes.
-
- Make ahead: I prefer to make these the day or night before to allow them to set. However, I would not leave them longer than 1-2 days as the cookie crumbs will start to soften.
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