If you remember eating dirt cake as a child, you’re going to love these cookies. Dirt cake is typically made of vanilla or chocolate pudding, oreo crumbs, and gummy worms. These cookies are an ode to dirt cake and are every bit as delicious as the pudding cake from our childhood.
About the cookie
According to crumbl, this is a warm Oreo® cookie rolled in Oreo® crumbs “topped with chocolate frosting, chocolate streusel, more Oreo® crumbs and a gummy worm.”
Oreo cookie rolled in Oreo crumbs
This cookie is a giant (~4oz of dough) cookie that’s flavored with cocoa powder and Oreo crumbs, then rolled in more Oreo crumbs prior to baking.
Chocolate Frosting
You’ll make a simple chocolate buttercream to go on top of these cookies. It’s silky smooth and delicious.
Chocolate Streusel
The chocolate streusel is a crumbly mixture made from heat treated flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, and melted vegan butter. It’s simple and delicious on top of these cookies.
Vegan Gummy Worms
Vegan gummy worms can be hard to find, so I ordered these off of Amazon. You could replace them with another type of vegan gummy.
Important Ingredients
Okay, okay. Every ingredient is important in this recipe. But below are a few of the ones that play a big role in making these cookies successful and delicious.
Vegan butter: This is the base of almost all of my vegan cookies. It’s important to use butter sticks in this recipe. You’ll also use it for the frosting.
All-purpose flour: This gives these cookies structure, however packing the flour into your measuring cup can lead to dry cookies. Use the spoon and level method or weigh your flour for success.
Cocoa powder: This gives these cookies a rich chocolate flavor. You should use the same method you use for measuring flour to ensure you don’t use too much.
Oreos: You can use oreos or your favorite vegan chocolate sandwich cookie. These are crushed and used in the cookie dough, as a coating for the cookies, and in the oreo cake balls.
Vegan gummy worms: These may not be that important for the flavor, but they’re super cute.
Copycat Crumbl Dirt Cake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113 g) vegan butter*, cold and cubed
- 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) nondairy milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (156 g) all-purpose flour measured correctly*
- 1/3 cup (33 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder measured correctly*
- 9 oreos, crushed (~1 cup [120 g])
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 oreos, crushed (for coating)
Chocolate Frosting
- 6 tbsp (84 g) vegan butter*, softened
- 1 cup (125 g) powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp (18 g) cocoa powder
- 1 + tsp nondairy milk
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Streusel
- 1/4 cup (31 g) all-purpose flour heat treated and cooled*
- 2 tbsp (12 g) cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp (15 g) brown sugar
- 2 tbsp (28 g) vegan butter, melted
Topping
- 1 oreo, crushed
- 5 vegan gummy worms
Instructions
- Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the cubed butter, sugar, and brown sugar to a mixing bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat with a hand mixer or the stand mixer until creamed.
- Add the milk and vanilla extract. Beat again until well combined.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, 9 crushed oreos, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined.
- Place the 4 crushed oreos into a small bowl.
- Split the dough into five equal pieces (~4oz each) and roll into balls. Roll in the crushed oreos, then place on the baking sheet, leaving room in between each. Press the balls down slightly.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
- Make the frosting: Add the softened butter to a medium-sized mixing bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat with a hand mixer or the stand mixer until fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, 1 tsp milk, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and creamy. If necessary, add more milk, 1/2 tsp at a time, until the frosting is firm but smooth. Place into a piping bag and cut off the tip of the bag to create a small opening. Set aside.
- Make the streusel topping: Add the flour, cocoa powder, and brown sugar to a small mixing bowl and stir. Pour in the melted butter and stir until a thick, crumbly dough is formed. If the dough seems wet, stir in a bit more flour or cocoa powder.
- Assemble the cookies: Swirl the frosting onto the cooled cookies. Top with some bits of streusel and oreo crumbs. Top each with a gummy worm. Serve!
Notes
- Vegan butter: Opt for butter in stick/block form rather than from the tub.
- Measuring flour and cocoa powder: Flour and cocoa powder should be measured using the spoon and level method or by weighing them.
- The flour in the streusel should be heat treated before eating.
- How to heat treat in the microwave: place flour into a bowl and microwave for 1:15, stirring every 15 seconds.
- How to heat treat in the oven: spread flour on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 5 minutes.