Halloween Dirt Cups for Adults Recipe — Sugar & Cloth (2024)

Indulge in spooky sweetness with our Halloween dirt cups. We puta boozytwist on a classic treat to make it just foradults!

Halloween isn’t just for kids anymore! While children may enjoy dressing up in costumes and going trick-or-treating, adults can also have their own fun by indulging in spooky treats. And what better way to celebrate the spirit of Halloween than with these deliciously eerie dirt cups?

This classic childhood dessert gets a grown-up twist with indulgent layers of chocolate pudding, crushed Oreo cookies, and creepy-crawly vodka gummy worms.

Whether you’re hosting a frightful soirée or simply looking to satisfy your sweet tooth this October 31st, these Halloween dirt cups are sure to bring some wicked delight to any adult gathering.

What are Dirt Cups?

Have you ever had Oreo dirt pudding when you were little or a go-to dirt pudding recipe for your mom-life arsenal?

Dirt cups are typically made by layering chocolate pudding or a similar creamy dessert like cool whip with crushed chocolate cookies or graham crackers to create a dirt-like texture.

Gummy worms or other candy decorations are often added to mimic plants or creatures peeking out from the “dirt.” The result is a playful, visually appealing treat that’s enjoyed for its combination of creamy, crunchy, and sweet elements.

Eating dessert cups as a kid was always so fun, ick factor from eating “dirt” with “worms” and all!I, Ashley, wanted to serve a spooky but chic co*cktail at a Halloween party and was inspired by these nostalgic tricky treats.

So we mixed up some layered dirt cups but in co*cktail form!However, you can easily leave out the liquor to make a traditional dirt pudding recipe for the kids.

Ingredients Needed

For the Halloween dirt pudding:

Traditionally instant pudding is used but we made our own that highlights the liquor.

Bourbon

Creme de cacao

Heavy cream — Or substitute with milk.

Chocolate bitters — Optional to complement the cocoa.

Cocoa powder

For the garnish:

Whipped cream — Or substitute for a non-dairy whipped topping

Crushed Oreos or any chocolate cookie crumbs — You can purchase Oreo crumbs or make some yourself by crushing your cookies in a food processor. Or simply, place the cookies in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin or mallet. They don’t need to be finely crushed or have an even texture since you’re recreating “dirt”.

Edible flowers

Mint sprigs

Vodka gummy worms — To prep your gummy worms, arrange your gummy worms in a container (with an airtight lid). Then, slowly pour vodka over the gummy worms, making sure they are fully submerged. Allow the gummy worms to soak for at least 6-12 hours. For a stronger infusion, you can let them soak for up to 24 hours.

How to MakeBoozy Dirt Cups for Adults

1 — In a co*cktail shaker with ice, add the bourbon,Creme de Cacao,heavy cream, chocolate bitters (optional), and cocoa powder.Shake well until chilled.

2 — Strainthe co*cktail pudding mixtureintoglasses or clear plastic cups.

3 — Add a layer ofwhipped cream to the glass, just below the rim, being sure to cover the pudding.

4 — Top crushed cookie crumbsover thewhipped cream.

5 — Garnish with mint sprigs and edible flowers. Insert gummy worms into the cookie crumbs so they appear to be coming out of the “dirt”. You can let some of them hang over the edge for a more realistic effect.

And now you’ve got yourself an all in oneHalloween dessertand Halloween co*cktail!

How to Make a Mocktail Version

If you want to offer a non-alcoholic version for party guests or kids, you can easily make these into dirt cup milkshakes!

To make a milkshake, combine 1 cup of milk, 4 tablespoons of sugar and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder in a blender. Then, add 4 cups of vanilla ice cream and blend again. This should make 2 large servings.

Or if you’d like more traditional dirt cups, useinstant chocolate pudding mix, French vanilla pudding, cool whip orwhipped cream. We’ve even seen some recipes usecream cheese.

Recipe Notes and Tips

Best served chilled:

If time permits, place the cups in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Garnish right before serving.

Can you substitute the liquor?

Yes! Some great alternatives for the bourbon and/or Creme de Cacao are chocolate liqueur (like Godiva or similar), coffee liqueur (like Kahlua) or Baileys Irish Cream

Dirt cup variations:

Now that you’ve got the Oreo dirt cup recipe down, feel free to experiment with toppings to create different scenes. You could turn them into graveyard dirt cups by using a as a tombstone and icing to write “RIP”. Or create sand dirt cups to create a beach scene for a Fourth of July party with Golden Oreos or graham crackers.

Halloween Party Ideas to Pair with theDirt Cups Recipe

Since we’re no stranger to an easy Halloween recipe, DIY, entertaining idea, orHalloween costumes, weput together a list of my favorite pairing recommendations!

• Serve the Oreo dirt cups on ourDIY Halloween bar cart.
• Add pumpkin decalsto your fun Halloween dirt cups.
• Be the host of the town as a power couple with41 ideas for couples costumes.
• Or throw on someHalloween wigsand whip up a few co*cktails to call it day!
• Let your co*cktails shine next to ourDIY sequin pumpkins
• Pair your dirt desserts with our sophisticatedHalloween table decor.

Don’t forget to share your dirt cups with us onInstagramusing the hashtag#sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations! Looking for more quick and delicious recipes? You can find them allright here!