Go on, I dare even the grumpiest grownup to resist a smile when they’re handed a cup of dirt and worms to eat with a spoon. Even the worms are smiling like they’re in on the joke. 😉
Why Would I Eat Dirt?
Ingredients You Need for Homemade Dirt Pudding
Have you ever tried my butterscotch pudding before? The chocolate pudding is similar, but there’s no need for egg yolks. The cornstarch obviously helps thicken, but the cocoa powder does too.
Smooth, creamy milk chocolate pudding is surprisingly easy to make from scratch! Layers of Oreo cookie crumbs provide a wonderful texture contrast. This is a no-bake, make-ahead dessert. You can decorate the top to suit your party or holiday theme (ideas below)! Makes a great treat for kids’ parties, spring or summertime, or Halloween. You can layer it in cups for individually portioned desserts, or all in 1 large baking dish or bowl. Fun to make, fun to eat! Both kids and kids-at-heart love digging into this dessert.
Sugar: For sweetening the pudding. Cocoa Powder: I use unsweetened natural cocoa powder, which, when combined with the sugar and milk, makes a nice milk chocolate pudding (a kid favorite!). If you prefer the bittersweet flavor of dark chocolate, you can use Dutch-process cocoa powder or Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder instead. Cornstarch: This is the thickening agent for the pudding, just like we need for banana cream pie, coconut cream pie, and banana pudding. Salt: A little salt balances the sweet. Whole Milk: Use whole milk in this recipe. If you want to substitute in lower fat or nondairy milk, increase the cornstarch. I tested it, and almond milk worked nicely but the consistency was much thinner even with 1 extra Tablespoon of cornstarch. So, keep that in mind. Butter: Just 3 Tablespoons stirred in at the end of cooking gives the pudding a richer flavor, helps it continue to thicken, and smooths it out. (It does the same in homemade hot fudge, too.) Vanilla Extract: Flavor enhancer. Oreos: Crush classic or peanut butter Oreos for the “dirt” layers, or crush Golden Oreos for “sand” if you’d prefer a beach theme! (See below for some more theme inspiration and ideas.) If you want to include this recipe in your lineup of gluten free dessert recipes, be sure to use gluten free Oreos. Gummy Worms: Always the kids’ favorite part of this treat!
Make the Homemade Chocolate Pudding
Making homemade chocolate pudding is so much easier than you’d think, and the full printable recipe is below. These brief notes and step-by-step photos will help you understand the process before you begin. First, you’ll combine most of the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. (You’ll stir the butter and vanilla in after cooking.) I removed the saucepan from heat just to show you this picture. Here’s the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, and milk combined. It’s pretty thin before it begins cooking: Look how wonderfully thick! Pour the hot pudding into a heatproof bowl, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then place plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a rubbery “skin” from forming on top. Whisking occasionally, cook the mixture until it begins boiling. You want big bubbles erupting and popping in the very center of the pan. When that happens, let it boil for 1 minute, and then whisk in the butter and vanilla extract off heat. Let the pudding thicken in the refrigerator for an hour, and then assemble the dirt cups. After that, refrigerate the assembled dirt cups for 3 hours, or up to 48 hours. Great make-ahead dessert!
Layer the Dirt Dessert Cups
This recipe makes about 4 cups of pudding, so that’s enough for eight 1/2-cup servings of pudding. Layer a couple spoonfuls of crumbs into the bottom of each glass, followed by a layer of pudding (about 1/4 cup), and repeat with another layer of crumbs, a second 1/4-cup layer of pudding, and a final topping of crumbs. Don’t forget the worms!
Other Ideas for Decorating Dirt Pudding
Here are a few more ideas to inspire you—get creative and have fun with it! You can also make this as a larger dessert, rather than individual cups, in a 9-inch-square glass baking dish or glass trifle bowl.
Flower Pot: Flower pot, gummy worms, shovel spoons, flower lollipop Halloween: Candy pumpkins, candy eyeballs, Halloween sprinkles Beach: Mini pails, Golden Oreos for the “sand,” shovel spoons, cocktail umbrellas, gummy flip-flops. You could even use vanilla pudding, butterscotch pudding, or banana pudding for a lighter color. Pirate Buried Treasure: Treasure box, Golden Oreos for the “sand,” chocolate coins Easter: Green-tinted sweetened shredded coconut “grass” on top, candy eggs, mini chocolate bunny Terrarium: Clear glass tumbler for visible layers, chocolate candy succulents, chocolate pebbles, meringue mushrooms
No matter how you decorate or serve these dirt pudding cups, kids and kids-at-heart cannot get enough. Here’s to a silly, happy dessert!
