If you've ever had a craving to eat dirt and worms, you're in luck because this recipe is much more socially acceptable. Halloween Dirt Cups are made with Oreo cookies, chocolate mousse, and gummy worms for the ultimate sweet treat.
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One of our favorite no bake Halloween desserts is "dirt pudding," but we're taking it up a notch this year by making our own chocolate mousse instead of pudding. This makes it a little fancier and helps to make a few extra servings so that there's plenty to share!
Make this October one the kids won't soon forget. With fun and delicious recipes like Cinnamon Roll Intestines, Halloween Bleeding Cupcakes, and worms and dirt.
These Halloween Dirt Cups are one of those treats the kids love because they're so much fun. It's like a trick and a treat in every cup. Serve them up with some Peanut Butter Jelly Spider Sandwiches and Frozen Whipped Zombie Brains for an awesome lunch!
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Minimal ingredients. We don't need much to make this Halloween Dirt Cups recipe, so it comes together fairly easily and quickly. Perfect when looking for a simple snack, like these Sour Patch Grapes.
- It's not real dirt. I promise that we only use crushed Oreo cookies for the "dirt" and that you won't actually have to go harvest a scoop from outside.
- You can customize it. Add sour gummy worms and candy eyeballs or any of your favorite Halloween candies. Even tiny pumpkins would look great in these cups of dirt.
🛒 Ingredients
Instant chocolate pudding- Make sure to use INSTANT pudding, or else you risk the dessert not setting up correctly.
Milk- You need milk to activate the pudding mix so that it turns out well. Low fat milk or nondairy milk may be used in smaller quantities, but the mousse may not set up as well as it will with whole milk.
Gummy worms- We used sour gummy worms but you can use regular ones! These are what make these dessert cups feel more like "dirt."
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Oreo cookies. Use gluten-free Oreos for a GF version or choose off-brand sandwich cookies to save money. Any variety works. Extra cookies? If you have extra cookies, try them in Cookies and Cream Pizookie or 3 Ingredient Oreo Fudge.
Pudding Mix: Instant pudding is required; regular or sugar-free both work. Follow the milk amount on your specific box, as sizes vary.
Whipping Cream: To replace whipped topping, whip 1½ cups heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 3 tablespoon powdered sugar until stiff peaks form for a richer homemade alternative.
Scaling: To feed a crowd, triple the recipe and assemble it in a 9×13 pan using 3 tubs whipped topping, 3 prepared puddings, and one full package of Oreos.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use store-brand cookies. Off-brand sandwich cookies taste great in layered desserts and cost significantly less than name-brand Oreos.
Choose the most economical pudding. Store-brand instant pudding, regular or sugar-free, works perfectly and is usually cheaper per ounce.
Use what you already have. Swap in leftover chocolate chips, broken cookies, or extra pudding to avoid waste and reduce grocery spending.
🥄 Instructions for Halloween Dirt Cups
Step 1: Add your oreo cookies to a food processor.
Step 2: Crush the oreo cookies until fine crumbs. Set aside.
Step 3: In a mixing bowl, combine the chocolate pudding mix with milk until blended.
Step 4: Let rest and set for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Fold in the thawed whipped topping.
Step 6: Mix until no streaks remain.
Step 7: Sprinkle a little oreo in the bottom of each parfait cup.
Step 8: Top with a little of your chocolate mousse mixture.
Step 9: Add more cookie crumbs over the top of the mousse, and then repeat the layers. Do this for all 6 of your cups until layers are complete.
Step 10: Top with 2 gummy worms each. Add some festive Halloween sprinkles, if desired.
Serve immediately or cover and let chill in the fridge until ready to eat.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Mix well. When whisking the pudding with the milk, be sure to break up as many dry mix clumps as possible, any lumps left behind will not dissolve as the pudding sets.
- Let the pudding thicken. Allow the pudding to rest for a few minutes before layering. This helps it firm up and gives your dessert cleaner, more defined layers.
- Crush cookies evenly. For the best texture, crush the cookies so you have a mix of crumbs and small chunks, not large pieces that make the layers uneven.
- Chill before serving. Refrigerate Halloween Dirt Cups for at least 1-2 hours to help it set and develop the best flavor and texture.
❄️ Storage and Make Ahead
Storage: Keep your Halloween Dirt Cups covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Do not freeze, as the texture will separate once thawed.
Make Ahead: You can prep individual components in advance to speed up assembly. Store Oreo crumbs in a Ziploc bag at room temperature for a few days, and keep the pudding or mousse covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
❓ Halloween Dirt Cups FAQs
Yes, you can use any flavored oreo cookies! I like Java flavor or peanut butter pie but feel free to select any that you already enjoy. Keep in mind that the filling colors can affect the color of your dirt.
Oreo dirt cups are usually made with a chocolate pudding mixture, oreo cookies, and gummy worms. This can vary depending on the holidays, recipe creator, and desired results as there are many different ways to customize these treats.
The easiest way to crush oreo cookies is to use a food processor as that only takes a moment to do. That said, you can also place the cookies into a sealed plastic baggie and smack a rolling pin over the top to break them up.
🍽️ More Recipes You'll Love
- Milk Dud CookiesRecipe $4.09 / Serving $0.11
- Honey Roasted Pumpkin SeedsRecipe $0.77 / Serving $0.19
- Cookie Monster CookiesRecipe $6.47 / Serving $1.08
- Rolo Stuffed Ritz CrackersRecipe $2.33 / Serving $0.47
🐝 If you tried these Halloween Dirt Cups, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Halloween Dirt Cups
Ingredients
- 20 whole Oreo cookies - ($2.40)
- 1 box (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding - ($0.83)
- 2 cups milk - ($0.40)
- 1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping, thawed - ($1.07)
- 12 whole gummy worms - ($0.63)
- Halloween sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Crush. Crush the Oreo cookies into fine crumbs and set aside.
- Mix Pudding. In a bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and milk until smooth. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Fold. Gently fold in the whipped topping until fully combined and no streaks remain.
- Layer. Add a small amount of cookie crumbs to the bottom of each parfait cup. Top with pudding mixture, then more cookie crumbs. Repeat layers until the cups are filled.
- Top. Garnish each cup with 2 gummy worms and sprinkles if using.
- Chill or Serve. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Smooth Texture. Whisk the pudding thoroughly to prevent lumps before folding in whipped topping.
- Scaling. This dessert can be layered in a 9x13 baking dish for a larger crowd.
- Cookie Swap. Any Oreo variety works well for flavor variations.
- Storage. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do not freeze.
Nutritional Information
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