Dirt Cake Cookies with Gummy Worms

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Published on August 18, 2026

Dirt cake cookies are an easy party dessert that kids go crazy for, and adults sneak just as many. Each cookie starts with a rich, fudgy chocolate base, then gets topped with a thick swirl of Nutella frosting, a heavy dusting of crushed Oreos for the “dirt,” and a gummy worm peeking out of the top. If you need a fun Halloween treat for a class party, bake sale, or fall potluck, these dirt cake cookies check every box. 

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Why These Dirt Cake Cookies Are Perfect for Your Next Party

These are the cookies you bring to Halloween parties or the Easter egg hunt and suddenly everyone is crowding around the dessert table asking if there are more. The dirt-and-worms situation works for both holidays in a way that still surprises me every time. For Halloween it’s creepy and perfect. For Easter and spring, you lean into the garden moment.

If you’re the kind of person whose sweet tooth sends you straight to the Crumbl cookies lineup every week, these hit that same thick-and-loaded note. Think of them as Crumbl dirt cake cookies you can actually make at home, with all the nostalgia of old-school dirt pudding baked into a cookie.

The other thing I love about this dirt cake cookie recipe is how adaptable it can be. You can use store-bought cookie dough (the Ghirardelli chocolate chip brownie dough is the one I reach for), a boxed mix, or your own homemade batch. Same goes for the frosting. Nutella buttercream is what I normally make because it is absolutely dreamy, but store-bought chocolate frosting works fine if you’re short on time.

If you’re already planning a spread, these cookies would be right at home next to my easy Easter cupcakes for a spring dessert table, or tucked in with the rest of your Halloween party treats for a spooky night.

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What You Need to Make Dirt Cake Cookies

Chocolate Cookie Dough: The Ghirardelli chocolate chip brownie cookie dough is the one I keep going back to, but any chocolate cookie dough, boxed mix, or even pre-baked cookies you love will work here. If you’re mixing your own, look for a dough with brown sugar and chocolate chips in it,  that’s what gives you that chewy chocolate cookie texture instead of a crisp one.

Butter: Make sure it is fully softened to room temperature before you start. Cold butter will not cream up the same way and you’ll end up fighting the mixer.

Nutella: The star of the frosting. Room temperature Nutella blends in much more smoothly than cold right out of the fridge, so pull it out when you pull out the butter.

Powdered Sugar: Start with less than you think you need. These cookies are already rich and sweet, so you don’t want an overpowering frosting. You can always add more powdered sugar to firm it up if needed.

Heavy Cream: Cold heavy cream is what gives the frosting that light, whippable texture. Do not swap it for milk or the consistency won’t be the same.

Vanilla Extract: Just a splash. It rounds out the chocolate hazelnut flavor and keeps the frosting from tasting flat.

Oreo Cookies: You want them crushed to fine Oreo cookie crumbs, the finer the better for that realistic dirt look. A zip-top bag and a rolling pin works great, or a quick pulse in a food processor.

Gummy Worms: The whole moment. One per cookie, poking up out of the Oreo dirt. Classic.

How to Make Dirt and Worm Cookies Step by Step

Step 1: Preheat your oven and prepare your cookie dough according to the package or recipe instructions. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, scoop your cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet with a large cookie scoop, and bake as directed.

Step 2: While the cookies bake, add the softened butter and Nutella to a large mixing bowl. Cream butter and Nutella together on medium speed with a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment) until smooth and creamy, about two minutes.

Step 3: Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing on low after each addition until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed so nothing hides at the bottom.

Step 4: Pour in the cold heavy cream and the vanilla extract, then beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the frosting is fluffy and holds its shape. If it looks too soft, add a little more powdered sugar. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until the cookies are ready.

Step 5: Once the cookies come out of the oven, move them to a cooling rack and let them cool completely before decorating. Do not rush this step or the frosting will melt right off.

Step 6: Crush the Oreos into fine crumbs. A Ziploc bag or freezer bag and a rolling pin works great, or a quick pulse in the food processor does the job fast. Pour the crushed Oreos into a separate bowl so you can grab handfuls easily.

Step 7: Spread or pipe the Nutella frosting onto each of your cooled cookies. A piping bag with a large round piping tip makes quick work of it, but a butter knife and a circular motion is honestly just as good. It does not have to look neat, you are covering it in dirt anyway. You just want enough frosting that the crumbs have something to stick to.

Step 8: Sprinkle about a tablespoon of Oreo crumbs over the frosting on each cookie, covering it fully so the top cookies look like little mounds of dirt.

Step 9: Press one gummy worm into the top of each cookie so it looks like it is wiggling out of the dirt. Serve immediately or refrigerate in a single layer until ready to go.

Make Ahead and Storage Tips for Fudgy Dirt Cake Cookies

Make Ahead:

• The Nutella frosting can be made up to three days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes and give it a quick stir with an electric mixer before using so it spreads easily.
• The cookies can be baked a day ahead and stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Decorate with frosting, Oreo crumbs, and gummy worms the day you plan to serve them for the best look.

Storage:

• Decorated cookies can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Keep them in a single layer so the worms don’t get squished.
• Let them come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving if you refrigerated them. The frosting softens up nicely and the cookie texture is better at room temp.
• The chewy gummy worms can get a little stiff in the fridge, so if that bothers you, just press them in right before serving.

Easy Swaps and Variations

Cookie Base Options: Any chocolate cookie works here…store-bought dough, a boxed mix, or your favorite homemade recipe. If you bake from scratch, a dough built on brown sugar and white sugar gives you the best chewy texture for these dirt cookies.

Pre-baked cookies from the store work too in a pinch. 

Sugar cookies or vanilla cookies can be used if you want a less chocolatey base, though the contrast with the dirt theme is less dramatic.

Frosting Swaps: A store-bought chocolate frosting works perfectly fine here if you want to skip making the buttercream from scratch.

Peanut butter frosting is a fun twist if Nutella is not your thing.

Cream cheese frosting gives it a slightly tangy flavor that pairs really well with the rich Oreo crumbs.

Oreo Variations: Regular Oreos are the classic move, but there are some fun ways to play with this.

Double Stuf Oreos crush up just as well, scrape a little of the filling out first if you want drier crumbs.

Halloween Oreos with orange filling make the “dirt” layer a little more festive for a spooky party.

Golden Oreos crushed up create a sandy look if you are going for a beach or summer vibe instead.

Gummy Worm Swaps: Colorful gummy worms are the obvious choice, but you can switch them out depending on the occasion.

For Easter, try small candy eggs or baby chick candies poking out of the dirt instead.

For Halloween, gummy spiders, gummy bugs, or gummy worm-inspired sprinkles are a creepy and cute swap.

Frequently Asked Questions

These dirt cake cookies with gummy worms are one of my favorite desserts to make, especially if it’s a party where kids are around, they go crazy for them!