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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Dirt Cake Recipe- A Delicious Dessert

    Modified: Sep 13, 2024 · Published: Aug 12, 2020 by Kristin · This post may contain affiliate links. · 48 Comments

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    Oreo Dirt Cake is one of the best desserts taking only minutes to prepare. Deliciously addicting, this dirt cake is loaded with chocolate goodness in every bite. Moist chocolate cake combined with hot fudge, pudding, Cool Whip, and crushed Oreos! The ULTIMATE sweet tooth lovers dessert!

    If you love chocolate peanut butter, you’ll also LOVE my Chocolate Peanut Butter Dirt Cake!

    a slice of oreo dirt cake with crushed oreos on top

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    Jump to:
    • What is dirt cake?
    • Dirt Cake Dessert Recipe Ingredients
    • How to make the BEST Recipe for Dirt Cake
    • Supplement Your Dirt Cake Dessert with Dirt Pudding
    • Dirt Cake Recipe Tips
    • How to store your new Dirt Cake
    • FAQ’s
    • More Chocolate Recipes to try
    • Dirt Cake Recipe

    What is dirt cake?

    A kind of American dessert made from broken cookies and pudding, sometimes with gummy worms added, and resembling dirt. Dirt cakes are believed to be a spin on the Mississippi mud pie, a popular chocolate dessert from the 1960s. Dirt cakes took the concept of layering chocolate cookie crumble and pudding, like a trifle. It was first seen in the 1980s in the American Midwest, specifically made for kids.

    • Oreo, chocolate, hot fudge, pudding and Cool Whip combined. What could be better, right?
    • Quick and Easy- using cake mix (feel free to make homemade), this cake comes together with minimal effort required
    • A great make ahead dessert.
    • Cool and refreshing for warm summer months.

    oreo dirt cake loaded with chocolate

    Dirt Cake Dessert Recipe Ingredients

    Full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post

    • Chocolate Cake Mix- boxed cake mix is what I use, but feel free to make homemade chocolate cake
    • Oreos- crushed
    • Hot Fudge
    • Chocolate Pudding- instant
    • Milk
    • Cool Whip- thawed

    How to make the BEST Recipe for Dirt Cake

    This dirt cake recipe is really easy to make! Let’s walk through it step-by-step!

    CAKE

    1. Prepare cake as directed on box and bake. Once done, remove cake from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
    2. Using the back of a spoon, poke holes into the cake evenly.
    3. Warm up the hot fudge in the microwave until it is thin enough to pour. Evenly pour hot fudge, allowing to seep into the poked holes. Allow to fully cool.

    PUDDING LAYER

    1. In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate pudding mix with the milk.
    2. Before the pudding sets fully, pour on top of the cooled cake. Place into refrigerator to allow to chill about 20 minutes.

    TOPPING

    1. In a medium bowl, combine the last package of pudding mix with milk. Place bowl into refrigerator to set fully (about 10 minutes)
    2. Remove from fridge and fold in the thawed cool whip. Mix in about ¾ of your crushed Oreos and spread pudding mixture on top of cake evenly.
    3. Sprinkle remaining crushed Oreos on top of cake and serve or refrigerate until ready to serve!

    a chocolate cake with oreos, hot fudge, cool whip, and pudding

    Supplement Your Dirt Cake Dessert with Dirt Pudding

    Dirt pudding is also known as Oreo dirt dessert and dirt cake. It’s a layered dessert made with a crust made of crushed Oreos. Rather than make the cake, you can simply use small containers (or a large bowl) and make pudding with crushed Oreos. Create layers and add a fun gummy worm topping so it resembles dirt and worms. Being that you eliminate the cake, this Dirt Pudding variation becomes a no-bake recipe people of all ages will enjoy.

    Dirt Cake Recipe Tips

    • If you do not have a food processor or blender to crush the OREOS, simply place them in a large gallon storage bag and crush with a rolling pin.
    • You can eat the dirt dessert right away, but it tastes so much better if you let it chill to let the flavors blend. I recommend no less than 2 hours of chill time.
    • If you prefer homemade chocolate cake, check out this Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake to use in place of boxed mix.
    • Feel free to add gummy worms, gummy bugs, or even Peeps to resemble more of the classic “dirt cake” look.

    How to store your new Dirt Cake

    • Make ahead of time. We almost always make this dessert recipe ahead of time. We typically make this the morning of, but you can also make this up to 24 hours in advance. If possible, we recommend placing the crushed Oreos on top right before serving because those can get a little soft with the moisture of the cake.
    • STORE. Oreo Dirt Cake is best stored when covered tightly with Saran Wrap or foil and placed in the fridge for up to 3 days.
    • FREEZE. If you are looking to freeze this ahead of time to serve on another day, then I would not recommend freezing it because it will not thaw well. However, if you have leftovers that you want to divide and freeze so that you can eat more like ice cream, then you certainly can.

    FAQ’s

    How do you crush Oreo’s for dirt cake? To crush Oreos by hand, place them in a zip-top bag, place the bag on a towel to protect your countertop, and then smash the Oreos into fine crumbs using a rolling pin.

    How long does dirt cake last in the refrigerator? Once covered, this cake will last about 3 days in the refrigerator.

    Is it possible to make this cake ahead of time? Yes! You can make this cake up to 24 hours in advance and store in the fridge.

    What is the best frosting to use for dirt cake recipes? The cool whip/pudding topping is what makes this truly mouthwatering. Using Instant Chocolate Pudding works perfectly and adds great flavor. You can also use a cookies and cream pudding mix.

    How do you recommend tweaking a dirt cake recipe? You can add in some Gummy worms, different flavors of Oreos such as mint, peanut butter, or marshmallow. You can even switch the chocolate pudding to vanilla pudding for a fun variation of this dessert recipe.

     

    chocolate pudding combined with hot fudge and chocolate cake

    More Chocolate Recipes to try

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Bites– fudgy brownies with a creamy peanut butter sauce that is heaven in a tiny bite! The ultimate sweet treat for any occasion!

    S’mores Poke Cake– chocolate cake gets poked all over and soaked in a marshmallow creme mixture before being topped with crushed graham crackers, toasted marshmallows, and hot fudge sauce. 

    Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake– moist, fudgy brownie base, three layers of light mousse—chocolate, raspberry, and vanilla, and then a glossy topping of chocolate and a tangle of raspberries and chocolate curls on top.

    Death by Chocolate Dump Cake– simple and delicious cake your family will want you to make over and over again.

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Earthquake Cake– delicious cake made of rich chocolate cake, chocolate chips, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. The cake may look like an earthquake, but the flavors will absolutely delight!

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    Dirt Cake Recipe

    Recipe by: Kristin
    Oreo Dirt Cake is a scrumptious sweet treat recipe layered with cake, fudge, pudding, and Oreos! Packed with flavor, this dessert is a hit with everyone!
    4.23 from 358 votes
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    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 55 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16
    Calories 382 kcal

    Equipment

    • 9x13 baking pan

    Ingredients
      

    CAKE

    • 1 box chocolate cake mix *plus ingredients on back of box

    PUDDING LAYER

    • 12.8 oz hot fudge
    • 3.4 oz chocolate instant pudding mix
    • 1 ¾ cup milk

    TOPPING

    • 30 Oreos, crushed
    • 3.4 oz chocolate instant pudding mix
    • 1 ¾ cup milk
    • 8 oz cool whip, thawed

    Instructions
     

    CAKE

    • Prepare cake as directed on box and bake.
    • Once done, remove cake from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
    • Using the back of a spoon, poke holes into the cake evenly.
    • Warm up the hot fudge in the microwave until it is thin enough to pour.
    • Evenly pour hot fudge over cake, allowing to seep into the poked holes.
    • Allow cake to fully cool.

    PUDDING LAYER

    • In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate pudding mix with the milk.
    • Before the pudding sets fully, pour on top of the cooled cake.
    • Place cake into refrigerator to allow to chill about 20 minutes.

    TOPPING

    • In a medium bowl, combine the last package of pudding mix with milk.
    • Place bowl into refrigerator to set fully (about 10 minutes)
    • Remove from fridge and fold in the thawed cool whip.
    • Mix in about ¾ of your crushed Oreos and spread pudding mixture on top of cake evenly.
    • Sprinkle remaining crushed Oreos on top of cake and serve or refrigerate until ready to serve!

    Notes

    Recipe adapted from: The Frugal Navy Wife

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1pieceCalories: 382kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 6gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 679mgPotassium: 171mgFiber: 1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 111IUCalcium: 109mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @TheCookinChicks or tag #TheCookinChicks!

     

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    Comments

    1. Cami says

      June 03, 2025 at 9:36 am

      5 stars
      This looked delicious! I like to follow the recipe as written as I’m not the most experienced baker. I was so proud of myself! This turned out perfectly! My family ate it up! Thanks for sharing!😊

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        June 03, 2025 at 9:52 am

        Yay!! Love hearing this and so glad you all enjoyed!

        Reply
    2. Juqetta Lawson says

      December 13, 2024 at 4:45 pm

      I want to make this for Christmas this year but I need to double the recipe do I double everything and instead of the milk could I use heavy cream

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        December 14, 2024 at 12:14 pm

        Yep! If doubling, you will double all ingredients and use (2) 9×13 pans! As for using heavy cream in place of the milk, that should work great too! Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Heather says

      September 13, 2024 at 2:54 pm

      Making this now and had to bring up the recipe to see if there were comments on the crushed Oreos. The Ingredients List has 30 Oreos in Pudding Layer. The Instructions put the Oreos under Topping and mention the “pudding mixture.” I am assuming that I do put the Oreos in the whipped topping based on the explanation posted prior to the recipe.

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        September 13, 2024 at 3:31 pm

        Good catch! I had the Oreo addition in the wrong spot on the recipe card. I have corrected that now! You are correct about the location of where and when to add the Oreos, hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Fancy Tate says

      July 23, 2024 at 8:37 pm

      I am in the middle of making this and am confused on the meaning of the back of the spoon to poke holes. Can anyone help me with this fairly quick?

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        July 24, 2024 at 7:33 am

        Sorry for the delayed response. You will want to use the back of a spoon to poke holes in the cake. This allows the pudding to fill the holes and be included in each bite eaten. I use a wooden spoon and use the handle to poke holes. Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Dakota says

      July 19, 2024 at 4:44 am

      What should I switch the fudge out for if wanting to do a yellow version? Golden Oreos, vanilla pudding, yellow cake mix.

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        July 19, 2024 at 9:21 am

        Great question! I would either omit, or use caramel as that compliments the yellow version really well. Should be tasty!! Enjoy and keep me posted!

        Reply
      • Julie says

        October 22, 2024 at 9:15 pm

        5 stars
        luv this!!!!! made for company event and I see it will be a hit!

        Reply
        • Kristin says

          October 23, 2024 at 9:58 am

          Yay!! Love hearing this! Glad you enjoyed!!

      • Crista says

        December 15, 2024 at 11:35 am

        5 stars
        Ooo, yummy! You should try using marshmallow cream instead of fudge. But caramel sounds delicious too!

        Reply
        • Kristin says

          December 15, 2024 at 4:31 pm

          Great idea too!! I’ll try that, thanks!

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    Welcome to The Cookin' Chicks…I am so glad you've stopped by! I am Kristin, a busy mom of 3, a wife, and a family chef! There are three things that motivate me each day - Family, Faith, and FOOD! I, along with the occasional help of friends and family, want to share my food creations with you! So, I invite you to join me around my dinner table through the recipes that I will share with you here. I hope you will enjoy the journey as much as I do!

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