St. Patrick's Day Dirt Cups

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These St. Patrick’s Day Dirt Cups are a fun yet simple dessert you can make with your kids, and it just so happens to be delicious! Made with pudding, crushed Oreos, and homemade whipped cream, this layerable make-ahead dessert is a favorite among both children and adults.

individual cups full of layers of pudding, whipped cream, and oreos

Why You’ll Love These Dirt Cups

I’m always thinking of ways to make any holiday feel festive, and these dirt cups are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day! The mint chocolate flavor is perfect for this time of year, and I used green food coloring in the whipped cream layer to make it even more exciting.

All you need to do is layer pudding, crushed Oreos, and whipped cream in a clear cup. Then you can add gummy worms to the top so it’s like they’re in the “dirt” of the Oreos. If you want to make these for a kid’s party you can make them in individual cups so they’re easy to pass out, but if you’re making a whole batch for your family you can assemble it all in a trifle bowl.

However you decide to make this recipe, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Ingredients

For a dessert that looks visually intricate, it sure is easy to make! You only need these few ingredients to pull it together.

Chocolate pudding
Cold milk
Heavy whipping cream
Powdered sugar
Mint extract
Green food coloring – optional
Mint Oreos – finely crushed
Gummy Worms

an overhead shot of a dirt cup showing the oreo "dirt" and gummy worms

How To Make Worm and Dirt Cups

Step 1: Make Pudding

In a large bowl, beat the pudding mix and cold milk together for 2 minutes. Put it aside to set.

Step 2: Make Whipped Cream

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
Fold 2 1/2 cups into the chocolate pudding along with 1/2 cup of crushed Oreos.
Add the mint extract and green food coloring to the remaining whipped cream.

Step 3: Assemble Dirt Cups

Spoon some chocolate pudding into the bottom of each cup. Top with mint whipped cream then top each with the remaining chocolate pudding.
Top each serving with crushed Oreos and gummy worms.
Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve!

eight dirt cups garnished with gummy worms

FAQs

How do I store dirt cups and how long will they last?

Cover your dirt cups and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. The Oreos may get soggy and the worms will get hard in the fridge, so if you think you’re going to have leftovers you might want to wait to add the toppings right before enjoying your dessert.

How do I best crush the Oreos?

I think a food processor is the easiest way, plus it consistently crushes the Oreos into a fine texture. However, if you don’t have one, you can put your Oreos in a Ziploc bag, cover it with a towel, and carefully crush the Oreos with a rolling pin or something equally heavy.

How can I make dirt cups ahead?

You sure can! You have two options for this. 1. Make the dirt cups a day ahead of time, cover them, and refrigerate until you serve them. 2. Make the pudding and whipped cream ahead of time, and prep your crushed Oreos. Cover the pudding and whipped cream and refrigerate for up to 3 days before assembling your cups (or trifle).

oreo and pudding dirt cups with worms all pictures on a white table surface

Variations

I love these things! They’re so easy and you can make them for nearly any holiday or flavor preference. Here are some ideas for future Dirt Cup desserts.

Halloween is such a fun time of year to get creative! Make your whipped cream orange for an orange and black color theme. Top your cups with candy corn or get creative with other spooky decorations.
For Easter, you can make the whipped cream a cute pastel color (or make several different colors and layer them for a full Easter effect) and add jelly beans and peeps.
Want to get creative with your layers? Use crumbled brownies as a layer! Instead of Oreos, use crumbled chocolate chip cookies. Use Cool Whip instead of homemade whipped cream. Use different kinds of flavored pudding. It’s up to you!
You can always add sprinkles!
Use mini chocolate chips or crumbled Reese’s cups somewhere in your design if those are your favorite chocolatey treats.
Making this for a birthday? Make one of the layers out of crumbled cake and then stick a candle in it!

More St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

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