This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please see our full disclosure policy for details.
What could be a better dessert for Halloween than a Dirt Cup? Make it in a cake mix cookie cup and you have yourself the best darn Dirt Cup Cookie Bite EVER! No need for a plastic cup, the entire thing is edible which it totally awesome. That paired with the fact that it is a cookie and you have yourself one of the best Halloween dessert ideas I have ever seen.
The last time I made a Dirt Cup was years ago. My Taters and Tales are now 28 and 26 {how is that possible}, so it has been a little while since I had Halloween party duty.
These sweet little cups are layers of chocolate goodness. Plus they are super cute! Mini cookie bites always have a special place in my heart because of their sweet size.
At school we always make something fun for Halloween and these Dirt Cup Cookie Bites might just be the recipe of choice.
What is in a Dirt Cup Cookie Bite?
Dirt Cups are a super fun dessert where you layer chocolate pudding with cookie crumbs and a gummy worm. The idea is to create the the look of dirt with worms.
Normally they are served in a plastic cup but we are baking a chocolate cookie cup with a cake mix instead. I love that the whole Dirt Cup is edible.
How to make Dirt Cup Cookie Bites with a Cake Mix
- Begin by combining chocolate cake mix {I used chocolate fudge} with butter and two eggs. Using a hand held mixer works really nicely.
- The cookie dough will be a thick and beautiful chocolate dough.
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop mounds of chocolate cake mix cookie dough into each mini muffin cup. Being sure that each cup is liberally sprayed with nonstick spray.
- Then use your fingers to lightly press each mound of dough down so that it is an even layer. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 9-11 minutes.
- Or until they are puffed up and cooked through. It is important to instantly take a knife or off set spatula and loosen up each cookie immediately.
- Then take a tart shaper {or end of a wooden spoon} and press down the middle of each cookie.
- While the cookies are cooling you can make the chocolate pudding. It is super simple because we are using instant pudding mix. Combine the pudding mix with 1 1/2 cups of milk, mix until it is thick. Then fold in the whipped topping. To fill the cookie cups you can either spoon it into each cookie or fill a piping bag and pipe it into each cup {you can also use a Ziploc bag and cut off one corner}.
- The next step is to cover the top of the chocolate pudding with the chocolate cookie crumbs. I used my food processor to get the chocolate sandwich cookies into a very fine texture. You could also add them to a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Finally top them a mini gummy worm {or half of a regular sized gummy worm}.
How Far in Advance can you Make Them?
Making them more than a day in advance will create a super soft {almost soggy} cookie. My suggestion would be to make every element ahead of time.
Then you can assemble them the day you plan to eat/serve them.
Steps to Make Dirt Cup Cookie Bites:
- Bake cookie cups with a chocolate cake mix, using a mini muffin pan.
- Make chocolate pudding and fill each cookie.
- Top cookies with chocolate cookie crumbs and gummy worm.
Make these guys on Halloween and watch them disappear. Or better yet…make them today because they are awesome!
Do you love a good Cookie Cups recipe? Try these recipes…
- Boston Cream Pie Cookie Bites
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cookie Bites
- Ice Cream Sundae Cookie Bites
- Candy Corn Cookie Bites
- Halloween Brownie Bites
Dirt Cup Cookie Bites Recipe
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Cups
- 1-15.25 oz. box chocolate cake mix {I used chocolate fudge}
- 1/3 cup butter {softened}
- 2 eggs
Chocolate Pudding
- 1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix
- 1 1/2 cups milk {I used 1%}
- 1 cup whipped topping
Toppings
- 1/2 cup chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
- 36 mini gummy worms {or 36 gummy worms halved}
Instructions
Chocolate Cookie Cups
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare mini muffin pan by spraying each cup liberally with non-stick cooking spray. Pour chocolate cake mix into a medium bowl and whisk {or sift} to remove any lumps. Add softened butter and eggs to the cake mix and combine with a hand held mixer until dough is thick and sticky. Using a small cookie scoop {or 1/2 tbsp.}, put a mound of cookie dough into each muffin cup. Using your fingers, go back and press the mound of dough down to create a level cookie. Bake for 9-11 minutes. {Do not over cook, they will set up as they cool.} Remove from oven and immediately run a knife around the edge of each cookie cup {I used an offset butter knife}. Go back and use a tart shaper {or end of a wooden spoon} to press middle of cookie down and create a indentation. Move cookies to cooling rack and let them cool completely. Continue to bake second batch if necessary.
Chocolate Pudding
- In a medium bowl combine instant chocolate pudding mix and milk. Using a mixer {or whisk}, incorporate ingredients until the mixture is thick. Add whipped topping and mix until combined. Spoon chocolate pudding or pipe a generous amount of pudding into each cookie indention. If you don't have a piping bag you can always use a Ziploc bag.
Toppings
- Add chocolate cookie crumbs over the top of the chocolate pudding so that it covers it. Then top with gummy worm. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1-2 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These were so cute for a class party and so easy to make!