This Christmas Dirt Cake recipe is a creamy no-bake treat layered with Golden Oreos, vanilla pudding, and Cool Whip. It costs about $1.70 per serving and is finished with Christmas Tree Cakes and festive sprinkles.
I love making this dessert during the holidays because it gives everyone a fun little piece of Christmas cheer. The colorful decorations make it especially fun to bring to family gatherings and holiday dinners.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Completely no-bake – No oven needed, just mix, layer, and chill.
- Make-ahead friendly – Assemble up to 24 hours before serving, which is perfect for a busy holiday.
- A festive, nostalgic topping – Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes make this instantly recognizable and fun.
- Easy to make year-round – Swap the Christmas trees for gummy worms or other seasonal toppings any time of year.
- Budget-friendly– At just $1.70 per serving, this dessert is an affordable way to add something festive to your holiday table.
After years of baking and creating recipes, I’ve found that some of the most memorable desserts don’t have to be complicated. This is a recipe I’d happily add to the holiday dessert table year after year.
You may also like to make Christmas Rice Krispie Treats, Christmas Crunch Recipe and Easy Santa Hat Cupcakes.
Ingredients
- Golden Oreos: Golden Oreos add a sweet vanilla flavor that pairs well with the creamy layers.
- Cream Cheese: Use a block of cream cheese (not the spreadable tub kind) and let it soften to room temperature before mixing. The tub version has more water in it, which can leave your filling thinner than it should be.
- Butter: Soften the butter before mixing for a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Cool Whip: Store-bought Cool Whip works great, or use Homemade Whipped Cream.
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix: Vanilla keeps the flavor classic, but white chocolate pudding is a delicious alternative.
- Milk: Whole milk gives the pudding layer a richer, creamier texture.
- Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes: Pick these up early during the holiday season since they can be difficult to find later.
- Christmas Sprinkles: Use any festive sprinkles you have on hand to decorate the top.
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. Once you add the whipped topping, switch from beating to gently folding it in with a spatula. Whipping it in vigorously knocks out the air that keeps the filling light and fluffy, leaving you with a denser, heavier texture instead.
Step 3. Get out a separate bowl and whisk together the milk and vanilla pudding mixes. Let it sit for 2–3 minutes to thicken before moving to the next step. This extra step keeps your filling from turning out runny.
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.
Pro Tips
- Instant Pudding: Use instant pudding mix rather than cook-and-serve pudding. It helps the creamy layer set properly.
- Soften the Cream Cheese and Butter: Let both ingredients soften before mixing so they blend smoothly without lumps.
- Thaw the Cool Whip: Make sure the Cool Whip is completely thawed before adding it to the mixture.
- Prepare the Oreos: Crush the cookies finely for an even crust and topping.
- Chill Before Serving: Refrigerate the dessert for at least 2 hours so the layers have time to set.
- Add the Decorations Last: Wait until right before serving to add the Christmas Tree Cakes. Adding them too early can cause them to soften and tip over.
Variations
- Chocolate Christmas Trees: Use chocolate Christmas Tree Cakes instead of the vanilla version for a chocolate twist.
- Pudding Flavors: Swap the vanilla pudding for chocolate, white chocolate, cheesecake, or another flavor you enjoy.
- Oreo Flavors: Try traditional Oreos or switch things up with peanut butter, red velvet, or another seasonal variety.
- Year-Round Version: Skip the Christmas Tree Cakes and decorate with gummy worms for a classic dirt cake.
- Seasonal Decorations: Change the snack cakes and sprinkles to match Easter, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, or another holiday.
- Extra Toppings: Add crushed cookies, chocolate chips, or colorful candies for more texture and flavor.
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.
Chill Longer for Cleaner Slices
Two hours is the minimum for the filling to set. However, chilling for 4 hours (or overnight) gives you firmer, cleaner slices which is worth doing if you’re serving this on a holiday dessert table where presentation matters.
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The crust will continue to soften the longer it sits, so this is best enjoyed within the first couple of days for the cleanest texture.
FAQ
No, this is a fully no-bake recipe. The Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes are simply placed on top as a garnish right before serving, not mixed into any of the layers.
You’ll need 2 full 16-ounce containers total. One mixed into the cream cheese filling and one used as the top layer.
Yes, layering the Oreo crumbs, pudding filling, and whipped topping in individual cups or a trifle dish works well for parties and makes for easy, no-mess serving.
This usually comes down to one of two things: using spreadable tub-style cream cheese instead of a block (the tub version has more water in it), or not letting the pudding sit for a few minutes after whisking so it can fully thicken before you fold it in. Chilling for at least 4 hours instead of the 2-hour minimum also helps the filling set up firmer for cleaner slices.
Freezing isn’t recommended for this recipe. The cream cheese and pudding filling can separate or turn watery once thawed, and the Oreo crust won’t hold its texture well after freezing and defrosting. This dessert is best made a day ahead and kept in the fridge rather than frozen.
More Christmas Desserts
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
See how we calculate recipe costs.
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!
Recipe Video
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.
Do you need 2 16 ounce cool whips?
Hey Leah – yes, 2 containers each 16 oz. You will need that much because of the filling and topping. Hope this helps!
Made this for our family get together with a twist. I didn’t mix the pudding and chili whip together, but layered them in a trifle bowl. Wish I could post a picture.
Hey Elaine – So glad you tried it and I bet it was gorgeous with the layers in a trifle dish. Thanks for commenting!