Dirt Cake
A creamy, nostalgic no-bake dessert that's perfect for potlucks, parties, or any gathering. This dirt cake is easy to make and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser with its layers of creamy filling and crunchy Oreo crust.
Ingredients
For the base and filling
- 2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 cups cold milk (for pudding)
- 1 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
- 1 stick (4 tbsp) butter, softened
- 1 12 oz container Cool Whip (regular or light), thawed
For the crust
- 1.5 packages Oreo cookies — whole or double-stuffed (about 18–24 cookies), crushed Reserve about ¼–½ cup crumbs for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Crush Oreo cookies in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. Reserve about ¼–½ cup for garnish.
- In a bowl, whisk the two vanilla pudding mixes into 3 cups of cold milk and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to thicken.
- In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese, softened butter, and confectioners’ sugar until completely smooth and lump-free.
- Add the chilled pudding to the cream cheese mixture and mix until uniform.
- Gently fold the thawed Cool Whip into the pudding mixture until fully combined.
Assembly
- Place a layer of cookie crumbs on the bottom of a trifle bowl or 9x13 pan.
- Spoon a layer of the pudding mixture over the crumbs. Repeat, alternating layers of crumbs and pudding, finishing with a pudding layer. Sprinkle reserved crumbs on top.
Chill and Serve
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is ideal) to allow the layers to set.
- Serve chilled, optionally adding decorative toppings before serving.
Notes
For a lighter version, use light Cool Whip and reduced-fat cream cheese. To make it gluten-free, swap Oreos for certified gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies.