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Childhood nostalgia meets bakery magic—Oreos, frosting, and yes, gummy worms.
Introduction
If you grew up in the ‘90s or early 2000s, the iconic dirt cup dessert probably holds a special place in your heart: chocolate pudding, crushed Oreos, and one lonely gummy worm peeking out like a squishy little treasure. Crumbl took that nostalgic delight and transformed it into a cookie. Now, I’m handing you the recipe to make their famous Dirt Cake Cookies right in your own kitchen.
These Crumbl Copycat Dirt Cake Cookies bring fudgy, chocolatey goodness loaded with Oreo “dirt.” Topped with whipped chocolate frosting, dusted with cookie crumbs, and finished with a gummy worm for that playful touch, these cookies are fun, easy, and far less expensive than standing in line to snag the rotating Crumbl menu item.
Before you start mixing, let’s make sure you have the right tools on hand. Believe me, the right mixer or baking sheet can elevate your cookie game from “meh” to masterpiece.
Recommended Equipment
A few smart tools will keep your baking smooth and your sanity intact:
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer – perfect for creaming butter and whipping frosting effortlessly.
- USA Pan Muffin Pan (12-cup) or Nordic Ware Half Sheet Pan – ideal for baking evenly sized cookies.
- Silicone Spatula Set – for folding and scraping every last bit of dough.
- Cuisinart Food Processor (14-cup) – crush those Oreos to perfect crumbs.
- Wooden Spoon Set – because every baker needs a trusty wooden spoon.
Got your gear ready? Great. Let’s move on to the ingredients. Most are pantry staples, but a few special touches make these cookies extraordinary.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ½ cup Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup dark cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
For the Frosting & Decoration
- ½ cup Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 5 Oreos, filling removed and crushed
- Gummy worms, for decorating
With ingredients ready, let’s bake these beauties step-by-step with photos to guide you through.
Step-by-Step Directions
Make the Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using your KitchenAid Stand Mixer, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing thoroughly.
- Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a separate bowl, then gradually mix into the wet ingredients.
- Scoop large mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving enough space for spreading.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until centers are just set. Allow cookies to cool completely on wire racks.
Make the Frosting
- In the stand mixer, beat together the softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cocoa powder until combined.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips with heavy cream until melted and smooth. Let cool.
- Fold the cooled chocolate ganache into the frosting and whip until light and fluffy.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
Prepare the Dirt
- Crush Oreos in the food processor until fine crumbs form.
Assemble the Cookies
- Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cooled cookie using your piping bag.
- Sprinkle each with Oreo crumbs to mimic “dirt.”
- Top with a gummy worm for the full dirt cake effect.
Cookies baked and decorated? High five! Before you call the kids over, here are some pro tips to ensure your cookies turn out fudgy, picture-perfect, and utterly irresistible.
Pro Tips
- Don’t overbake. The cookies should look just set in the center when you remove them from the oven. They’ll firm up as they cool.
- Make ahead. Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container and frost just before serving for the best texture.
- Get creative. Use seasonal gummy candies—eyeballs for Halloween or pastel worms for spring—to keep things festive.
Now, if you manage to resist devouring these all at once, here’s how to keep your batch fresh.
Storage
- Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months, then thaw and decorate as needed.
Final Thoughts
These Crumbl Copycat Dirt Cake Cookies are a perfect blend of nostalgia and indulgence. Playful enough for kids, but let’s be honest—moms deserve the first bite. They remind us that sometimes the best desserts are those that make you smile before you even take a bite.
So grab your Lodge Cast Iron Skillet (just kidding, but seriously, grab your cookie scoop), crush those Oreos, and whip up a batch of these bakery-style cookies at home—no Crumbl box required.
Crumbl Copycat Dirt Cake Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies –
- ½ c unsalted butter softened
- 1 c brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 t vanilla
- ½ c dark cocoa powder
- ½ t salt
- ½ t baking soda
- 1 ½ c flour
For the frosting & decoration –
- ½ c unsalted butter softened
- 1 c powdered sugar
- 2 T dark cocoa powder
- 1 t vanilla
- ½ c chocolate chips
- ¼ c heavy whipping cream
- 5 Oreos filling removed and crushed
- Gummy worms to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a couple baking sheets with parchment and set aside.
- In the bowl of stand mixer, combine the softened butter and brown sugar. Cream until smooth.
- Add in the vanilla and egg and mix until combined, scraping down the sides often.
- Add in the flour, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder. Mix well, scraping the sides often.
- Use a large ice cream scoop to divide the cookies and place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving several inches between each cookie.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the centers are set. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
- For the frosting – in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and cocoa powder. Mix on low until combined. Bump up the speed to medium and whip until smooth. Scrape down the sides.
- In another medium, microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream. Heat for 30 seconds to a minute or until all the chips have melted and the mixture is smooth. Allow to cool to room temp.
- Add the ganache mixture to the frosting once cooled. Whip on medium until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the sides often. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Set aside.
- Using a food processor, crush the Oreo cookies until finely crushed. Set aside.
- To assemble – once the cookies are cool, they can be decorated. Pipe a spiral of frosting over the top of each cookie.
- Sprinkle with the crushed Oreo crumbs. Top with a gummy worm.
Notes
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