Individual Pudding Dirt Cups

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chill and Stand Time: 65 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Yield: 5 cups

This dirt dessert recipe is a great cooking activity for kids, as there is no baking or heating necessary, it uses few ingredients, and each kid can customize their individual cup with as much or as little "dirt" (and gummy worms) as desired.

Made with chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos, and gummy worms, these pudding dirt cups are as fun for the kids to make as they are tasty to eat. Try innovative presentations using ceramic plant pots, or check our variations for other fun ideas.

Serve this dirt dessert at Halloween parties, birthday celebrations, or kids' play dates. For larger groups, or for a different presentation, try dirt cake instead.

If you're looking for some additional delicious Oreo recipes, try an Oreo milkshake.

Chocolate dirt pudding topped with chocolate cookie crumbles and gummy worms in individual glass cups

The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

"The dessert cups were super easy to prepare, and they were delicious. I used about 16 sandwich cookies to make 1 1/2 cups, and you could always use more if you’d like a deeper layer on top or extra for the filling. The individual cups are a great idea for parties!" —Diana Rattray

Individual Pudding Dirt Cups Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cold milk

  • 1 (3.9-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding (4 serving size)

  • 8 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed

  • 1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (about 16), divided

  • 20 gummy worms

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for individual pudding dirt cups recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

  2. Whisk together milk and instant pudding for 2 minutes, until pudding is completely dissolved. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken.

    Milk and instant chocolate pudding being whisked smooth with a metal whisk in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

  3. Stir in frozen whipped topping and 1/2 cup of crushed cookies.

    Whipped topping and chocolate cookie crumbles being incorporated into chocolate pudding mix with a metal whisk

    The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

  4. Spoon into 10 individual cups.

    Chocolate pudding mixture being filled in portion-size glasses with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

  5. Sprinkle remaining crushed cookies over pudding mixture. Top each cup with 2 gummy worms. Chill for at least 60 minutes or until ready to serve.

    Chocolate pudding topped with chocolate cookie crumbles and gummy worms in glass cups

    The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

How to Store

Keep your cups chilled until serving time. If you have leftover cups, cover them with plastic wrap and eat within two to three days. The cookies will get soggy, but the flavor will still be delicious. Add freshly crushed cookies to bring back some crunch.

Other Fun Ideas and Flavors

You can make your own "dirt" or "sand" cups using other types of cookies and puddings. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Sandy Beach: Use crushed golden Oreos or graham crackers and vanilla pudding. Decorate with little gummy bears "sunbathing" under cocktail umbrellas.
  • Dirty Rainbow: Use food coloring to color vanilla pudding in the colors of your choice. Alternate layers of different colored pudding and crushed cookie "sand." Decorate with colorful gummy drops.
  • Romantic Red Velvet: Use crushed Red Velvet Oreos and vanilla pudding to make individual cups. Mix chopped maraschino cherries onto the whipped topping. Decorate with crushed cookies and red gummy hearts.
  • Dirty Espresso Tiramisu: For an adult version, soak the Oreos in 1 cup of espresso coffee and a shot of whiskey. Use vanilla pudding and make layers in individual cups. Decorate with chocolate-covered coffee beans and unsoaked Oreo "dirt."
  • Parfait-Style Dirt Dessert Cups: Instead of adding cookie crumbs to the pudding mixture, prepare the dessert cups with layers of crumbs between pudding layers.

Are Gummy Worms Vegan or Vegetarian-Friendly?

Mist gummy worms and other gummies are made with the addition of gelatin, which is made from the cartilage, hooves, or skin of pigs or other animals, so they are not kosher, vegan, vegetarian, or halal. Look for gummy candies labeled vegan or vegetarian.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
285 Calories
11g Fat
45g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 285
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 143mg 6%
Total Carbohydrate 45g 16%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 29g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 76mg 6%
Iron 2mg 14%
Potassium 136mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)