Quick answer: crush a family-size pack of chocolate sandwich cookies. Beat 8 oz of cream cheese with ¼ cup of butter and ½ cup of powdered sugar, whisk two small boxes of instant vanilla pudding with 3 cups of cold milk, combine the two and fold in whipped cream. Layer with the crumbs and chill.
Ingredients (9 x 13 inch pan or 12 cups)
- 1 family-size pack (about 19 oz / 540 g) chocolate sandwich cookies
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (55 g) butter, softened
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 2 small boxes (3.4 oz each) instant vanilla or chocolate pudding mix
- 3 cups (720 ml) cold milk
- 1½ cups (360 ml) cold heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks, or an 8 oz tub of whipped topping
- Gummy worms
How to make it
- Crush the cookies, filling and all, to coarse crumbs.
- Beat the cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
- Whisk the pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes, until thick. Beat into the cream cheese mixture.
- Fold in the whipped cream.
- Spread a third of the crumbs in the pan, cover with half the filling, and repeat. Finish with crumbs.
- Chill for at least 4 hours. Decorate with gummy worms.
Simple dirt pudding cups
Whisk 1 small box of instant chocolate pudding with 2 cups of cold milk, let it set for 5 minutes, and fold in 1 cup of whipped cream. Layer with crushed cookies in clear cups and top each with a gummy worm.
Real cream or whipped topping?
Either works. Real cream gives a fresher flavor; whip it firm. See Cool Whip vs whipped cream and homemade whipped topping.
Party ideas
- Flower pot: layer in a new, lined plastic flower pot and add a silk flower.
- Halloween graveyard: cookie tombstones and candy pumpkins.
- Beach sand: vanilla sandwich cookies and vanilla pudding.
- Easter: candy eggs and green-tinted coconut.
More no-bake crowd desserts: icebox cake, fluff salad and desserts for a crowd.
Frequently asked questions
What is dirt cake?
A no-bake dessert of crushed chocolate sandwich cookies layered with a creamy pudding filling, made to look like a pot of soil and usually decorated with gummy worms.
What is the difference between dirt cake and dirt pudding?
Dirt cake has cream cheese and butter in the filling and is made in a pan. Dirt pudding is simpler, just pudding and whipped cream, and is often served in cups.
Can I use real whipped cream instead of whipped topping?
Yes. Whip 1½ cups of cold heavy cream to stiff peaks to replace an 8 oz tub.
How far ahead can I make dirt cake?
Up to a day. The cookies soften as it sits, which most people prefer. Add gummy worms just before serving.
