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Easy Peeps Dirt Cake Recipe: A Fun Easter Dessert Everyone Will Love

Easy Peeps Dirt Cake

A no-bake Easter dessert layered with crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, chocolate pudding, cream cheese, whipped topping, and colorful marshmallow Peeps. Chill it until creamy and cold, then decorate just before serving.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cookie Crumb Layer
  • 36 cookies Chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos
Cream-Cheese Filling
  • 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 ounces Cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup Powdered sugar
Chocolate Pudding Layer
  • 2 boxes, 3.4 ounces each Instant chocolate pudding mix
  • 3 cups Cold milk
  • 8 ounces Whipped topping, thawed, such as Cool Whip
Easter Decoration
  • 12-16 Peeps Marshmallow Peeps
Optional Decorations
  • As desired Gummy worms, chocolate eggs, or edible grass sprinkles

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Crush 36 chocolate sandwich cookies into fine crumbs using a food processor or a resealable bag and rolling pin. Leave a few slightly larger pieces if you want the finished dessert to look more like natural dirt.
  2. Reserve about 1 cup of the cookie crumbs for the final topping. Set those crumbs aside while you prepare the creamy filling and pudding mixture.
  3. Beat the softened butter, softened cream cheese, and powdered sugar together until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Room-temperature ingredients help prevent lumps and make the filling easier to combine.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the two instant chocolate pudding mixes with 3 cups of cold milk for about 2 minutes, or until thickened. Keep the pudding cold while you finish the remaining components.
  5. Fold the thawed whipped topping into the thickened pudding mixture. Use a gentle motion so the mixture stays light and fluffy.
  6. Fold or stir the pudding mixture into the cream-cheese mixture until evenly combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so the chocolate and cream-cheese layers are distributed throughout.
  7. Spread about one-third of the cookie crumbs across the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, deep casserole dish, or 3-quart trifle bowl. Press them very lightly so they form an even base without becoming hard-packed.
  8. Add half of the pudding mixture over the cookie crumbs and spread it carefully into an even layer. Follow with another layer of cookie crumbs, then add the remaining pudding mixture.
  9. Finish the assembled dessert with the reserved 1 cup of cookie crumbs. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours; chilling for 4 hours or overnight gives the best texture.
  10. Arrange 12 to 16 marshmallow Peeps on top immediately before serving. Add gummy worms, chocolate eggs, or edible grass sprinkles for extra Easter color and a fun garden effect.

Notes

Use instant chocolate pudding, not cook-and-serve pudding. Add the Peeps shortly before serving because extended refrigeration can make them sticky or cause them to lose their shape. For cleaner layers, use a deep dish or trifle bowl.