"Dirt Pudding" Pumpkin Patch

I was bringing a dessert to a 'spooky Halloween dinner,' and wanted to make something creative. I had heard of the 'dirt cup' recipes with gummy worms before, but I wanted to do something a little different, so I adapted the recipe to this! Kiddos loved it and so did the adults!

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 795 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 3 ½ cups milk
• 1 drop green food coloring
• 2 (3.5 ounce) packages instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 (14 ounce) packages chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo®)
• 1 (5 ounce) bag gummy worm candies (Optional)
• 40 candy (mellocreme) pumpkins
• ½ cup vanilla frosting (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Crush cookies in 2 or 3 batches in a food processor. Pulse until you get fine crumbs, about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to a bowl.

Step 2

Place cream cheese, butter, and confectioner's sugar in food processor; mix until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Step 3

Whisk milk and pudding mixes together in a bowl until pudding is thickened; fold in whipped topping. Stir in cream cheese-butter mixture.

Step 4

Press 1/3 of the cookie crumbs onto the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan. Sprinkle half of the gummy worms on the crumb layer. Spread half of the pudding mixture over the crumbs and candy. Carefully layer another 1/3 of the crumbs over the pudding mixture and sprinkle on more gummy worms. Add the last layer of cookie crumbs and smooth them out for your "pumpkin patch."

Step 5

Place pumpkin candy in rows with enough room to for frosting "vines" and "leaves."

Step 6

Tint frosting with green food coloring and transfer to piping bag. Connect pumpkins with "vines" and add swirling tendrils. Switch to a leaf tip and create some leaves.