Dirt Pudding Cups

Dirt Pudding Cups are the easy Halloween dessert that you have been looking for. They are sweet, delicious, and creepy — totally on brand for spooky fun. Make worms in dirt in just 10 minutes of active prep time with chocolate pudding from scratch or use store-bought. It's a perfect recipe to make with the kids!

Rich and creamy chocolate pudding is covered with crushed oreos and topped with gummy worms. Dirt pudding is a Halloween treat that the whole family will love. Plus, it stores well and is easy to make ahead. Great for entertaining.

Why You'll Love these Dirt Pudding Cups

• Festive Halloween treat. Dirt and worms are a classic Halloween treat that are a must at any Halloween themed party or event. They are a great dessert for entertaining.
• A fun activity for kids. This recipe is so easy to make, especially if you are using store-bought pudding. It's so easy that you can (and should!) get the whole family involved in. Kids love to assemble these creepy crawly pudding cups — from spooning the pudding into the jar, sprinkling the “dirt” on top, and carefully arranging the gummy worms.
• Make it on your terms. Customize this recipe to suit your schedule. Whether that is making the chocolate pudding completely from scratch (and needing a few hours to let it set), using an instant pudding mix to make it in minutes, or use pre-made chocolate pudding — whatever you have time for!

Ingredient Notes

To make this festive Halloween Dirt Pudding Cups, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• chocolate pudding* - if you are making chocolate pudding using a box mix, follow the instructions on the box.
• oreo cookies - Oreos make the most convincing dirt, but you can use whatever brand of chocolate sandwich cookies you like. You can also use vanilla cookies instead to make “sand” pudding cups.
• gummy worms - use a similar size gummy candy if you’re not a fan of worms, like gummy bears, gummy fish, or gummy rings.

*If making homemade chocolate pudding, you will need:

• granulated sugar - use a granulated sugar-free alternative (like stevia or Swerve) if you need to.
• unsweetened cocoa powder
• cornstarch - potato starch is the closest cornstarch and can be used at a 1:1 exchange rate.
• salt
• egg yolks - pureed tofu, soaked ground flaxseed, or agar powder can be swapped in place of the egg yolks if you have an allergy or follow a plant-based diet.
• milk - full-fat coconut milk (the kind in a can) would be the best alternative. The fat content helps set the pudding and gives it the right texture.
• butter - use a vegan butter substitute if you’re sensitive to dairy.
• semi-sweet chocolate - semi-sweet works best in the recipe as written, but if you’re okay with tampering with the measurements of sugar and cocoa powder, you can use milk chocolate. If you want a slightly more earthy flavor, try dark chocolate.
• vanilla extract - swap the extract with real vanilla bean paste if you want to impart an even richer flavor. Use the same measurement called for in the recipe.
• ice - for the ice water bath.

You will also need mini dessert cups. If making the chocolate pudding from scratch, then you will also need measuring cups and spoons, saucepan, mesh sieve, and mixing bowl.

How to Make the Best Dirt Pudding

Prepare the chocolate pudding.

If you are using store-bought pudding then you don't need to prepare the pudding and you can make these dirt pudding cups in minutes. If you are making chocolate pudding using a box mix, follow the instructions on the box.

To make homemade chocolate pudding:

1. Combine ingredients and cook. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks until well blended. Whisk in the milk and heat over medium heat, stirring often, about 5-8 minutes. Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low and continue cooking until thickened, whisking often, about 1-2 minutes more. Note that pudding will be pourable but will continue to thicken more as it cools. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in the butter, melted chocolate, and vanilla, stirring until smooth.

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1. Remove lumps. If you notice any lumps, pass the pudding through a fine mesh sieve over a large heatproof bowl to remove any lumps. Skip this if you don’t notice any lumps.

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3. Chill. Prepare a large bowl with some water and ice to make an ice bath. Place the saucepan directly into the ice bath, stirring occasionally, until the pudding reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until the pudding has chilled through completely, at least 4 hours (up to 2 days).

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Assemble the dirt pudding cups.

1. Crush the cookies. Use a food processor to crush the cookies. You can also place them in a Ziploc bag and roll a rolling pin over top to crush them. Set aside.
2. Assemble. Divide the pudding into 4 separate small cups (½ cup pudding into each). Top each with crumbled oreos and place a few gummy worms on top.
3. Serve. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Cover each of the cups tightly with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for up to five days.

How to Freeze

Make sure the cups are freezer-safe before wrapping in plastic wrap and freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw the pudding cups overnight in the refrigerator before eating.

More Halloween Recipes

• Halloween Bark
• Caramel Apples
• Spooky Chocolate Cake Pops
• Witch Finger Cookies
• M&M Cookie Bars
• Baked Apples

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