This easy Christmas Dirt Cake Recipe will be the star of the dessert table. Everyone will go crazy over the creamy layers of Oreo cookies and pudding. It is so festive topped with Christmas tree cakes and sure to be a hit.
Dirt Cake is always a popular dessert any time of year. We jazzed it up for Christmas and I think you will love it. It is simply amazing, and each bite is so decadent.
The Little Debbie snack cakes on top make it so fun and really cute. Everyone will ask for this again and again. It is really easy to make so you can easily turn this into an annual tradition.
Go ahead and make Grinch Brownies and Christmas Rice Krispie Treats for another festive treat. We also love Christmas Crunch Recipe and Easy Santa Hat Cupcakes.
Table of contents
Why We Love This Recipe
Once you try it, this dessert will quickly become one of your favorite dessert recipes. Friends and family will go crazy over this amazing recipe. From the rich layers to the Christmas Cakes on top, it is so good.
We enjoy making it every Christmas and modify it to enjoy all year long. It is so easy and delicious.
Ingredients
- Golden Oreos. I love to use Golden Oreo cookies in the Christmas version for the perfect pairing with the other ingredients.
- Cream Cheese. This needs to be softened.
- Butter. Soften the butter so it’s easy to blend.
- Cool Whip. You can use store brand. Another option is Homemade Whipped Cream.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix. We used vanilla but white chocolate would be delicious too.
- Milk. Whole milk will give the pudding the richest flavor.
- Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes. Stock up on these early as they can be hard to find.
- Christmas Sprinkles. You can use any type you have or prefer.
Find the complete list of ingredients at the bottom of the page.
How to Make Christmas Dirt Cake
Step 1. First, crush the Oreos. We used a food processor. If you do not have one, put the cookies in a ziplock bag and crush with the back of a wooden spoon or rolling pin. Then put about 2/3 of the crushed oreo cookies in the bottom of a 9X13 pan.
Step 2. Next, add the cream cheese and butter to a large bowl. Cream this together with a mixer or stand mixer until smooth. Once combined, add the powdered sugar and whipped cream.
Step 3. Get out a separate bowl and whisk together the milk and vanilla pudding mixes.
Step 4. Once this is combined together, fold the pudding mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Now pour this mixture over the crushed Oreo cookies in the baking dish.
Step 5. Top with the remaining crushed Oreos and the remaining cool whip. Refrigerate covered at least 2 hours before serving.
Step 6. Finally, right before serving, add the sprinkles and the Little Debbie Christmas trees.
Storage
Leftovers should be covered and placed in the fridge. They will last up to 5 to 7 days.
Can You Make in Advance?
Yes, you can make this dessert up to 24 hours in advance. I wouldn’t make it any sooner than that because the oreo cookies will get too soft.
Just make sure to wait to add the sprinkles and cakes right before serving.
Pro Tips
- Christmas trees. You can change the flavor by substituting chocolate Christmas tree cakes in this recipe.
- Pudding flavors. We used vanilla but any flavor can be used. Chocolate fans will love chocolate pudding in this recipe.
- Instant Pudding. Make sure to use instant pudding or the dirt cake mixture might end up runny. The instant pudding helps it to have a firm consistency.
- Oreo cookies. Any flavor of cookies can be used in this dirt cake recipe. Traditional Oreo cookies taste delicious or try flavors such as peanut butter, red velvet and more.
- Cool Whip. Make sure to completely thaw the whipped topping before using.
- Cream cheese and butter. Both of these should be softened before mixing together. I like to sit both of these on the counter to soften while I am getting the crust ready.
- Topping. It is important that you do not add the tree cakes until right before serving. If you add these too early, they will soften and topple over.
- Seasonal. Make this year round by skipping the Christmas trees. Add gummy worms instead to the dirt cake. You can switch out the Little Debbie snack cakes for other seasonal cakes.
More Christmas Desserts
- Little Debbie Christmas Tree Dip
- Christmas Dirt Cups Recipe
- Easy Christmas Fudge
- Christmas Bark Recipe
- Easy Christmas Wreath Cookies
- Christmas Crack Recipe
I’m so excited for you to make Christmas Dirt Cake. Please come back and leave a star rating and comment!
Christmas Dirt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pkg Golden Oreos 15.5 oz
- 8 oz Cream Cheese softened
- 1/2 cup Butter softened
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 2 16 oz Cool Whip
- 2 pkg Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix (3.3 oz)
- 3 cups Milk
- Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
- Christmas Sprinkles
Instructions
- Crush the Oreos in a food processor or blend and place 2/3 of them in the bottom of a 9X13 pan. Set aside.
- Cream together the cream cheese and butter with a hand held mixer or stand up mixer until smooth. Then mix in the powdered sugar and 16 oz cool whip.
- Then in a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla pudding mixes. Then fold this mixture into the cream cheese mixture.
- Pour this mixture over the Oreos in the 9X13 pan.
- Then top with the remaining crushed up Oreos and the remaining cool whip.
- Cover and refrigerate the cake for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
- Decorate the cake with the sprinkles and Little Debbie Christmas trees right before serving and enjoy!
So to make sure I understand. There are no Christmas tree cakes in this recipe.. just set
On top, correct? I tried
To read all the way thru, but it was hard to navigate and fear i may have skipped..thx
Yes, we decorated the top of the dirt cake with the Christmas Tree Cakes.