Dirt pudding is the no-bake dessert kids lose their minds over, and this version is made with a four-ingredient chocolate avocado pudding, gluten-free chocolate cookie crumbs, and no-added-sugar gummy worms. It takes about ten minutes, and there’s no oven involved.

What Is Dirt Pudding?

Dirt pudding is a no bake dessert built to look like a cup of dirt. You spoon chocolate pudding into a glass, cover the top with crushed chocolate cookie crumbs so it looks like soil, then stick gummy worms in so they’re crawling out. That’s the whole trick, and it works on kids every single time.

You’ll see it called dirt cake, dirt dessert, or dirt cups depending on who’s making it. Same idea, different container. It’s a Halloween staple, but it turns up at birthday parties, class parties, and summer BBQs all year long, because it’s one of those no bake desserts that costs almost nothing, takes ten minutes, and still gets more excitement than something you fussed over for an hour. A real crowd-pleaser.

Dirt Pudding vs. Dirt Cake

They’re mostly the same recipe wearing different outfits.

Dirt pudding is usually served in individual cups or jars, pudding forward, with the layers showing through the glass.
Dirt cake is usually assembled in one big dish, often a glass trifle dish or a 9×13 pan, and often has a cream cheese mixture folded through it so it’s thicker and holds a scoop.

If you’re feeding a crowd, one big dish is less work. If you’re feeding kids, individual cups win every time, because everyone gets their own worms and nobody has to negotiate.

How Classic Dirt Pudding Is Made

The traditional version goes like this. You whisk a box of instant chocolate pudding mix with cold whole milk until it thickens. Then you beat cream cheese with butter and powdered sugar, and you fold that cream cheese mixture into the pudding along with a tub of Cool Whip (some recipes use heavy cream, whipped). Then you crush a package of Oreos and layer the pudding mixture with the crumbs.

It’s delicious, and I’m not here to talk anyone out of it. It’s also about four different sugars in one bowl, which is fine once in a while and a lot when it’s the third party this month.

What I Changed

Instead of pudding mix and whole milk: chocolate avocado pudding, made with ripe avocados, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and salt. It’s shockingly creamy and it tastes like chocolate, not like avocado.
Instead of Cool Whip or heavy cream: nothing. The avocados do the creamy work, so there’s no folding and no whipping.
Instead of a cream cheese mixture with butter: also nothing. In a cup this size, you won’t miss it.
Instead of regular Oreos: gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies.
Instead of regular gummy worms: no added sugar ones.

What you get is a smooth pudding mixture with no lumps, a dessert that’s vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar free, and a kid who has no idea any of that happened.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ripe avocados are the base of the pudding. Really ripe is the whole game here. They blend creamier and taste sweeter, and an underripe one will taste green no matter how much cocoa you add.
Cacao or cocoa powder, unsweetened. Either works. Cacao has a bit more nutrients, cocoa is easier to find.
Maple syrup sweetens the pudding and keeps it refined sugar free. Agave works too, and honey works if vegan isn’t a concern for you.
Salt. A quarter teaspoon makes the chocolate taste more like chocolate.
Gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies. Trader Joe’s gluten free Joe Joe’s or the gluten free Oreos both work, and so does any chocolate cookie you like.
Gummy worms. Lily’s sour gummy worms are my pick since they have no added sugar and they’re vegan. Smart Sweets are just as low in sugar but they contain gelatin, so skip those if you need this to be vegan.

You’ll also want a blender or food processor, a butter knife for scraping the creme out of the cookies, and glass jars to assemble in.

How to Make Dirt Pudding Cups

Blend the pudding. Avocados, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and salt go in a food processor or blender. Blend until it’s completely smooth, scraping down the sides as you go so you don’t leave lumps.
Make the dirt. Twist the cookies open, scrape the creme off with a butter knife, and crush the cookies into fine crumbs.
Layer. Spoon pudding into your jars, leaving enough room at the top for a thick layer of crumbs.
Top with dirt and worms. Cover the pudding with crumbs, then push a few gummy worms in so they look like they’re crawling out.

Serve right away, or stash the components in the fridge and assemble when you’re ready.

How to Crush the Cookies (No Food Processor Needed)

A food processor is the fastest way, but you don’t need one. Put the cookies in a zip top bag, or fold them inside a sheet of plastic wrap, and roll over them with a rolling pin. You’re going for fine crumbs with no big lumps, because that’s what sells the dirt look. If you like a little texture, crush most of it fine and save a few bigger pieces for the top.

Tips for the Best Dirt Pudding

Use really ripe avocados. This is the difference between creamy and grainy.
Scrape the creme off the cookies. You only want the dark cookie for your dirt. The creme makes the crumbs clump instead of scatter.
Buy full size cookies, not minis. It’s the same amount of scraping either way, just spread over three times as many cookies.
Taste the pudding before you layer it. Not chocolatey enough? Add cocoa powder. Not sweet enough? Add maple syrup. Different powders behave differently.
Assemble in glass jars if you can. Half the fun is being able to see the layers.

Fun Ways to Serve It

Individual glass jars. My favorite for kids, since everyone gets their own.
A glass trifle dish for a crowd. One big bowl, all the layers visible, and one thing to carry.
A clean plastic bucket with a brand new sand shovel for scooping. Ridiculous, and a fun addition for birthday parties or a backyard BBQ.
Bonus points for a sprig of mint stuck in the top so it looks like something’s sprouting.

Flavor Variations

Once you’ve made it the standard way, there are a few flavors worth playing with.

Peanut butter dirt. Blend a spoonful of peanut butter into the pudding.
Mint chocolate. A few drops of peppermint extract in the pudding, which pairs weirdly well with the gummy worms.
Sand pudding. Swap the chocolate cookies for gluten free vanilla ones and call it a beach.
Extra crunch. Layer some crumbs in the middle instead of putting them all on top.
Worm free. Not everyone loves a gummy. Chocolate chips or a few berries work just as well.

How to Store Dirt Pudding

Keep dirt pudding in the fridge in an airtight container, or cover the jars with plastic wrap, and it’s good for 2 to 3 days.

If you’re making it ahead, store the pudding and the crumbs separately and assemble right before serving, since the crumbs soften as they sit. For the pudding on its own, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface before it goes in the fridge. Avocado browns when it’s exposed to air, and that keeps it looking like chocolate instead of like a science experiment.

Dirt Pudding FAQs

Can I make dirt pudding ahead of time?

Yes. Make the pudding and crush the cookies up to a day ahead and keep both in the fridge. Assemble right before you serve so the crumbs stay crunchy.

Does it taste like avocado?

No. The cocoa powder and maple syrup take over completely. Use ripe avocados and nobody will guess.

Is this dirt pudding vegan?

The pudding and the cookies are, so it comes down to your gummy worms. Lily’s are vegan. Smart Sweets contain gelatin, so they’re not.

Can I use regular chocolate pudding instead?

Absolutely. A box of pudding mix whisked with whole milk works fine here if that’s what you have. The avocado version is just what makes this one refined sugar free.

What cookies work best?

Trader Joe’s gluten free Joe Joe’s or the gluten free Oreos. Scrape the creme out of either one.

How many does this make?

Three dirt cups. It doubles and triples easily, so scale it up for a party.

If you make these, leave a rating and a review in the comments below. It genuinely helps other people find the recipe. And if you post them, tag @passmeaspoon on Instagram so I can see how they turned out.