Growing up, I loved the classic dirt cups—layers of chocolate pudding topped with crushed Oreos and gummy worms. It was a playful, delicious dessert that always made me smile. I wanted to capture that nostalgic fun and turn it into a cookie, so I created these Dirt Cup Cookies! They’re everything I loved about dirt cups but in cookie form: rich, chocolatey cookies that mimic the creamy chocolate pudding, topped with that same iconic Oreo “dirt” and gummy worms for a fun and spooky twist. Perfect for Halloween or any time you want to bring a little childhood magic into your kitchen!
Recipe Tips:
- Choosing the Best Cocoa Powder: For an ultra-rich chocolate flavor, I recommend using Hershey’s Special Dark. Dutch-processed cocoa has been treated to neutralize its acidity, which gives the cookies a deeper, more intense chocolate flavor. You can also use regular cocoa powder, but the flavor won’t be as bold and dark.
- Oreos for “Dirt”: You can crush the Oreos in a plastic bag with a rolling pin or pulse them in a food processor. Leaving some bigger chunks of cookie will add texture to your “dirt” and make it look more realistic!
- Customizing Toppings: While gummy worms and candy pumpkins are perfect for a fun Halloween vibe, feel free to mix it up with other candy toppings like candy corn, chocolate rocks, or mini marshmallows for different themes.
- Chill the cookie dough: These cookies are made with melted butter. They are super flavorful but because the fat is melted, they can easily spread. In order to avoid over spreading you should chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. I find the easiest way to do this is to scoop the cookie dough and then chill it. Otherwise you are fighting to scoop the cool dough. Only bring out enough and place on the prepared baking sheet to bake, don’t let the chilled dough sit on the counter and become warm again! If they spread a little see my tip below on how to reshape the cookies
- Perfectly round cookies every time! This trick is totally optional but I use it anytime I bake cookies to ensure they are perfectly round every time! This works especially with these cookies since they tend to spread. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven and still hot use a large round cookie cutter, or something else round and larger than the cookies (I’ve used a glass or bowl before). Place overtop of the cookie and move it around in a circular motion for 3-5 seconds, gently bouncing the cookie around inside. This will round the edges of the cookie out giving that perfectly circular shape. This will make your cookies pretty and uniform!
These Dirt Cup Cookies are the perfect way to bring a touch of childhood nostalgia and a lot of fun to your baking. Whether you’re making them for a Halloween party, a family gathering, or just to satisfy a chocolate craving, they’re sure to be a hit with both kids and adults. With their rich chocolate flavor, creamy fudge frosting, and playful toppings, these cookies are as delicious as they are whimsical. Give them a try and enjoy the sweet, nostalgic joy they bring to your kitchen!
Dirt Cup Cookies
These Dirt Cookies are a fun take on the classic dirt cups we all grew up loving!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup salted butter melted
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 1 cup cocoa powder I prefer to use Hershey's Special Dark for an extra deep chocolate flavor, but you can use any natural cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the frosting:
- 6 tbsp salted butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder Use the same you used on the cookies!
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tbsp milk or heavy cream room temperature
For the toppings:
- 12 Oreos
- candy pumpkins
- gummy worms
Instructions
For the cookies:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the melted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar and vanilla extract. Mix on medium for 1 minute. Add in both eggs and mix on low until incorporated. Add in the flour, corn starch, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix on low until everything is combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (you can also use wax paper, but do not bake with the wax paper) Use a medium sized cookie dough scoop, about 2-2.5 tablespoons of dough per ball, to scoop 20 even cookies and place on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill the cookie dough. This will help to enhance the flavor and prevent spreading. Preheat the oven to 350°. **If you leave them in the fridge longer than 45 minutes, allow the dough to sit on the counter for 5 minutes before going in the oven! If you go into the oven too cold, you will end up with thick cookies.
- Once the cookie dough has chilled, space each about 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are just set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cookie rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
- Add the butter, vanilla, and cocoa powder to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 30 seconds until combined. With the mixer on low, add in the powdered sugar. Add in milk, starting at 2 tbsp and increasing until you reach desired consistency.
For assembly:
- Crush the Oreos either in a food processor or place them in a zip lock bag and crush with a rolling pin or another kitchen tool. Frost the top of each cookie, leaving at ¼ inch around the edge without frosting.
- Once frosted, place the cookies frosting side down into the crushed Oreos and gently press down. Flip right side up and top with gummy worms and candy pumpkins!