Festive Halloween Dirt Cups

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Halloween dirt cups are an easy, make-ahead dessert made with the most delicious homemade chocolate pudding and dark chocolate Oreo crumbs. A fun and spooky Halloween dessert to serve at Halloween parties!

First, can we all agree that dirt cups aren’t just for kids?! Kids love to make them, but this rich and creamy dessert is for everyone! Adults love these, especially when made with homemade pudding, which is rich and creamy like a decadent dessert! I can’t stress enough how easy they are to make too. 

A glass of chocolate pudding with Oreo crumbs on top with a tombstone cookie and flowers.

My friends went crazy over how cute these dirt cups are. I love the added fresh flowers and the shovel spoons are my favorite! These fun treats will be a hit at your next party.

They are great for a Halloween movie night, pumpkin carving party or a vintage Halloween party!

Here’s everything you need to make this fun and festive Halloween dessert!

How to Make Halloween Dirt Cups

The full recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Ingredients 

  • Chocolate Pudding – I am sharing my recipe for homemade chocolate pudding below. You can also use a pudding mix or pre-made pudding.
  • Oreos – Any chocolate cookie will work. I love to use dark chocolate Oreos.
  • Chocolate Chips – I melt these to write RIP on the graveyard cookies.
  • Edible Flowers – These are to garnish the top of the pudding dirt cups.
homemade chocolate pudding on the stove top.

Homemade Chocolate Pudding 

I like to make homemade chocolate pudding for my Halloween dirt cups. I make a batch of my favorite chocolate pudding, a recipe that I use year-round, and leave it in the refrigerator overnight and assemble the dirt cups the next day.

We use heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, cornstarch, salt, vanilla extract, and bittersweet chocolate for this recipe. The full recipe is in the recipe card below.

This is a creamy chocolate pudding and very delicious! If you don’t want to take the time to make homemade pudding, you can use store-bought chocolate pudding or instant chocolate pudding.

How to Store Chocolate Pudding

Here’s an expert tip! Push plastic wrap all the way down so it’s touching the pudding. You want the saran wrap to cover the actual top of the pudding and then put in the refrigerator. 

This will stop a film from forming while the pudding thickens and sits in the refrigerator. It will keep it creamy just like it’s supposed to be!

Crushed Oreo Cookies 

Oreo cookies act as dirt on top of the pudding. You’ll simply crush a package of dark chocolate Oreos, they are so good!

To crush the Oreos, use a food processor, or blender or just add a bunch to a ziplock bag and smack it with a spoon or rolling pin! Crush them until they become fine crumbs. You can use the leftover crushed Oreos to make Halloween oreo balls.

You can also use a different type of dark brown cookie. If you want a healthier version, try a low-sugar chocolate cookie.

Saran wrap covering chocolate pudding in a glass bowl

Tips for Making Dirt Cups

  • I like to use a small, fancy glass for Halloween dirt cups. It adds an elegant touch to the dessert. If you’re serving them to kids, you can use something that won’t break.
  • This recipe is perfect to make ahead of time and assemble right before a party.
  • Think outside the box with garnishes. Use items like mini chocolate pumpkins or edible flowers to give it a charming look.
Package or dark chocolate Oreos.

Crushed Oreo Cookies 

Oreo cookies act as dirt on top of the pudding. You’ll simply crush a package of dark chocolate Oreos, they are so good!

To crush the Oreos, use a food processor, or blender or just add a bunch to a ziplock bag and smack it with a spoon or rolling pin! Crush them until they become fine crumbs. You can use the leftover crushed Oreos to make Halloween oreo balls.

You can also use a different type of dark brown cookie. If you want a healthier version, try a low-sugar chocolate cookie.

Cookies and melted chocolate to make cookie tombstones.

DIY Cookie Tombstones for Halloween Graveyard Dirt Cups

To create the cookie tombstones to go in the chocolate dirt cups, we used Belvita cookies. These were perfect because they’re also thin and crispy. You can also use Milano cookies.

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave and then add them to a piping bag.

Cut a very small hole at the end of the piping bag and then pipe RIP on the cookie. 

Before adding the cookie to the Oreo crumble, break the bottom off so it fits nicely in the Oreo dirt cup.

Gold shovels, glasses and cookie tombstones with RIP written in chocolate.

Assembling Halloween Dirt Pudding Cups 

  • Scoop pudding into a small glass. A 4-ounce or 6-ounce glass works great. The amount of pudding you add will vary depending on your glass size. 
  • Leave room at the top for the Oreo cookie crumbs.
A glass filled with chocolate pudding.
  • Add a nice layer of crumbled Oreos over the top of the pudding. 
  • Wiggle the tombstone into the pudding. 
  • Add some small edible flowers to the Oreo dirt. 
Crumbling crushed Oreos into chocolate pudding.
  • Serve with a gold mini shovel spoon. We just adore these and they are perfect for a dirt cup dessert! You can buy them here
Overhead of crushed cookies and a cookie tombstone for Halloween dirt cups.

Halloween Dirt Cup Garnishes

There are several edible garnishes and toppers you can add to the top of the dirt cup.

  • Candy Pumpkins
  • Gummy Worms
  • Chocolate Cookies
  • Edible Flowers
  • Chocolate Pumpkin Candy
The cutest Halloween Dirt Cups with crushed Oreos, flowers and a cookie tombstone.

When to Serve Halloween Dirt Cups

Serve this tasty dessert at your next Halloween party or special occasion. Here are a few of my favorite celebrations to serve this dirt dessert recipe:

Ghost Themed Party

Trick or Treat Bar

Kids Halloween Party

Spooky Movie Night

Festive October Dessert

Three adorable Halloween dirt cups

How to Store Dirt Cups

Dirt cups can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days when assembled. The cookies will start to become soggy and lose their crunchy texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make dirt cups the night before?

We suggest making the pudding the night before, crushing the Oreos but keeping them in a tightly sealed container, and then making the tombstone cookies the night before as well. Assemble them on the day of the party so that the cookies are as fresh as possible. 

What are dirt cups made of?

A fun dessert that has been around for years! Dirt cups are made out of chocolate pudding, and crushed chocolate cookies and are commonly decorated with gummy worms and tombstone cookies. They are made to look like you’re eating a cup of dirt, but really it’s a creamy chocolate treat!

These dirt cups make a great Halloween dessert for an adult party. They’re charming with just enough “spookiness” to them. The gold shovel really adds to the presentation too. 

Check out these Halloween Treats!

If you love these fun dirt cups, then try any of these Halloween treats!

Brown Butter Mummy Rice Krispie Treats

Oreo Halloween Cake

Halloween Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods – For more information, read our full tutorial on Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods.

How to Make Marbled Candy Apples

Halloween dirt cups with gold shovel spoons and a plum colored napkin.

Let us know what you think!

Let us know what you think of our gourmet chocolate dirt cup recipe! Please leave a comment and review below. 

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Chocolate Pudding Dirt Cups

These chocolate pudding dirt cups are great for Halloween! The homemade pudding makes them perfect for adults as it's rich and creamy! Remember you can also use a chocolate pudding mix to make these as well!
4 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6 dirt cups
Calories: 458kcal
Author: Eden

Ingredients

Chocolate Pudding

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstartch
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 ounces bitterweet chocolate bar , chopped

Dirt Cups

  • 1 package dark chocolate Oreos , crushed
  • 1 box Belvita cookies
  • 1 cup chocolate chips, melted

Instructions

  • Chop the bittersweet chocolate bar and set it aside.
  • In a medium saucepan mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt. 
  • Combine the milk and heavy cream in a measuring cup with a spout. 
  • Over medium heat, slowly stream in the milk and cream while whisking until it starts to thicken. This part is important as the milk and cream can burn quickly, you have to watch and whisk the entire time until it’s thick.
  • Add the chocolate to the mixture and continue to stir. 
  • Add in the vanilla extract and keep whisking. Once the mixture is thicker and coats the back of a spoon, the pudding is done. Pour into a heat-proof bowl.
    homemade chocolate pudding on the stove top.
  • Push saran wrap all the way down so it’s touching the pudding. You want the saran wrap to cover the actual top of the pudding and then put it in the refrigerator. 
  • Let it cool and thicken for a few hours or overnight.
  • Scoop pudding into a small glass. A 4-ounce or 6-ounce glass works great. The amount of pudding you add will vary depending on your glass size. 
  • Leave room at the top for the Oreo cookie crumble. 
  • Add a nice layer of crumbled Oreos over the top of the pudding. 
  • Wiggle the tombstone into the pudding. 

Notes

Make everything the day before and assemble the day of. 
Remember the serving size depends on what size glass you serve the dirt cups in 

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 118mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 1041IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 1mg
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Halloween dirt cups

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