Cup of Dirt Pudding – Homemade milk chocolate pudding is topped with gummy worms and crushed Oreos to simulate a cup of dirt.
As my kids get older, I get more and more excited to introduce them to the foods I used to love as a child. The newest one to enter the fold is this Cup of Dirt Pudding. My sister and I used to order this dessert at a restaurant we would visit and we both loved it. Smooth chocolate pudding, Oreo cookies on top, with gummy worms hidden inside – how could you not love it?!
To make this for my kids, I decided to make the pudding from scratch. It’s super simple and is much more flavorful than the boxed instant stuff. I made sure it wasn’t too rich by using milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet or dark chocolate.
Here is my Cup of Dirt Pudding!
Making the pudding
Homemade pudding is so easy that you’ll wonder why the instant stuff even exists. The main steps of making pudding are:
- Heat milk
- Add to dry ingredients
- Mix everything together and heat until thick
We take a few detours of these easy steps to ensure the dry ingredients don’t clump together and make the pudding all lumpy.
Once the pudding is thick, it’s cooled slightly before distributing among 6 cups and chilling in the fridge.
Finishing off the pudding
Right before serving, the pudding cups are topped with 4 gummy worms each and crush Oreos over the top to make it seem like the worms are hiding. You can even stick the forms deep in the pudding to hide them even better.
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t boil the milk. If the milk boils, it could burn and even curdle. So it’s safe to just bring the milk to a scalding temperature right before it starts to boil.
- Pudding thickens FAST. Once the cornstarch mixes with the hot milk, it will start to thicken up. It will only take about 1 minute for the pudding to get to the desired texture so watch it closely.
- Top with “dirt” before serving. Make sure you only add the toppings right before serving. If you add them to the pudding and then refrigerate the pudding, the Oreos will soften and the worms will get really firm.
Cup of Dirt Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup salt
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 7 ounces milk chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 24 gummy worms
- 6 Oreo cookies
Instructions
- Place milk in a 3 quart sauce pan and set over medium heat so that it starts to scald, but not boil. In the meantime, add cocoa, sugar, and salt to a medium bowl and whisk together. Add cream and cornstarch to a 2-cup measuring cup and whisk together.
- Once milk is scalding, turn off heat. Add ¾ of the milk to the heavy cream mixture. Whisk together to loosen up any clumps of cornstarch. Then, add to cocoa mixture and whisk together until smooth. Add to the rest of the milk in the sauce pan and set back over medium heat.
- Stir pudding occassionaly as it heats up and thickens. Once it starts to bubble, whisk to thicken it up. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes so the chocolate can melt. Stir together with vanilla extract. Let it cool to room temperature and then scoop into 6 cups. Chill pudding for about an hour.
- When ready to serve, top each pudding cup with 4 gummy worms. Then, crush the Oreos and top each pudding cup with a couple tablespoons of crushed Oreos. Serve immediately.
Notes
Pin for later:
More recipes you’ll love:
Coconut Banana Pudding
Chocolate Strawberry Parfaits
Chocolate Cream Pie
That chocolate pudding from scratch sounds so much better than boxed mix! I love the gummy worm idea—my kids would go crazy for this. If you want another fun twist, see this site for a no-bake version that uses a different kind of “dirt.”
This dirt pudding brings back so many memories of making it as a kid. I love that you used homemade pudding instead of instant — it really makes a difference. For my family, I actually used sete a zero to help plan desserts that feel nostalgic without being too complicated.
Made these for our Thanksgiving table last week and they were an absolute hit! The charred edges give such a nice smoky flavor that pairs perfectly with the soy-sesame-maple glaze. I love that they’re quick to make too — way more impressive than the usual green bean casserole. Will definitely be making these again!
My kids would go absolutely crazy for this! I love that you made the pudding from scratch instead of using the boxed stuff — it really does make a huge difference in flavor. The milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet is a smart choice too, keeps it kid-friendly. Making this for a birthday party this weekend!
To make this for my kids, I decided to make the pudding from scratch. It’s super simple and is much more flavorful than the boxed instant stuff. I made sure it wasn’t too rich by using milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet or dark chocolate waffle game free .
What a fun and creative dessert idea! The “Cup of Dirt” pudding is playful, nostalgic, and presents beautifully. You’ve laid out the steps clearly and the photos make it easy to follow. Thanks for sharing this sweet and imaginative recipe!
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I’m sure my nephews will enjoy this! I am confident they will think twice before delving in!
Stickman Hook
Really enjoy these simple and colorful snacks. Research scratch games and practice to complete more interesting dishes.
These are my kids favorite! So fun!
This looks like something the kids would love!
My kiddos positively enjoyed this! Thank you for another winner! 🙂
I love this! It’s a perfect treat to make with the kids!
I love this for the kids and its so tasty too so we make it every Halloween
My grandkids are going to love making these with me. They are such a fun dessert!
Cute!!! I’m sure my nephews will love this! I’m sure they’ll think twice before digging in!
Dirt cups are always a favorite for kids, and a great summertime snack. Perfect for garden days!
Such a cute idea! Saving it for Halloween