Description
These adorable Pumpkin Patch Dirt Cups are a no-bake Halloween dessert that takes just 7 minutes to make! Featuring chocolate pudding topped with crushed cookie ‘dirt’ and cute candy pumpkins, they’re perfect for fall parties, Halloween celebrations, or fun family activities. Kids love helping make these spooky treats!
Ingredients
4 chocolate pudding cups (3.5 oz each)
8 chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreos)
8 candy pumpkins (or orange jelly candies)
2 tablespoons green icing (or edible grass for decoration)
Optional: extra candy corn or autumn sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
1. Open the chocolate pudding cups and give each one a gentle stir with a spoon to create a smooth, even surface.
2. Place the 8 chocolate sandwich cookies in a zip-top bag, seal it, and crush them with a rolling pin until they form fine, crumbly pieces that resemble dirt.
3. Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of crushed cookie crumbs over the top of each pudding cup, covering the chocolate surface completely to create the “dirt” layer.
4. Gently press 2 candy pumpkins into the cookie crumbs on each cup, positioning them so they look like pumpkins growing from a garden patch.
5. Using a piping bag or zip-top bag with a small corner cut off, pipe thin squiggly lines of green icing from the base of each pumpkin to resemble vines (or sprinkle edible grass around the pumpkins).
6. Serve immediately for the crunchiest texture, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving for a firmer consistency.
Notes
Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare pudding cups and crushed cookies separately, then assemble just before serving to keep cookie crumbs crunchy.
Storage: These dirt cups will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but cookie crumbs will soften over time.
Substitutions: Use homemade chocolate pudding for a richer flavor, or swap candy pumpkins with any seasonal candy like gummy worms or candy corn.
Dietary Options: For gluten-free guests, use GF chocolate sandwich cookies. For vegan versions, use plant-based pudding and vegan cookies.
Kid-Friendly Activity: This is an excellent recipe for children to help with—they can crush cookies, place pumpkins, and decorate the cups.
Bulk Preparation: To make 12-20 cups for parties, set up an assembly line doing one step at a time across all cups for efficiency.
- Prep Time: 5
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
Keywords: pumpkin patch dirt cups, no bake halloween dessert, chocolate pudding cups, dirt cake cups, halloween treats for kids, fall dessert recipe, easy halloween recipe, 7 minute dessert, candy pumpkin recipe, no bake dirt cups