As the cool autumn breeze sweeps through the streets and the leaves transform into vibrant hues of red and gold, it's a sure sign that Halloween is just around the corner. It's that time of year when the spirits come out to play, and it's the perfect excuse to indulge in some hauntingly delicious treats. This Halloween, step into the world of ghouls and ghosts with a spooky Graveyard Dirt Cake that will delight your taste buds and add a touch of eerie charm to your celebrations. Made with Oreo and Chips Ahoy dessert toppings, this wickedly indulgent dessert is bound to impress both young and old alike.

The Allure of Dirt Cake

Dirt Cake is a nostalgic dessert that has been a favorite among Halloween enthusiasts for years. Its realistic appearance of dirt, complete with candy worms and tombstones, adds a fun and spooky element to any Halloween party. Traditionally made with layers of chocolate pudding, cream cheese, and crushed cookies, it offers a delectable contrast of smooth and crunchy textures that make it an instant hit with dessert lovers.

What is the Origin of Dirt Cake?

The origin of dirt cake can be traced back to the United States, particularly to the 1970s. The dessert gained popularity as a fun and playful treat, often served at kids' parties and family gatherings. Its whimsical name and creative presentation quickly made it a favorite among children and adults alike.

The concept of “dirt” as an ingredient in a dessert might seem unusual at first, but it adds a playful and Halloween-inspired element to the dish. The name “dirt cake” comes from the appearance of the dessert, which resembles a pot of dirt, complete with cookie crumbs resembling soil and gummy worms crawling through the layers. The dessert's appearance has made it a popular choice for Halloween parties and other festive occasions.

Over the years, variations of dirt cake have emerged, with different recipes and additions to suit individual tastes. While the classic version typically involves layers of chocolate pudding, cream cheese, and crushed cookies, variations often include different types of cookies, candies, and creative toppings to enhance the overall flavor and presentation.

Overall, dirt cake's appeal lies not only in its delicious combination of flavors and textures but also in its ability to spark joy and imagination, making it a cherished treat for generations of dessert enthusiasts.

Halloween Dirt Cake Recipe

Who all remembers those dirt cakes and dirt cups from when we were kids? Those dirt cups with the gummy worms? I absolutely love OREO cookies and always have– so any variation on the theme is an instant favorite recipe of mine! I think Halloween is the perfect time to serve a fun Dirt Cake since you can be so creative with all the spooky Halloween elements you can add!

If you need some creative inspiration and aren't sure what to use on your Halloween Dirt cake to make it awesome, see my recipe below. This cake would be ideal for a Halloween Party if you're looking for an easy recipe option!

One important thing to note is that you will prepare your crust and instant chocolate pudding ahead of time. I did these two steps a day before the cake needed to be done.

Toppings and Extras

While the cake is refrigerating, it's time to get started on all the fun toppings and additions that will really make up the theme of the cake! We are going to actually add Nabisco OREO cookie crumbs (crushed), Nabisco ChipsAhoy! Dessert Toppings, and Nutter Butter cookies for this recipe. If you need to stop and add these to your grocery list, we've got a nice iBotta offer you can snag when you purchase these items!

You will need a food processor to crush your OREO cookies to a nice, even texture. In a large bowl, prepare and melt some white candy coating to coat your Nutter Butter Cookies.

Why use ChipsAhoy! Dessert Toppings? These delicious bits of your favorite Nabisco cookie treats are new to stores, and made to enjoy on top of ice cream, pudding, desserts, and more. I am excited to see all the new ways we can use these Dessert Toppings in fun dessert recipes like this one. Keep in mind this recipe will be fun for the kids to enjoy, and they can help make it, but it does require some skill so this recipe is not necessarily a kids-made dessert.

Tips and Tricks for Graveyard Dirt Cake

Creating a Graveyard Dirt Cake with Oreo and Chips Ahoy dessert toppings can be a fun and rewarding experience. To ensure your Halloween dessert is a huge hit, here are some tips and tricks to keep in mind:

1. Crush the Cookies Properly: For the “dirt” layer, make sure to crush the Oreo cookies into fine crumbs. You can use a food processor or simply place the cookies in a Ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. The finer the crumbs, the more realistic your dirt cake will look.

2. Partially Dip the Tombstone Cookies: To add an extra touch of spookiness, partially dip the tombstone cookies in melted chocolate or black icing. This will give them a weathered and aged appearance, perfect for a graveyard setting.

3. Experiment with Cookie Layers: While the traditional recipe calls for Oreo and Chips Ahoy cookies, don't be afraid to get creative. You can use other cookie varieties or even try adding crushed pretzels for a salty twist.

4. Chill the Layers: To ensure that the layers hold their shape and don't mix together, make sure to chill the pudding and cream cheese mixture before assembling the cake. This will help maintain the distinct layers and make it easier to assemble.

5. Use a Trifle Dish or Clear Bowl: To showcase the graveyard layers and decorations, use a trifle dish or a clear glass bowl. This way, your guests can admire the spooky layers and decorations from all angles.

6. Keep It Cold: Once the Graveyard Dirt Cake is assembled, refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld together and make it easier to cut and serve.

7. Get Creative with Decorations: In addition to tombstone cookies and gummy worms, consider adding other Halloween-themed decorations like candy pumpkins, skeleton figurines, or edible eyeballs. Let your imagination run wild!

8. Make It in Advance: The good news is that you can prepare this dessert in advance. You can make the pudding mixture and cookie crumbs a day ahead and assemble the cake a few hours before the party. This will give you more time to focus on other Halloween preparations.

9. Add a Surprise Filling: For an extra treat, consider adding a surprise filling in the center of the cake. This could be a layer of caramel or chocolate sauce, which will delight your guests when they dig into the cake.

10. Involve the Kids: If you're making this Graveyard Dirt Cake for a family gathering or a kids' Halloween party, get the little ones involved in assembling the cake and decorating the graveyard. It will be a fun and memorable activity for everyone.

Items Needed for this Halloween Dirt Cake Recipe:

• OREO cookies
• Chips Ahoy dessert toppings
• Gummy worms (any brand)
• Nutter Butter Cookies or Milano Cookies
• Candy Pumpkins
• Halloween sprinkles
• Black and green food coloring or pre-made icing
• Powdered sugar or pre-made icing
• Cream Cheese
• Chocolate Cake Mix
• Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix (any brand)

Putting Together Your Dessert:

After you have your chocolate pudding made and OREO crumbs ready you can assemble your cake. We added a cream cheese and chocolate pudding layer first, over the crust.

Blend your butter, pudding and cream cheese and whipped topping in a stand mixer to ensure it's fully incorporated. After this, on goes your crushed OREO cookies. The pudding layer is sandwiched between an OREO crust and the toppings, if you cannot tell well from the photos.

Be sure to spread them nice and evenly since this will be your “dirt” base of your graveyard. You can optionally add cookie icing “grass” for more effect if needed. We left that off.

You can then add your Nutter Butter tombstones, lined up in rows. You can add more effects by using candy pumpkins and more grass or bushes with an icing piping bag.

Finally, add your Nabisco ChipsAhoy! Dessert Toppings around each tombstone. This will look like fresh dirt against the crushed OREOS! Add candy monster hands like we did, or gummy worms and other creepy candies to your OREO dirt cake for added effects!

Be sure to refrigerate until serving. This dessert makes a great treat for Halloween with minimal prep time. And, it's a good use of some of that Halloween candy you might find on sale! Happy Halloween and have fun with this dessert!

Yield: 12

Halloween Dirt Cake

Print

Halloween Dirt Cake: All Your Cookie Favorites with a Halloween Theme! An OREO, Nutter Butter's, and Chips Ahoy! Dessert Toppings Graveyard!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 15.5 ounce package OREO Cookies (full bag)
• 8-10 Nutter Butter Cookies
• 6 ounces White Candy Coating or Almond Bark
• Black Candy Icing Pen or Premade Piping Bag
• 8 ounces Cream Cheese, Softened and at Room Temp
• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 8 ounce Tub Refrigerated Whipped Topping, thawed to spreadable consistency
• 2 3.3 ounce boxes Instant Pudding Mix (Chocolate)
• 3 Cups Whole or 2% Milk -- for pudding
• Extra Candies for Effect- We used Monster Hands
• Chips Ahoy! Dessert Toppings, 1 package

Instructions

Mix pudding according to package directions in a large bowl, set aside.

In a stand mixer, blend the cream cheese until no lumps remain. Add butter and blend until incorporated.

Slowly add powdered sugar and whipped topping at low speed. If whipped topping is frozen, it will not blend well. You can microwave the tub of whipped topping for 30 seconds if it's still frozen.

Fold in the chocolate pudding mixture with a spatula.

Set aside cream cheese topping and in a food processor, crush the OREO cookies until they are uniform crumbs. You may need to work in two batches.

Divide OREO crumbs in half, one half will be the crust and one half will go on top of the pudding/cream cheese/ whipped topping mixture.

in a 9x13 pan, press half the OREO crumbs firmly across the bottom. You can use the bottom of a measuring cup to press together.

Pour your entire pudding/cream cheese/whipped topping mixture over the OREO crumbs. Even out until level and top with remaining OREO crumbs. Refrigerate minimum 2 hours, up to overnight.

While cake is refrigerating, coat Nutter Butter Cookies with white candy coating. Add RIP on each cookie using black cookie icing. Allow to dry fully before adding to cake.

When cake is firm and fully refrigerated, press Nutter Butter tombstones into the top of cake. Add Chips Ahoy! Dessert toppings around tombstones, and add candy for effect. We used monster hand candy!

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

For individual cakes/cupcakes, press OREO crumbs into the bottom of 12-16 plastic cups. Fill to the top with the pudding and cream cheese mixture and top with OREO crumbs, just as in the recipe.

Refrigerate and add one Nutter Butter tombstone to each cup. Add a few Chips Ahoy! Dessert Toppings around the tombstone and candy for effect. Refrigerate until served.

** Cake will soften over time, serve within 24 hours for best results**

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 621Total Fat 30gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 56mgSodium 414mgCarbohydrates 82gFiber 1gSugar 54gProtein 9g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment if you love this recipe!

Finally, add your Nabisco ChipsAhoy! Dessert Toppings around each tombstone. This will look like fresh dirt against the crushed OREOS! Add candy monster hands, ghosts and cats like we did, or gummy worms and other creepy candies to your OREO dirt cake for added effects! Have some fund with creating your dirt dessert recipe . You can even other things like white chocolate chips and candy corn. You may even be able to find gummy candies that look like body parts. This is a delicious dessert and the chocolate dirt pudding makes for the best dirt cake.

Can I Make a Halloween Dirt Cake without Cream Cheese?

If you prefer to make a Halloween Dirt Cake without cream cheese, you can substitute it with other ingredients that will still provide a creamy and delicious texture. By using whipped cream as a substitute for cream cheese, you can still achieve a luscious and smooth texture in your Halloween Dirt Cake. The result will be a delightful treat that is sure to be a hit at your Halloween festivities!

Thanks for Reading!

Be sure to refrigerate until serving. This dessert makes a great treat for Halloween with minimal prep time. And, it's a good use of some of that Halloween candy you might find on sale! I love it because it's a no-bake dessert and it's a great recipe for Halloween parties.

If you don't want to make a 9×13 cake, another fun idea is to do individual cups with clear plastic cups as individual servings. Individual Graveyard dirt cake cups with alternate layers would make a great idea for a classroom fun treat. Happy Halloween and have fun with this dessert!

To make this nut-free, switch out the Nutter Butters for another one of your favorite Nabisco cookies– you can still coat with candy coating to ensure you have great looking tombstone cookies. It will be the perfect addition to your Halloween treat table!

Don't forget we have included affiliate links in this post and we make a small commission off those links.

More Great Halloween Posts:

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