Dirt cups are a fall classic, with creamy chocolate pudding and crunchy Oreo cookies, there’s nothing better! These dirt cups are made with homemade vegan pudding that’s ready in 15 minutes, classic Oreos (did you know they are dairy free?!), and vegan gummy worms!
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Dairy Free Dirt Cup Ingredients:
How to make Dairy Free Dirt Cups:
- Gather your ingredients!
- First, make the homemade pudding. Mix half of the coconut cream with the cornstarch until well combined to create a slurry. Set aside.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add remaining coconut cream, cocoa powder, and maple syrup to the pan. Whisk until well combined. Bring to a slow boil and add the coconut cream and cornstarch slurry. Whisk quickly to keep the mixture from burning. Continue to boil and stir for 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. You can transfer to a shallow pan and place in the fridge to cool faster. Tip! Press plastic wrap onto the top of the pudding mixture, so it is just touching. This keeps the pudding from forming a film over the top while it cools. If a film does form, simply scrap off the top and then stir until smooth.
- Crush Oreos by either putting them in a ziplock bag and hitting them with a rolling pin or other heavy object. Or, put them in a food processor and pulse until a fine crumb forms. Use the whole Oreo when doing this, filling and cookies.
- Transfer the cooled "dirt pudding" to individual cups. If using glass jars, you can transfer the pudding right away but if using plastic cups, the pudding should be no hotter than lukewarm. We suggest the pudding layer to be about two inches thick.
- Top the pudding with Oreos (this is the chocolate cookie dirt) and candy. Store in the fridge until ready to eat!
Quick Facts
How long does this recipe take?
20 minutes to make, 30 minutes to cool as needed
How much does this make?
6 cups
Does this meet my dietary needs?
Traditional dirt cups have dairy, but this fun treat is dairy free! They are technically vegan, however, Oreo’s can not be considered vegan because they are processed in a facility that handles non-vegan items. However, they are dairy free. Most gummy candies are also not vegan, but we used these ones, that are! You could also try these Classic Cream Cookies that are vegan or the Gluten Free Oreos to make this fun dessert gluten free!
How many bowls should I plan for this meal?
1 pan and 6 serving cups (small mason jars can also be used)
How long does this keep?
2-3 days in the fridge, covered. The candies and oreos will become soggy but it doesn’t stop me from eating them! If kept separate, the vegan chocolate pudding will keep for 7 days covered and in the fridge.
Could these be made ahead of time?
Yup! These favorite childhood treats are perfect to make the morning of Halloween parties or other events. The premade ingredients could be prepped as early as 4 days before, as long as it was kept covered in the fridge.
Substitution Options
All substitution options are a 1:1 substitution unless noted otherwise.
Maple Syrup: Agave, monk fruit syrup, or honey could be used. Honey will not be vegan.
Cornstarch: Arrowroot flour can be used.
Coconut Milk: Do not use coconut milk in the refrigerated section! It has too high of a water content to thicken, only use the kind found in a can in the baking or Asian food aisle . Our preferred coconut milk is Thai Kitchen. It can be found at Costco and at most grocery stores, including Target and Walmart. Oat milk may also work but it has not be tested.
Cocoa Powder: Any unsweetened cocoa powder can be used. You can also use 1 cup of chocolate chips but omit the maple syrup if using chocolate chips.
Oreos: Any chocolate sandwich cookie can be used, including gluten free ones. Graham crackers would also be good!
Gummy Candies: Any Halloween candy or other sweet treats can be used. Some pudding cups are topped with cool whip or a dirt cake, but we prefer to use colorful Halloween themed candy.The more silly, the better! Double check they are dairy free or vegan if required by your diet!
Fun Fact!
The original gummy worm was released by Trolli in 1981. Gummy bears, however, have long been around and are the only candy to be turned into a TV show. Gummy bears were originally called Dancing Bears. The most popular color of gummy candies? Red! To keep things interesting, Haribo uses green coloring for strawberry flavor while Trolli uses red. (Source)
Try these other delicious dairy free recipes!
Recipe
Dairy Free Dirt Cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup Maple Syrup
- ½ cup Cocoa Powder
- ¼ cup corn starch
- 2 cans coconut milk full fat, 13.66 oz can
- 12 oreo cookies
- 1 assorted candy
Instructions
- Mix half of the coconut cream with the cornstarch until well combined to create a slurry. Set aside.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add remaining coconut cream, cocoa powder, and maple syrup to the pan. Whisk until well combined. Bring to a slow boil and add the coconut cream and cornstarch slurry. Whisk quickly to keep the mixture from burning. Continue to boil and stir for 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Tip! Press plastic wrap onto the top of the pudding mixture, so it is just touching. This keeps the pudding from forming a film over the top while it cools. If a film does form, simply scrap off the top and then stir until smooth.
- Crush Oreos by either putting them in a ziplock bag and hitting them with a rolling pin or other heavy object. Or, put them in a food processor and pulse until a fine crumb forms. Use the whole Oreo when doing this, filling and cookies.
- Transfer the cooled pudding to individual cups. If using glass jars, you can transfer the pudding right away but if using plastic cups, the pudding should be no hotter than lukewarm.
- Top the pudding with crushed Oreos and candy. Store in the fridge until ready to eat!
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