Dirt Cake

My kids LOVE this simple dessert because it tastes yummy, is FUN to make, and my four boys and dirt just seem to go together. We make this dessert for Halloween, when we are learning about plants or insects, to celebrate spring, and sometimes for no special reason, just because we are craving it.

Dirt Cake

1 pkg. Oreo cookies
1-8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1 c. powdered sugar
3 1/2 c. milk
2 sm. French vanilla or chocolate instant pudding boxes
1 small container Cool Whip

Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar together. In a separate bowl, blend pudding together with the milk. Add the Cool Whip to the pudding mixture then blend in the cream cheese mixture.

Crumble the Oreos in a blender. Add half of Oreos into mixture or use to create layers with the pudding. Sprinkle the other half of Oreos on the top. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Watch my kids demonstrate how to make Dirt Cake on FOX's Mom Squad.

And the fun doesn't stop after you make this classic dessert!  There are so many different things you can do with it before you eat it. 

You can line the inside of a clay flower pot with foil or use a plastic flower pot.. Alternate cookie crumbs and filling and sprinkle the remainder of the cookie crumbs on top. Top with Gummy Worms and plastic flowers. This is perfect for springtime parties and when your kids are learning about plants in school.

You can also make individual dirt cupcakes like this one.

Put the dirt cake in a baking dish and fill it up with gummy worms and other gummy insects when your kids are learning about insects or during Halloween time for a gross dessert.

For a spooktacular treat, use Ghosts Mashmallow Peeps and Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies. Stick toothpicks in the bottoms of the ghosts and place around your dirt dessert, along with the cookies. This will create ghosts in a graveyard- how fun!

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You can use candy corn pumpkins and create a pumpkin patch for fall.

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You can make Summer Sand and an Easter Dessert by substituting the chocolate pudding with vanilla pudding and the chocolate Oreos for the golden Oreos.

Add some Bunny Marshmallow Peeps and jelly beans to create an Easter dessert. Stick toothpicks in the bottoms of the bunnies and place around your dirt dessert, along with the jelly beans. So cute!

Layer it in a bucket and use a pail to serve it. This is a big hit at pool parties or beach-themed parties. (My kids also like to make Summer Sand with our favorite banana pudding recipe.)

UPDATE:

My sister made this adorable Olaf cake using the summer sand concept.  Some tips she had was to add blue food coloring to make the pudding look like an ocean and to divide up the cookie and pudding part. Totally cute!

Enjoy making these desserts with your kids!