Oreo Dirt Cake has layers of white chocolate pudding, cream cheese, whipped cream, Crushed Oreos, and more. This delicious and addicting dessert is cool, creamy, and perfect for Oreo lovers.
Our family makes this dirt cake recipe year round, but especially in the summer because it’s a cool and refreshing dessert. If you like this, you’ll definitely love Oreo No Bake Cheesecake, or Oreo Ice Cream Cake, also some summer favorites!
Long time family favorite
I know I’ve shared this before, but I love OREOS. I’m not a fan of eating them by themselves, but they are probably my favorite ingredient to add to dessert recipes. They make everything so yummy!! They also make today’s recipe a family favorite that we’ve made ever since I was little – it’s called Kansas City Dirt Cake.
I’m not sure where we found the original recipe, but it’s one we’ve been making for family get togethers for as long as I can remember, and it’s one we still make all the time for holidays and special occasions.
Yes, this is called Dirt Cake, but for some reason when we first got the recipe it was called Kansas City Dirt Cake. I was told that’s because Kansas City is made up of a lot of dirt—but no matter the reason, this cake is amazing. Everyone loves it!
How to Make Dirt Cake
From start to finish, this cake only takes about 15 minutes to make. It does need to set up in the fridge for a few hours, but it takes little work and the result is amazing.
PUDDING. Begin by making your creamy, pudding mixture. To make this, cream your cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar with a hand mixer and fold in whipped topping. Set this aside.
In another bowl, make pudding by mixing milk, pudding mix and vanilla. Let this set up for a few minutes and then pour into the cream cheese mixture. Use your hand mixer to mix well. Set aside.
OREOS. Then, crush all the Oreos by putting them in a food processor or Ziploc bag and crushing with hands, rolling pin, or the bottom of a cup. Pour about 2/3 of the Oreos into the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
LAYER. Pour the cream cheese/pudding mixture over the Oreos. Then top with remaining crushed Oreos.
CHILL. Place in fridge and let set for a few hours before serving.
Tips for crushing Oreos: Crush the entire cookie—do not remove the filling. You can crush your oreos in a blender or food processor if you want them to be super fine. Crushing the Oreos in a ziploc bag will give you both small and chunky pieces (we prefer it this way!).
Can I use different pudding flavors? Yes! The recipe calls for white chocolate pudding or vanilla, but I’ve also used cream cheese pudding and chocolate pudding and gotten good results. If you’re feeling adventurous you can try using a different flavor.
Tips and Troubleshooting
Can Dirt Cake be made ahead of time? We almost always make this dessert ahead of time. We typically make this the morning of, but you can also make this up to 24 hours in advance. If possible, we recommend placing the crushed Oreos on top right before serving because those can get a little soft with the moisture of the cake.
How to store dirt cake? Dirt Cake is best stored when covered tightly with Saran Wrap or foil and placed in the fridge for up to 3 days. We love to have this cake for leftovers, but admit we rarely have them. It’s just so good!
Why did my dirt cake come out soupy? This dessert should be able to hold its shape and have a fluffy creamy texture. If yours turned out soupy there are few things to check and try:
- You must make sure you bought INSTANT pudding mix the pudding and milk until it takes on a creamy pudding consistency. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes before combining it with the other ingredients
- Use chilled metal bowls to mix and fold the ingredients in
- Use whole milk
- FOLD do not Mix: When you add the whip cream to the cream cheese mix and then again when you add the pudding make sure you are gently folding the ingredients together.
- Make sure your butter is not too soft and definitely not melted
- Chill for at least 2 hours before serving
More dirt cake recipes
This recipe happens to be one of our favorites to change up for seasons and holidays. In fact, with so many OREO varieties, it’s easy to change up with your favorite cookie variations (the Peppermint Oreo is great for Christmas!)
We now have an Easter Dirt Cake and Graveyard Dirt Cake that are holiday favorites. We also like to make parfait versions of this recipe to make fancy single-servings for parties.
The other classic version is to make this recipe but with chocolate pudding and to serve it in cups (you can even put these cups in mini terra cotta pots) and have gummy worms sticking out.
I seriously LOVE this recipe and have loved it since I can remember. Hope you like this Oreo treat just as much as my family. 🙂
For more Oreo desserts, check out:
- Oreo Ice Cream Cake
- Oreo Peanut Butter Delight
- Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
- Oreo Pudding Pie
- Chocolate Oreo Cake
- Oreo Snickers Pie
Dirt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 package Oreos
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup Margarine or butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 16 oz cool whip
- 2 boxes INSTANT White chocolate or vanilla pudding 3.3 oz box size
- 3 cups milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Crush ⅔ package of Oreos and place in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Set aside.
- Mix cream cheese and margarine (or butter) until smooth. Mix in powdered sugar and fold in whipped topping. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl mix pudding, milk and vanilla. Fold this mixture in with the cream cheese mixture.
- Pour over crumb mixture.
- Sprinkle with the reserve crushed Oreos. Let set for a few hours and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
cool
so how i do a dirt pudding
I like more of a cream cheese taste, so I added an etra 4 more 0z of cream cheese into the mixture, with a tad more butter. I mixed in only half of the 16oz cool Whip. After spreading, I tOpped IT off with the rest of the cool whip. Its makes it heavier, but the taste of the creaM cheEse mixture is fabulous! Oh, hands done white CHOCOLATE pudding!
Sounds great! Thanks for sharing that!
This was simply amazing! It did not last long with a house full of teenagers! Definitely making again soon!
Getting ready to make this cake but don’t understand why you would put butter in the cream cheese and powder sugar? Nor Vanila
That’s just how I make this specific recipe 🙂 I promise it comes out delicious!
Kids would love this
This recipe inspired me. I’m going to make a Christmas dirt cake, using chocolate pudding and grasshopper thin mint cookies instead. It would look great with some little edible pine trees on top 😉
Perfect!! Glad I could inspire 🙂 Thank you!
A great success at my Grand daughters 9th Birthday party. I laid gummy worms & gummy bugs on top. What a hit ! They loved it & adults too.
Oh yay! These would be so fun to serve at a birthday party. Glad to hear they were a hit for all!
What size pkg of cookies?
Just your basic/regular size of Oreos … I believe it’s about 14 oz. It’s not the family size package.
I make this all the time and eliminate the butter and powdered sugar.
My family loves this cake it’s a regular around my house
Yay!! I’m so happy to hear that!
My family loves this cake it’s a regular around my house
I’ve been making this particular recipe for YEARS! And I keep coming back to it. This is truly a crowd pleaser that never misses. If you haven’t tried it, what are you waiting on?!?
Oh thank you so much for your kind words! This is one of our favorites too!