Guys and gals, I don't know about you, but I am getting pretty tired of 50 degree and windy days. I am ready for self induced sunburns and potlucks! So making this Oreo dirt cake without cream cheese was just the ticket to bring me out of my spring time funk!
A kids classic and no bake dessert that can be the hit of the potluck! Oreos, vanilla pudding, and more Oreos! Top it off with those Black Forest whimsical gummy worms and you will have kids flocking to the table this dessert is on!
This recipe takes me back to about the summer of 1986 at a summer potluck. One bite and I was hooked! You can't go wrong with creamy vanilla pudding and Oreo cookies. The gummy worms were just an added bonus. Little known fun fact about me is that I am a hard candy junkie. You can add just about any piece of hard candy to my desserts and I am on cloud nine!
I obtained a copy of this recipe somehow from my stack of cookbooks and I thought that I would introduce my kiddos to Oreo dirt cake! Nonetheless, we all had a blast making it and they had even more fun eating it!
Simple ingredients
- Oreo cookies: I prefer the original ones, but just about any flavor will work with vanilla pudding.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding: Jello brand is best.
- Unsalted butter
- Confectioner's sugar
- Milk: 2% or whole works the best to make the pudding more creamy. Skim and 1% will work but have less fat content in them and the pudding will not be as thick.
- Cool whip: Any brand will work for this.
- Gummy worms
Step by step instructions
Making an Oreo dirt cake is pretty simple. However, keeping it in the fridge is the longest part of this whole process. Please follow the steps below!
First, with a knife, roughly chop up about 12 Oreos and set them aside. You want to have them in chunks.
Second, with a food processor fitted with an S blade, add the rest of the Oreos. Pulse down until you get a fine cookie mixture (it will literally look like dirt) Set that aside in a bowl.
Third, in a large mixing bowl, add both boxes of instant vanilla pudding. Add the 3.5 cups of milk. With electric hand mixer, mix on low until mixture is well combined. Set in the fridge for at least 30.
Fourth, with an electric mixer, cream the room temperature butter until light and fluffy. Add this to the set pudding. With a spatula, fold in the cool whip until the mixture is uniform and no streaks are seen.
Assembly of dirt cake
Now that the vanilla pudding and Oreo dirt mixture are made, it's time to layer them together!
So with each clay pot add a layer of the chopped Oreos, followed by the dirt mixture, and then vanilla pudding. Repeat this process until all clay pots are three quarters full with pudding and finish off with dirt on top and gummy worms.
Put each clay pot in the fridge to chill overnight. Serve the next day!
Variations and substitutions
- Use different flavors or pudding such as chocolate or butterscotch.
- Make the filling with cream cheese.
- Put in a larger cake pan and serve in slices!
- Add in different chocolate chips or other flavored baking chips.
Equipment
Oreo dirt cake can be made a couple of different ways. Below is what I used to make my recipe.
- Food Processor: If you don't have one, you can crush up the Oreos with a rolling pin. This just saves you some time!
- Electric hand mixer
- Spatula
- Mini clay garden pots: Trifle pans, larger clay pots, and even 9x13 cake pans have been used to layer the dirt cake in. Pick your poison!
FAQ's
Store with plastic wrap covering each clay pot in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Simply because of the the messy, dirty look of the cake.
Oreo Dirt Cake
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Food processor
- spatula
- Small garden pots
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
- 3½ cups 2% milk
- 7 oz instant vanilla pudding
- 23 oz cool whip
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 20.6 oz Oreo cookies divided
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 7 oz gummy worms
Instructions
Crush and divide oreos
- Remove 12 Oreos from the package and cut up into smaller pieces on a cutting board. Set aside.
- Put remaining oreos in a food processor and pulse down until you have a fine cookie mixture. If you don't have a food processor, you can smash the Oreos down with a rolling pin. Set aside.
Pudding layer
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pudding and milk. Set in fridge to set.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the unsalted butter until well combined. Add confectioner's sugar and beat until well combined.
- Add the set pudding mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low until combined. With a silicon spatula, fold in cool whip until mixture is uniform throughout and no streaks are seen.
Assembly of the dirt cake
- Layer about ½ cup of pudding to the bottom of each garden pot and spread until level.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup of cookie crumbs and ¼ cup chopped cookies evenly over the pudding.
- Repeat the first two steps to fill each pot to the top. Be sure the final layer on top is the fine cookie mixture. Add in 2-3 gummy worms. Refrigerate overnight before serving.
Nutrition
Kid friendly desserts
- Lucky charms cookie dough squares
- Easy chocolate caramel brownies
- Monster cookie skillet
- Butterfly cupcakes
Fun fact of the day!
According to ABC news, the average chocolate bar has 8 insect legs in it! Yuck! See, that is why I prefer hard candy!
Nicolle J Griffin
The title of this recipe says no cream cheese. The recipe has cream cheese in it 🙁
Carrie
My bad, it actually doesn't. Must have gotten side tracked.