Grown-Up Oreo Dirt Cake Recipe
By
Jennine Rye
Aug. 3, 2025 7:45 am EST
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
You might well have come across dirt cake at one time or another, most likely decorated with plenty of gummy worms at a children’s Halloween party. While the name “dirt cake” might not sound like the most inviting dessert to dish up for your guests — and it often isn’t dressed up as one either — with a combination of crushed-up Oreos layered with delicious creamy pudding, it’s actually a delightful and timeless combination that shouldn’t be reserved for children only.
This grown-up Oreo dirt cake recipe, from the kitchen of recipe developer Jennine Rye, takes the concept of the classic dirt cake and makes it decidedly more sophisticated. So, if you are looking for a simple and speedy pudding option to serve to your grown-up guests, look no further than this slightly quirky and exceedingly scrumptious dessert. The creamy pudding portion of this recipe is whipped up using cream cheese, vanilla custard, plenty of cream, and a dash of amaretto for a decidedly mature and nutty finish. Decorating the dirt cake with mint leaves and edible flowers to depict a garden scene instead of the typical creepy-crawly styling gives this dessert a fun yet elegant appearance, and will provide an entertaining finishing touch to any dinner party. Read on to find out how to assemble this grown-up Oreo dirt cake recipe.
Gather the ingredients for this grown-up Oreo dirt cake recipe
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
To begin this grown-up Oreo dirt cake recipe, first you will need to gather the ingredients. You will want whipping cream, cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla custard (or vanilla pudding), amaretto, and of course, plenty of Oreo-style cookies to create the “dirt”. To decorate, you will also want fresh mint leaves and edible flowers.
Step 1: Add Oreos to a blender
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
Place the cookies in a food processor.
Step 2: Blend to crumbs
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
Blend the cookies until they are well crushed and resemble dirt.
Step 3: Whip the cream
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
Whip the cream using a whisk or mixer until soft peaks form.
Step 4: Beat the butter and cream cheese
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
In a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter for 15 to 20 seconds until smooth.
Step 5: Add the sugar
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
Sift the sugar into the cream cheese mixture and stir to combine.
Step 6: Add the custard and amaretto
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
Mix the vanilla custard and the amaretto into the cream cheese mixture.
Step 7: Fold in the whipped cream
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
Gently fold in the whipped cream.
Step 8: Begin dirt cake assembly
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
Add an even layer of cookie crumbs to a trifle bowl.
Step 9: Add the cream cheese mixture
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
Follow with a smooth layer of the cream cheese mixture.
Step 10: Layer the dirt cake
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
Continue to alternate layering the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese mixture until both are used up.
Step 11: Finish with crumbs
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
End with a layer of cookie crumbs.
Step 12: Cover and chill
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
Cover and chill the dirt cake overnight in the fridge.
Step 13: Decorate and serve
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
Decorate with mint leaves and edible flowers before serving.
What to pair with this grown-up Oreo dirt cake
- Breaded And Baked Goat Cheese Salad Recipe
- Easy At-Home Pumpkin Spice Latte Recipe
- Smoked Salmon Sandwich Recipe With All The Fixings
- Basic But Foolproof Whipped Cream Recipe
- DIY Peelable Mango Gummy Candy Recipe
- Roasted Strawberry And Basil Lemonade Recipe
Grown-Up Oreo Dirt Cake Recipe
5 (34 ratings)
Print
Our grown-up Oreo dirt cake, with an amaretto-spiked cream cheese custard layer and a pretty garden of edible flowers on top, is decidedly sophisticated.
Prep Time 25 minutes Cook Time 0 minutes servings 10 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 30 cookies-and-cream-style cookies
- 8.5 ounces whipping cream
- 14 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1½ cups vanilla custard or pudding
- 1 tablespoon amaretto
- 2 sprigs fresh mint leaves
- Edible flowers, to serve
Directions
- Place the cookies in a food processor.
- Blend the cookies until they are well crushed and resemble dirt.
- Whip the cream using a whisk or mixer until soft peaks form.
- In a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter for 15 to 20 seconds until smooth.
- Sift the sugar into the cream cheese mixture and stir to combine.
- Mix the vanilla custard and the amaretto into the cream cheese mixture.
- Gently fold in the whipped cream.
- Add an even layer of cookie crumbs to a trifle bowl.
- Follow with a smooth layer of the cream cheese mixture.
- Continue to alternate layering the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese mixture until both are used up.
- End with a layer of cookie crumbs.
- Cover and chill the dirt cake overnight in the fridge.
- Decorate with mint leaves and edible flowers before serving.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 581 |
| Total Fat | 41.3 g |
| Saturated Fat | 23.2 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.5 g |
| Cholesterol | 148.2 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 48.2 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 19.2 g |
| Sodium | 323.7 mg |
| Protein | 7.9 g |
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Rate this recipe
How can this dirt cake recipe be switched up?
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
One of the great things about dirt cake is how simple it is to assemble, meaning that there are plenty of ways you can switch up or embellish the recipe without much fuss, depending on your personal preferences. If you want to add more chocolate to the mixture, you can switch out the vanilla custard for chocolate pudding, or alternatively mix a few tablespoons of cocoa powder into the cream cheese to give it a delicious chocolatey finish. To further elevate the dessert, you can halve the pudding mixture and mix half with chocolate pudding and half with melted white chocolate to create a double-chocolate-layered dirt pudding.
While this dirt cake is flavored with a splash of nutty amaretto, there are plenty of other liqueurs you can reach for to add your own grown-up finish to the dessert. The hazelnut flavoring of Frangelico will pair wonderfully with the other elements of the pudding, or Kahlua would be perfect for any coffee lovers. Baileys is another great option, and, if you are feeling a little festive, why not add some minty flavoring with creme de menthe for a creamy and refreshing finish?
What are some different ways to decorate this dirt cake?
Jennine Rye/Chowhound
The decoration of this grown-up dirt cake is where you really get to have fun, so feel free to bring out your inner child and get creative. Rye uses edible viola flowers as a dainty and colorful cake topper, but you can use a wide variety of fresh, edible flowers from apple blossoms to lavender or nasturtiums to create a colorful garden of your own. To extend the garden theme, green sprinkles or dyed desiccated coconut can be used to simulate grass, and, to go all out, you can make your own moss by making a simple microwave mug cake using green dye, then breaking up the green sponge to resemble clumps of moss. Meringues or marzipan styled as mushrooms would add a lovely woodland finish to your dessert, pairing well with the green moss.
If you are looking for some different themes, you can, of course, reach for the classic gummy worm topping, or you can feel free to be inspired by the wealth of candy available to you. Halloween, particularly, has plenty of themed candy from pumpkins to skeletons, as does Easter with its marshmallow bunnies and chocolate mini eggs. Most importantly, have fun!