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This Dirt Pie Recipe with gummy worms, Oreo cookies, chocolate pudding and Cool Whip is an easy no bake dessert perfect for summer. Kids love this mud pie recipe, also called worms in dirt or dirt pudding!
If you are looking for a kid friendly and easy no bake dessert for summer or anytime, this mud pie recipe with gummy worms is for you!
Dirt dessert or dirt pudding or dirt pie or worms in dirt goes way back. As you can see, this delicious dessert recipe is known by different names. There are also several ways to make it!
You can make this layered dessert in a cake pan or trifle bowl. Or, serve it in clear plastic individual cups like I do. It’s so much easier for kids to eat! Like Chocolate Delight or Summer Beach Party Cupcakes, this is an easy dessert for parties, family gatherings, Father’s Day or other holidays!
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few simple ingredients for this dirt pie recipe. You can find them in the grocery store if you don’t have these pantry staples at home. Full amounts are in the printable recipe card below.
- Instant chocolate pudding — we use Jello pudding, but any brand is fine.
- Milk — I use 2 percent, but any milk is fine.
- Oreo sandwich cookies or any chocolate sandwich cookies — the crumbled cookies make the dirt layer
- Cool Whip whipped topping — makes the filling nice and fluffy. You can make your own whipped cream or stabilized whipped cream, but we’re keeping this nice and easy!
- Gummy worms — Not required, but adds a super fun touch
- Chocolate sprinkles — optional, but adds a little more texture to the dirt part
How to Make Dirt Pie with Gummy Worms
First, make the chocolate pudding. Just add the instant pudding mix to a large bowl, and pour in the cold milk. Use a whisk or hand mixer to mix the milk and dry pudding mix. Mix ingredients until well blended. Next, place the pudding into the refrigerator to thicken up while you crush the Oreo cookies.
You can crush the cookies in a large zip top bag, using a rolling pin or mallet. Or, crush them in the food processor. For this recipe, we used 25 chocolate sandwich cookies.
When the cookies are crushed up, fold the Cool Whip into the chocolate pudding. Mix until whipped cream and pudding mixture is well blended, light and fluffy. Now, it’s time to assemble the pudding cups!
Add a thin layer of cookie crumbs to the bottom of each cup. Then, spoon pudding on top of the cookie layer. Fill the cups almost to the top with the creamy chocolate pudding.
Then, add another layer of crushed Oreo cookies on top of the pudding layer. Finally, place 2 or 3 gummy worms on top of the cookie layer. You can gently push the ends of the worms into the pudding or lay them on top of the dirt layer. We did both! We also added chocolate sprinkles over the cookies to add to the dirt effect.
Storage
Store the dirt pudding cups in the refrigerator until ready to serve. You can make the pudding cups up to a day ahead of time. The cookies tend to get soft the longer they sit. You can also make the pudding ahead of time and assemble the individual Oreo dirt cake cups the day you need them.
Variations
There are many ways to customize this adorable worms ‘n’ dirt dessert recipe to your liking.
For an extra fun presentation, place dirt cups in small terra cotta planters or little plastic buckets. If serving for a large group, use a plastic shovel as a serving spoon. Of course, for either of these “realistic” looks, make sure that everything is clean!
Use whatever kind of gummy worms you like– my kids love sour worms! Feel free to use different gummy animals as well, such as Swedish fish or gummy dinosaurs.
Make your edible terrarium as detailed as you want. I added individual strawberries to the cups, but if you’re doing one large serving bowl, you can make whole rows of strawberries.
Pebble candy and mini marshmallows also add a fun twist, but, if you really want to leave an impression, use gummy candies that look like real earthworms!
For Halloween, add candy bones, candy eyes, candy pumpkins, or cookie headstones. To make it easier, use pre made instant pudding cups! You can also make a cake or try this cute Easter version.
If you want to make chocolate dirt pie in an actual pie shell, use an Oreo crust, make a homemade cookie crust, or add just a thin layer of cookie crumbs at the bottom. Most of your Oreo bits will be on the top of the pie.
Recipe Tip
Make sure you buy instant pudding and not cook and serve.
Dirt Pie Recipe with Gummy Worms
Ingredients
- 2 3.9 oz chocolate instant pudding box Jello pudding
- 4 cups milk 2 percent
- 25 Oreo sandwich cookies
- 8 oz Cool Whip whipped topping
- 30 gummy worms
- chocolate sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Add chocolate pudding mix to a large mixing bowl, and whisk in milk until well combined. (Follow directions on package) Refrigerate
- Crush the cookies in a large zip top bag using a rolling pin or mallet. Or crush them in food processor
- Gently fold Cool Whip into pudding, and mix until well combined and fluffy
- Add a thin layer of crushed cookies to each plastic cup
- Spoon pudding mixture over the crushed cookie layer, almost to the top
- Sprinkle crushed cookies on top of pudding, and top with 2 or 3 gummy worms and chocolate sprinkles, if using. Repeat until all cups are filled.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looking for more no bake desserts? Try Oreo Cheesecakes, No Bake Pineapple Dream Dessert.
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What a bunch of fun! Made these with the little grandkids and they had a blast. They couldn’t wait to for them to set up. Yummy!
The grandkids saw this and we had to make it! Lots of fun and they could not wait to eat them! We will be making this often!
This is the cutest dessert ever! Perfect for summer.
Super cute and so fun, I can’t wait to make it again for Halloween!
We served this at my nephew’s birthday party and they were a big hit!
I had these all the time as a kid, so I was delighted to come across this recipe. These cups are easy, delicious, and take barely any time to make—everything I love in a recipe!
Thank you so much, Elizabeth. So glad you like the mud pies!
This is such a fun treat! My kids enjoyed making and eating these!!
Oh my goodness! This my new favorite dessert! Easy and delicious!
Such a fun and amazing idea! My kids had so much fun making and eating these!
What a great idea to make a fun and delicious dessert with kids. It looks so awesome!