Dirt Cake is a classic Midwestern dessert recipe that I remember my Mom making for nearly every summer BBQ, picnic, and special occasion when I was young. It is one of the best tasting desserts – EVER – and super simple to whip up.
Crushed Oreo cookies are layered with a luscious, whippy pudding mixture, then topped with ooey-gooey gummy worms for a fun and festive touch. This dessert is a total crowd pleaser.
How to Serve Dirt Cake:
My Mom always served Dirt Cake layered in a large glass bowl, but this is the perfect summer dessert recipe to get creative with. Layer the ingredients in plastic cups for an individual presentation. Add faux or even edible flowers for a more convincing garden look. You can even play around with the color of the pudding and/or sandwich cookies to cater to different holidays!
What’s in Dirt Cake?
- Instant vanilla pudding
- Skim milk
- Cool whip
- Powdered sugar
- Softened butter
- Softened cream cheese
- Oreos
Psst! Need to eat gluten free and/or dairy free? Check out my GF/DF Dirt Cake recipe!
Step 1: Make the Pudding Layer
Begin by adding instant vanilla pudding and cold skim milk to a large bowl.
Whisk vigorously for 5 minutes, or until the pudding is soft set.
Next fold in Cool Whip. You could use regular or sugar-free here, if you wanted to.
In a separate bowl, stir together softened butter, powdered sugar, and softened cream cheese until smooth.
Add the cream cheese mixture into the pudding mixture then stir until very, very smooth.
LUSCIOUSNESS!
Step 2: Make the Cookie Layer
Next, bust out a package of America’s favorite sandwich cookies – Oreos.
Did you know that Oreos used to be sold in 20oz packages, per my Mom’s original recipe from the 80s? You could practically see the steam coming out of her ears the day she found out they shrunk the package down to 15.5oz, and were selling it for more money. Hell hath no fury like a consumer scorned!
Anyway, pop the cookies into a food processor or blender, then process until they’re fine crumbs and deposit said crumbs into a bowl.
Step 3: Assemble the Dirt Cake
Spoon 1-1/2 cups cookie crumbs into the bottom of a large bowl followed by half the pudding mixture. I use a really wide bowl which made the layers appear uneven in these photos. If you want yours to appear more even you could use a trifle bowl.
Add 1-1/2 cups cookie crumbs on top…
followed by the remaining pudding mixture, and then the remaining cookie crumbs.
Top the assembled Dirt Cake with gummy worms and flowers, if you wish, then serve. I hope you love this sweet and seriously scrumptious taste of the Midwest! Enjoy!
More Easy Dessert Recipes:
- Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Dirt Cake >
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies >
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes for 2 >
- Triple Berry Crumb Bars >
- Peanut Butter S’mores Cheesecake Ball >
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Dirt Cake
Description
Dirt Cake is a classic Midwestern dessert that's loved by all. This festive, summer dessert recipe is a cinch to whip up.
Ingredients
- 2, 3.4oz packages vanilla instant pudding
- 3-1/2 cups cold skim milk
- 12oz Cool Whip
- 8oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 15.5oz package Oreos
- Gummy worms, fake flowers (optional)
Directions
- Combine instant pudding and skim milk in a large bowl. Whisk for 5 minutes, or until pudding is soft set. Fold in cool whip then set aside.
- In a separate bowl, stir together cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar until smooth. Add to pudding mixture then stir to combine.
- In a food processor or blender, process Oreos to fine crumbs. Spoon 1-1/2 cups cookie crumbs into the bottom of a large bowl. Top with 1/2 the pudding mixture followed by 1-1/2 cups cookie crumbs, the remaining pudding mixture, and then the remaining cookie crumbs. Chill for at least 1 hour then top with gummy worms and/or fake flowers before serving.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I made this and put it in a glass flower pot. You could see all the layers.
It was a hit.
So cute!
Thanks Kristin. This recipe looks and sounds super fun! I can see anyone enjoying this dessert. I also love Oreos, so this cake is basically perfection. I appreciate all the serving suggestions as well.
I make this all the time because all my sons friends ask for it. In the winter I use winter oreos, for Easter I use purple and summer I make sand with the golden. The only difference is due to the sweetness and richness I eliminate the powdered sugar and butter. Its still amazing just not as sweet.
How many small cakes does this recipe make?
Best dirt cake recipe ever! I’ve made dirt cakes for years and lost my favorite recipe. Found this and tried and now I’m hooked. So much better! Besides being sweetly wonderful, I like the fact that it mixes well and it doesn’t become lumpy (which can happen when mixing cream cheese, cool whip and pudding. Thank you! :)
french vanilla pudding adds even more flavor!
This has been my go to dirt cake recipe since the day you published it. I noticed today my Oreo package only has 14.3 oz. ??
Oh my gosh, that makes me so happy! The fact that you love the Dirt Cake as mush as we do – NOT that we’ve lost a few more ounces of Oreos since 2012 when I first posted this recipe! ?
[…] he has a birthday tradition in the making — he asked specifically for my friend Kristin’s Dirt Cake again this year! He wants to help, so we will be making that later […]
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Kristen, This recipe sounds wonderful, however, I really came upon it as I was looking for the recipe for WORMY CHOCOLATE CAKE. Maybe you could help me. My sweet Grandmother passed away when I was thirteen. She used to make this cake all the time. It was a really delicious yellow cake. After it cooled, she prepared a rich chocolate sauce on the stove top. She would use Hershey’s Cocoa, Milk, Sugar, Butter, Vanilla, and I am unsure of any other ingredients. She would bring it all to a boil, stirring it frequently. She would then take an ice pick & poke holes into the cake, on the top & sides. She would spoon the hot sauce into the side holes first, then into the top holes. After the cake completely cooled, we got to enjoy! It was heavenly. The chocolate ribbons/worms almost had a fudge candy texture to them. I have tried to make this cake many times. I have never been able to make it like my Grandmother did. If you ever come across a recipe that sounds anything like the cake I described, please send it to me. I would truly appreciate it!
all you really need is 8oz of cool whip and 2-3.9 packs of instant pudding that is vanilla or chocolat, 2 1/2 cups of milk and oreos
do it the easy way:)
I make dirt cake and sand a lot. The only thing I have changed is not adding the powdered sugar and butter. I find it to be way too sweet.
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