This gluten free no bake dirt cake is easy to make, kid friendly, and the perfect make-ahead dessert. Serve it with gummy worms and a trowel for a cute presentation that everyone will love.
It’s Earth Day today! What better way to celebrate than with a flower pot full of dirt and worms? But not real dirt and worms–edible dirt and worms in the form of gluten free no bake dirt cake. It’s such a cute idea that someone came up with a long, long time ago and it’s been a part of my list of the many things I wanted to share on this blog for a while.
What is Gluten Free No Bake Dirt Cake?
Years ago, when I was working in the billing department of a medical office, one of the ladies I worked with brought this dessert in. We were having one of our many potlucks for God knows what (we always had potlucks). When I saw it in the flower pot complete with gummy worms and a trowel (brand new, never used of course), I thought it was the cutest thing! Then I tasted it and was instantly hooked!
Dirt cake is layers of a vanilla pudding mixture and chocolate cookie crumbs. It’s usually made in a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, but I loved the cute flower pot presentation. If you have little kids, this is a great no bake project to include them in on. They’ll love putting the worms and flower in the dirt!
Make Dirt Cake with Just 7 Ingredients!
- Butter
- Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Pudding Mix
- Milk
- Cool Whip OR Freshly Whipped Cream
- Gluten Free Oreos–here’s the thing with the new gluten free Oreo’s. They aren’t made with “purity protocol” oats, which basically means that the oats are grown and harvested under strict guidelines that meet the standards to avoid cross contamination. Now, with that in mind, you may choose not to use actual gluten free OREOs and opt for any of the many gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies currently on the market. Glutino makes a great one, as does Walmart brand (Great Value). I personally have not been affected when eating the new gf Oreos (one crumb of gluten can ruin my week or two), but that’s a call you’ll have to make for yourself.
Serving Dirt Cake in a Flower Pot
Dirt cake by no means has to be served in a flower pot. It could also be made in a 9 by 13-inch pan, or really any deep baking dish that can hold the layers well. To use a flower pot, make sure it’s very clean (I cleaned mine with dish soap and warm water. After thoroughly drying it, I lined it with plastic wrap, but you don’t have to. I just wanted it to be easy to clean and mine also had holes in the bottom for drainage.
Make the layers of the pudding mixture and cookie crumbs, ending with the cookie crumbs. Add a couple gummy worms on top, if desired, and push them into the “soil” a little. You can also put a silk flower in the pot by first adding a straw, pushing it down into the pot, and then slipping the flower right in. Serve the dirt cake with the clean trowel.
Happy Earth Day and I hope you celebrate with this gluten free no bake dirt cake!
Gluten Free No Bake Dirt Cake
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp (57 g) butter, softened
- 8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
- 2 3.4 ounce (96 g) packages vanilla instant pudding mix
- 3½ cups (840 ml) cold milk (I use whole milk)
- 2¼ cups (540 ml) heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks (or 1 12-ounce container Cool Whip, thawed)
- 2 packages gluten free chocolate sandwich cookies*
- gluten free gummy worms, if desired
- clean flower pot, straw, silk flower, and trowel, if desired (for decoration)
Instructions
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In a large bowl, beat together butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth. In another bowl, mix vanilla pudding mix, cold milk, and whipped cream (or Cool Whip), beating until smooth and thickened. Fold together the two mixtures into one bowl and set aside.
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Grind cookies in food processor (or in a large ziptop bag using a rolling pin).
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Layer the ingredients in the flower pot (or a 9 by 13-inch baking dish), beginning and ending with the cookie crumbs. Cover and refrigerate dessert overnight.
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When ready to serve, add gummy worms to the top, as well as an artificial flower (poke a straw through the dessert and then insert flower stem into the straw–see above pictures for guidance), if desired. Serve with a clean, never-before-used trowel, if desired.
This is one of my all time favorite desserts. My aunt gave me the recipe which is exactly the same. Made my heart happy to see you post it. The only thing I do differently is leave the oreos in pieces which gives a nice big bite of softened cookie with the pudding.
Ooooh, that sounds really yummy, Pam! Almost like a banana pudding with Oreo’s instead of vanilla wafers 🙂