Oreo Dirt Cake
Oreo dirt cake is a chilled, no-bake dessert served by the spoonful. Loose layers of chocolate cookie crumbs run through a pale vanilla pudding and cream-cheese filling, with a thick, coarse layer of crumbs on top. A shallow dish keeps the layers visible; there’s no pressed crust or baking.
Allow at least 4 hours for the filling to set softly. An overnight chill makes the layers more cohesive, though the cookies will soften as they sit against the filling. Plan on about 25 minutes of preparation and 10 to 12 servings.
Ingredients for Oreo Dirt Cake
- 1 package chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, about 14.3 ounces (405g), creme filling intact
- 2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix, 3.4 ounces each (about 195g total); not cook-and-serve pudding
- 3 cups cold whole milk
- 1 package full-fat cream cheese, softened, 8 ounces (225g)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened (113g), salted or unsalted
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 1 tub frozen whipped topping, thawed, 8 ounces (225g)
For an optional garnish, set aside 1 whole Oreo from the package before crushing the cookies.
How to Make Oreo Dirt Cake
- Crush the cookies: Pulse the cookies, creme filling and all, in a food processor until most are small crumbs with some coarse, pebbly pieces. Alternatively, crush them in a large sealed bag with a rolling pin. Reserve a generous portion of the coarser crumbs for the top.
- Thicken the pudding: Whisk the instant pudding mix with the cold milk until smooth and beginning to thicken. Let it stand briefly while you make the cream-cheese base.
- Beat the cream-cheese base: With an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar, scraping the bowl so no dense lumps remain.
- Finish the filling: Beat the thickened pudding into the cream-cheese mixture until combined. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping with a spatula until no large streaks remain. The filling should be thick and creamy, not runny.
- Layer the dessert: Scatter loose crumbs across the bottom of a shallow, broad 3-quart ceramic dish. Add about half the filling, another layer of crumbs, and the remaining filling. Cover generously with the reserved coarse crumbs. Do not press the crumbs into a crust. A 9-by-13-inch dish also works, though the layers may look different.
- Chill and serve: Cover and refrigerate at 40°F (5°C) or below for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Start checking after 4 hours: the dessert should be cold throughout, and a spoonful should hold softly rather than run. Add the optional whole cookie just before serving.
How to Keep the Filling Smooth
Soften the cream cheese and butter without melting them, and beat them smooth before adding the pudding. Cold milk and accurately measured amounts help instant pudding thicken; cook-and-serve pudding will not give this no-bake filling the intended set. French vanilla instant pudding can replace regular vanilla if desired.
Chilling, Storage, and Freezing
Four hours is the practical minimum chill, while overnight gives the filling more time to set and the layers time to meld. The dessert remains soft and spoonable, not firm enough for neat slices. Cover leftovers and refrigerate them; for the best crumb texture, serve within about 3 days. The cookies will continue to soften.
Refrigeration is the standard storage method. Freezing the dessert intentionally produces a firmer, ice-cream-cake-like serving, but the cream-cheese filling may change texture after thawing. Freezing and thawing is not a dependable way to preserve leftovers.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 1 of 12 servings: 535 calories, 5g protein, 29g fat, and 66g carbohydrates. Per 100g: about 320 calories, 3g protein, 17g fat, and 39g carbohydrates. Values vary with the brands used and portion size.
Equipment
- Food processor or rolling pin
- Large sealed bag
- Whisk
- Electric mixer
- Spatula
- Shallow 3-quart dish
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 package chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, about 14.3 ounces (405 g), creme filling intact
- 2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix, 3.4 ounces each (about 195 g total)
- 3 cups cold whole milk
- 1 package full-fat cream cheese, softened, 8 ounces (225 g)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened (113 g), salted or unsalted
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120 g)
- 1 tub frozen whipped topping, thawed, 8 ounces (225 g)
Optional Garnish
- 1 whole Oreo, reserved from the package
Instructions
- Pulse the cookies, including the creme filling, in a food processor until mostly fine crumbs form, with some coarse pieces. Alternatively, crush them in a sealed bag with a rolling pin. Reserve a generous portion of coarse crumbs for the topping.
- Whisk the instant pudding mix with the cold milk until smooth and beginning to thicken. Let it stand briefly.
- Beat the softened cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Beat in the powdered sugar, scraping the bowl to remove any dense lumps.
- Beat the thickened pudding into the cream-cheese mixture until combined.
- Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until no large streaks remain.
- Scatter loose cookie crumbs across the bottom of a shallow, broad 3-quart dish. Add about half the filling, another layer of crumbs, and the remaining filling. Top generously with the reserved coarse crumbs without pressing them into a crust.
- Cover and refrigerate at 40°F (5°C) or below for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. The dessert is ready when cold throughout and a spoonful holds softly rather than running.
- Add the optional whole Oreo just before serving.
Tips
- Soften the cream cheese and butter without melting them, then beat them smooth before adding the pudding.
- Use cold milk and measure the ingredients accurately to help the instant pudding thicken.
- Use instant pudding, not cook-and-serve pudding.
- Keep the cookie crumbs loose rather than pressing them into a crust.
- Start checking the dessert after 4 hours of chilling; overnight chilling helps the layers meld.
Variations
- French Vanilla Dirt Cake: Replace the regular vanilla instant pudding with French vanilla instant pudding.