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.
Food Rookie 06.26.2012
My mother-in-law gave me this recipe, so I made it for her family Christmas celebration. The only thing I changed was presentation…I made it in a large trifle bowl instead of a 9×13 pan in her recipe. It was a huge hit!
Jeri 06.26.2012
Yea, I remember it using chocolate pudding also. Sadly, due to a traumatic experience as a child I can not eat chocolate pudding without gagging…or vanilla for that matter. My walking pneumonia was cured with giant antibiotic pills that my parents would have to crush up and put into pudding for me to eat. NASTY!
Jen 06.26.2012
We used to make this but used chocolate pudding. We used vanilla with crushed vanilla wafers to top for a “beach” with little umbrellas and gummy fish to top it off, but as someone else mention golden oreos would be delish!
Em 06.26.2012
Love this! One of my FAVORITE Foods EVER!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Allison Rice 06.26.2012
Dirt Cake!! My mom made this for all of our parties growing up. She would put it in a flower pot — and then put fake flowers in the top. People would honestly think it was a plant!!!
Kara 06.26.2012
Who doesn’t love oreos?!? So making this for my husband :) He will love it!
Ann 06.26.2012
My mom used to make this too! It was the craze! She would even serve it in a flower pot and stick a bunch of fake flowers in it! Yikes! But so yummy!
jad18 06.26.2012
Hey, I got my Fitness magazine and you are honored as one of the best blogs. Congratulations!
jennyv 06.26.2012
Call me crazy but I always love when there are a few big unprocessed cookie chunks in the pudding…
I’ve heard of another version called “Sand/Beach Cake” using Golden Oreos!
Rebekah 06.26.2012
This is fun to take to a potluck in a sand bucket and serve it with a sand shovel. Although, I think the adults eat this just as much as the kids!
AC 06.26.2012
I kept seeing “Diet Coke” instead of “Dirt Cake”. I had to re-read a few lines to make them make sense!
Amanda 06.26.2012
I will be making this soon for my boys (ages 8 and 1)…one loves the dirt, one loves worms :)
Joanna 06.26.2012
This made me so nostalgic! I loved dirt cake as a kid. I remember one party where it was actually served in clay flower pots! Thanks for sharing this recipe :)
Andrea 06.26.2012
Try it with golden oreos. We call it sand in our family. It’s actually really good!
Brooke 06.26.2012
My boyfriend’s mom made it on Father’s Day, and she said the same thing about the Oreo packaging…her recipe from the ’80s called for a 20-ounce bag but they make them smaller now! We had it “worm-less” this time around lol
Trisha 06.26.2012
It has literally been YEARS since I’ve had dirt cake and this looks seriously delicious. I just might have to whip up some of this real soon. {drooling!}
Lindsey 06.26.2012
I loved dirt pudding as a kid, but mainly for the worms! Loved my gummy candy :)
I love ice cream sandwiches or a banana slush!
Lindsey 06.26.2012
I love this flash back! And I love dirt cake! :)
Sarah 06.26.2012
I love dirt cake! I only have it once in awhile but it’s so good! This seems extra good today because I just got home from biking 20 miles.
Mandy 06.26.2012
Aw, this is one of my childhood favorite desserts. My mom never made it, but it was at so many birthday parties I went to! Delicious!
I think my favorite summer treat is an ice cream cone. Now that I think about it, that’s my favorite winter treat too…