Dirt cake is one of our family’s favorite desserts. It is so simple to make, yet is so delicious to eat. The chocolate cookies, cool whip, and pudding are all so yummy together, It’s the perfect simple dessert for any occasion. We enjoy dirt cake any time of the year, but thought for Easter, we would make an extra special version to share with all of you!
What is Dirt Cake?
If you have not heard of dirt cake before, it is a pudding and cool whip mixture with crushed up Oreo cookies layered within, and on top to look like dirt. This dirt cake recipe can be made in under 30 minutes and will serve about 10 people.
Ingredients You Need to Make Dirt Cake
- 20 oz of Oreo Cookies (When making this recipe gluten free, we often use the chocolate Glutino cookies. You can also use the new gluten free Oreo cookies from Oreo as well)
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ¼ cup margarine
- 1 cup cool whip
- 2 boxes of 3 ½ oz instant vanilla pudding
- 3 cups milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (Our favorite is Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract )
How to Make Dirt Cake
- Combine the cream cheese, margarine, and sugar in one mixing bowl
- Combine the pudding, milk and vanilla extract in a second bowl
- Mix both bowls together
- Once mixed completely, fold in the cool whip
- Crush up your cookies
- In your serving dish, alternate layers of the cream mixture and your crushed up cookies making sure that you have the cookies as the final top layer to look like the dirt
- Add any toppings you would like
Common Dirt Cake Toppings
Commonly, dirt cake is made in small containers to look like little flower pots. Below are some common dirt cake toppings to make your cake look like a flower pot or bowl of dirt.
- Gummy worms
- Marshmallows
- Gummy plants
- Coconut to look like grass
- Icing flowers
- Gummy bugs
- Gummy bears
- Candy Corn
- Candy pumpkins
- Nutter Butter Cookies
- Whole Oreo Cookies
- M&M’s
- Toys such as dinosaurs, dump trucks, etc. (non-edible)
How to Make an Easter Dirt Cake
To make an Easter themed dirt cake you follow the same recipe as above and add some of the Easter themed toppings like the ones listed below:
- Marshmallow Bunnies
- Marshmallow Peeps
- Egg shaped M&M’s
- Egg shaped malted milk balls
- Coconut dyed green to look like grass
- Coconut dyed pink, purple, yellow, or blue to look like the grass in easter baskets
- Chocolate covered strawberries (dipped in orange chocolate) to look like carrots
- Chocolate bunnies
- Easter colored icing flowers
Try Dirt Cake For Your Next Gathering
Dirt cake is a hit for people of any age! So, try making your own dirt cake and share it with your family and friends at your next gathering. Making dirt cake for a special occasion? Tag us on Instagram so we can see what creative toppings you added to your cake!
Until next time…