Halloween Dirt Cake Cups

Name: Halloween Dirt Cake Cups
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 250 g of Oreo cookies (or cocoa cookies without filling); 200 g of cream cheese (at room temperature); 200 ml of heavy cream (very cold); 50 g of powdered sugar; 1 tsp of vanilla extract (liquid); 8 gummy worms; 4 Halloween sugar decorations (tombstones or pumpkins)

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The Halloween dirt cake cup is the perfect no-bake dessert to delight the whole table, with its dirt topping and gummy worms. It pairs a soft vanilla cheesecake cream with the crunch of chocolate cookies. A fun, nostalgic treat to make ahead for October 31.

Total time: 20 min
Prep: 20 min
Cook: –
Rest: 2 h
Difficulty: Medium
Per person: €1.63

By the CookinBreak team

Ingredients 7

cups

Estimated cost €6.50

For the cookie dirt

2 ⅓ cups Oreo cookiesor cocoa cookies without filling

For the cream

¾ cup cream cheeseat room temperature
¾ cup heavy creamvery cold
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extractliquid

For decorating

8 gummy worms
4 Halloween sugar decorationstombstones or pumpkinsoptional

Equipment

Blenderor freezer bag, for finely crushing the cookies
Electric mixerfor whipping the cream and cream cheese
Piping bagfor neatly piping the cream into the glasses
Glass verrines4 clear containers to show off the layers

Instructions

Tap a number to check off the step, and a time to start a timer.

Place the Oreo cookies in a blender or a sealed airtight bag, then blend or crush with a rolling pin until you have a gritty powder resembling black dirt.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract using an electric mixer until smooth and supple.
In another very cold bowl, whip the heavy cream to firm peaks with the mixer.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula, lifting the mixture well, then transfer this filling to a piping bag.
Place a layer of crushed Oreo cookies at the bottom of the cups, then cover with an even layer of white cream piped on.
Repeat the alternation with a second layer of cookies and a second layer of cream, then be sure to finish with a generous layer of crumbled cookies on top.
Place the cups in the refrigerator for at least so the cream sets and the flavors develop.
Just before serving, gently stick the gelatin gummy worms and the Halloween sugar decorations on top of each cup.

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Goes well with

🎅 Christmas: all recipes

As a starter

Halloween Mini Pies with Tomato Sauce, Sausage and Cheese

45 minEasy

As a main

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans

1 h 10Easy

To drink

Bloody Mary

5 minEasy

Nutrition facts

per serving · estimate

535kcal

Protein6 g4%
Carbs50 g37%
Fat35 g58%
Fiber2 g

Share of each nutrient in the calories of one serving.

Good to know

Chef's tip

To get a neat, clean border of layers visible through the glass, use a piping bag without a metal tip and wipe the inside walls with a paper towel between each layer.

Freezing : Can you freeze this recipe?

Not recommended

The creams break down and the cookies turn mushy.

Storage : How long does it keep?

Keeps 24h max in an airtight container in the fridge. The cookies soften quickly.

Making ahead : Can you make it the day before?

Same day

The cookies soften and the texture of the creams can break down.

Reheating : How do you reheat it?

Not applicable, cold dessert.

Variations

Replace the cream cheese with mascarpone for an even denser, silkier tiramisu-style texture.
Add a tart red berry compote in the middle of the cup for a very convincing bloody effect.
Use crushed speculoos cookies mixed with a little cocoa for sandier, spicier dirt.

Mistakes to avoid

Adding the gummy candies as soon as you chill the cups: they soften and liquefy from the moisture of the cream.
Grinding the cookies to a completely fine powder: keep a few small pieces to keep some crunch.
Using a liquid cream with less than 30% fat, because it will never whip to firm peaks.

Frequently asked questions

Can I replace the cream cheese with fromage blanc?

Fromage blanc adds too much water and keeps the cream from holding properly in the cups. Prefer mascarpone or drained petits-suisses to keep the layers firm without making the cookies collapse.

Do I need to remove the white filling from the chocolate cookies before blending them?

No, blend the whole cookies with their white filling. This gives the cocoa crumbs a slightly textured consistency that sticks well and imitates dirt perfectly without needing any melted butter.

How can I adapt these cups for young children?

You can build this dessert in small, clear, sturdy plastic cups and let the kids push in the gummy candies and stick the edible decorations on top themselves just before sitting down to eat.

How far ahead can I assemble the cups?

You can assemble the layers of cream and cookies up to 24 hours ahead, keeping the cups covered in the fridge. Add the candies and sugar decorations only in the last half hour before serving.