Dirt Cake Parfaits A Cool Layered Dessert

Dirt Cake is a favorite family dessert, but this parfait version is even better for serving at parties! They pair well with other individual desserts like Pretzel Rods or Vanilla Cupcakes for a dessert table spread.

Individual Dirt Cakes

Hi, it’s me – Lily! AGAIN! One of our favorite treats is Dirt Cake. My mom and I thought it would be fun to make a parfait version of it. It has all the same ingredients as regular dirt cake, but it’s layered in a jar instead of one big pan. I think this is a fun way to serve the dessert for parties. Then everyone can have their very own personal dirt cake! Speaking of parties, we actually made a pink version of these dirt cake parfaits so they could be used for a Valentine’s party. You could make them any color for any occasion!

How to Make Them

OREOS. Begin by smashing up Oreos. I use a food processor to crush up the cookies, but you can also put them in a ziplock bag and roll them with a rolling pin until they are finely crushed. Do not remove the cream center before crushing. CREAM. Mix cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar with mixer in a medium bowl. Fold in cool whip until well blended. In a separate bowl mix pudding mix and milk with a whisk. Once combined well, add pudding to cream cheese mixture. LAYER. Place a few tablespoons of Oreo crumbs in your container of choice. Add some of the creamy mixture, and a few more tablespoons of Oreo Crumbs. Top off with some more cream mixture and sprinkle on a few more crumbs. Top off with a whole Oreo on top. *Note: We used small jars because we thought they would look really pretty, but if serving to little kids I suggest using clear plastic cups. With jars, you can make about 6-7 parfaits. Using the smaller plastic cups will allow you to make more. SERVE. Refrigerate until ready to serve, and serve cool.

Recipe Tips:

Add the creamy mixture to a gallon bag and cutting off the corner so it goes in the jar more easily.To get any bubbles out of the cream mixture, bang the bottom of the jar down on a wash cloth on the table.Be sure that you buy INSTANT pudding mix and not the pudding that you need to cook.Whole milk makes a creamier puddingIt’s super important that the butter and cream cheese are soft so they mix together well with the other ingredients.

Making Ahead & Storing

Make these the night before and cover the individual cups with plastic wrap or foil and store them in the fridge until ready to serve. You could also prepare the Oreos and pudding and store separately until you’re ready to assemble it the day it will be served. The Oreo dirt parfaits will last several days STORED in the fridge, but the Oreos may start to get a little soggy after the first 24 hours. To FREEZE, seal the individual servings with lids and store them in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Serve frozen or let them thaw for a couple hours in the fridge before serving.

festive Dirt Cake Parfaits

We made a Valentine’s version by adding pink food coloring to the cream mixture, and topping the trifles with Valentine’s themed sprinkles. You could easily switch up this recipe for any holiday or occasion by using any color or festive topping!