Looking for a fun and delicious dessert to satisfy your sweet tooth? Check out our easy dirt cake recipe! Made with layers of crushed cookies, creamy pudding, and chocolate, this tasty treat is sure to be a family favorite. Perfect for any special occasion, our dirt cake recipe is easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser.
Classic Dirt Cake is a no-bake dessert that is so much fun to make as it is to eat!
Our easy dirt cake without cream cheese is an amazing dessert – it combines crumbled up Oreo cookies with instant pudding and is topped off with gummy worms or your favorite candy. It’s super simple to make (without any baking involved!) and no cream cheese needed.
This crowd-pleasing classic is sure to be a hit at any gathering, such as kids’ birthday parties, a summer bbq, a church potluck or spring gatherings, it makes a delicious Easter dessert.
We have come up with a great recipe for oreo dirt pudding using no cream cheese, so everyone can enjoy this delightful treat. Instead of cream cheese, we will be using a mixture of whipped cream and pudding to achieve a similar creamy texture.
The end result is a surprisingly delicious combination; the crunchy outer layer of the dirt cake i contrasted by the sweet and creamy inner center.
What is Dirt Cake?
Dirt cake is a fun and whimsical dessert that resembles a pot of dirt, hence the name. It is typically made by layering crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo cookies) with a creamy mixture. The dessert is often assembled in a serving dish to mimic the appearance of soil, and it is commonly decorated with gummy worms or other edible decorations to resemble a garden.
How to Make Oreo Dirt Cake Recipe Without Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 19-ounce Family-Size package Oreo sandwich cookies
- 1/2 stick of butter (4 tbsp), melted
- 3.9-ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 ½ cup whole cold milk
- 8-ounce package whipped topping (i.e. Cool Whip)
- 8-ounce bag gummy worms
Crush Oreos in batches in a food processor into fine crumbs. You can also do this by hand, just place cookies in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin.
Add half of Oreo cookie crumbs (about two cups) to a large mixing bowl with butter and mix.
Firmly press Oreo crumb mixture into a the bottom of the baking dish and freeze.
Add whole milk and instant pudding mix to a mixing bowl and beat until well combined.
Scoop just under half of the pudding into a separate bowl and fold in a container of whipped topping.
Remove the pan from the freezer and spoon whipped topping mixture on top of the layer of cookie crumbs.
Top with remaining chocolate pudding and swirl it into the whipped topping layer.
Top pudding layer with remaining Oreo crumbs then a bag of gummy worms then serve.
If you are preparing your dirt dessert ahead of time, omit gummy worms then add them right before serving.
Freeze for 15 minutes prior to serving for easy cutting.
Relevant Recipes:
- Favorite Recipes Using Oreo Cookies
- Easy Dessert Recipes
- Cool Whip Desserts
- Delicious Recipes for Dump Cakes
- No Bake Recipes
- Can You Freeze Oreos?
Variations & Serving Suggestions For This No Cream Cheese Dirt Cake Recipe:
Here are some tips on how to customize the dirt cake without cream cheese recipe to suit individual tastes or dietary restrictions:
- This easy recipe typically calls for Oreos or chocolate sandwich cookies, but you can use different types of cookies to change up the flavor. For example, you could use golden Oreos, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, or even gluten-free cookies if you have a gluten intolerance.
- Add in different flavors: You can also add in different flavors to the cake by incorporating various extracts or spices. For example, you could add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, almond extract, or cinnamon to the pudding mixture to give it a unique flavor.
- The recipe typically calls for chocolate pudding, but you can use different flavors of pudding to change up the taste. For example, you could use instant vanilla pudding or even butterscotch pudding for a different flavor.
- Instead of using store-bought whipped cream, you can make your own by heavy whipping cream with a little bit of powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Serving the dirt cake in individual cups or jars can make for a cute and unique presentation. You can layer the pudding mixture and cookie crumbs in each cup or jar and top with whipped cream and toppings to make dirt pudding cups.
- Layer the dirt cake mixture with whipped cream and toppings in a large glass trifle bowl for a stunning dessert centerpiece at parties or gatherings.
Dirt Cake FAQ’s
For best results, dirt cake should be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If the dirt cake has any toppings or decorations, such as gummy worms, you can remove them before storing and add them back on top of the cake when ready to serve.
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What You Will Need to Make Dirt Cake:
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oreo dirt cake recipe without cream cheese
Ingredients
- 19-ounce Family-Size package OREO sandwich cookies
- 1/2 stick of butter (4 tbsp), melted
- 3.9-ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 ½ cup whole cold milk
- 8-ounce package whipped topping (i.e. Cool Whip)
- 8-ounce bag gummy worms
Instructions
- Crush Oreos in batches in a food processor into fine crumbs. You can also do this by hand, just place cookies in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin.
- Add half of Oreo cookie crumbs (about two cups) to a large mixing bowl with butter and mix.
- Firmly press Oreo crumb mixture into a the bottom of the baking dish and freeze.
- Add whole milk and instant pudding mix to a mixing bowl and beat until well combined.
- Scoop just under half of the pudding into a separate bowl and fold in a container of whipped topping.
- Remove the pan from the freezer and spoon whipped topping mixture on top of the layer of cookie crumbs.
- Top with remaining chocolate pudding and swirl it into the whipped topping layer.
- Top pudding layer with remaining Oreo crumbs then a bag of gummy worms then serve.
- If you are preparing your dirt dessert ahead of time, omit gummy worms then add them right before serving.
- Freeze for 15 minutes prior to serving for easy cutting.
Notes
Here are some tips on how to customize the dirt cake without cream cheese recipe to suit individual tastes or dietary restrictions:
- This easy recipe typically calls for Oreos or chocolate sandwich cookies, but you can use different types of cookies to change up the flavor. For example, you could use golden Oreos, vanilla wafers, graham crackers, or even gluten-free cookies if you have a gluten intolerance.
- Add in different flavors: You can also add in different flavors to the cake by incorporating various extracts or spices. For example, you could add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, almond extract, or cinnamon to the pudding mixture to give it a unique flavor.
- The recipe typically calls for chocolate pudding, but you can use different flavors of pudding to change up the taste. For example, you could use instant vanilla pudding or even butterscotch pudding for a different flavor.
- Instead of using store-bought whipped cream, you can make your own by heavy whipping cream with a little bit of powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Serving the dirt cake in individual cups or jars can make for a cute and unique presentation. You can layer the pudding mixture and cookie crumbs in each cup or jar and top with whipped cream and toppings to make dirt pudding cups.
- Layer the dirt cake mixture with whipped cream and toppings in a large glass trifle bowl for a stunning dessert centerpiece at parties or gatherings.
How do I store a dirt cake?
For best results, dirt cake should be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If the dirt cake has any toppings or decorations, such as gummy worms, you can remove them before storing and add them back on top of the cake when ready to serve.