• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Courtney's Sweets
  • Home
  • About
  • Dairy Free
  • Recipes
    • All Recipes
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Recipes / Dirt Cupcakes with Gummy Worms

    Dirt Cupcakes with Gummy Worms

    BY: Courtney PUBLISHED: Jul 29, 2022 Leave a Comment UPDATED ON: Dec 9, 2022

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.
    • Facebook
    • X
    • LinkedIn
    JUMP TO RECIPE
    dirt cupcakes with gummy worms with title text on imgages for pinterest.
    dirt cupcakes with gummy worms with title text on imgages for pinterest.

    These Dirt Cupcakes with Gummy Worms are made up of chocolate cake mix, topped with a chocolate cream cheese frosting and Oreo cookie crumbs. They’re perfect for any holiday or occasion, like Halloween or even summer parties!

    dirt cupcakes with gummy worms on top of them on a wooden plate.

    This is such a fun treat for Halloween or really any occasion. We love making these during the summer months as well as we’re teaching kids how to garden and how worms are one of our best garden buddies!

    hand holding a dirt cupcake with gummy worms on it and a plate in the background with more cupcakes.

    Recipe ingredients

    overhead ingredients photo for dirt cupcakes.

    Ingredient notes

    • Boxed Cake Mix – you can also use homemade cake mix that you’d usually use for cupcakes too! If you use a boxed mix, you’ll need to add eggs, water (or milk), and vegetable oil.
    • Milk Chocolate Chips – We use enjoy life rice milk chocolate chips when making dairy free.
    • Butter – If you’re using salted butter, you won’t need to add salt, but if you use unsalted add a bit to balance the flavors and sweetness.
    • Cream Cheese – To make this rich and creamy, we recommend only using full fat.
    • Vanilla Extract – Go for the pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
    • Powdered Sugar – Don’t have powdered sugar? You can make it at home in the blender quickly!
    • Cocoa Powder – Only use a cocoa powder you like. Some can be lackluster in the flavor department.
    • Oreo cookies – There are many allergy-friendly options if you can’t have Oreos. Check FAQ for our top pick.
    • Gummy Worms – You can use regular or even sour gummy worms.
    dirt cupcake with gummy worms on a terra cotta background with a plate full of dirt cupcakes in the background.

    How to make Dirt Cupcakes

    Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and prepare the cake mix according to the package instructions.

    mixed chocolate cupcake batter in a bowl.

    Line a muffin tin and fill them with the cupcake batter about 2/3 full.

    unbaked cupcake batter in a muffin tin.

    Bake according to package instructions. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool 2-3 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

    chocolate cupcakes cooling on a wire rack.

    While the cupcakes are cooling, you can make the chocolate cream cheese frosting.

    cream cheese and butter in a stainless steel bowl.

    Use a stand mixer or hand mixer with a large bowl and combine the butter and cream cheese until smoothie and creamy. Then add in each remaining ingredient mixing well between each addition.

    hand holding melted chocolate over a bowl with mixed cream cheese and butter.
    powdered sugar added to chocolate frosting in a bowl.
    cocoa powder added to chocolate frosting in a bowl.
    hand holding vanilla extract being added to chocolate frosting in a bowl.
    freshly made chocolate frosting in a stainless steel bowl.

    Crush the Oreo cookies in a food processor until they’re crumbs.

    whole oreos in food processor.

    We use the pulse function.

    crushed oreos in food processor.

    Once the cupcakes are cool, you can frost them.

    overheat photo of cupcakes with frosting on a cooling rack.

    Top with crushed Oreo crumbs.

    overhead photo of chocolate cupcakes with frosting and crushed oreos.

    Then add the gummy worms! You can either use whole ones or slice them in half and stick them into the frosting.

    dirt cupcakes with worms on them on a cooling rack.

    Recipe tips and variations

    • Don’t have a piping bag? Use an offset spatula or even a spoon! It will be covered in crushed Oreo cookies, so no worries about imperfections.
    • Use your favorite cake mix or try our Best Chocolate Cake Recipe!
    • You can use whatever gummy worms you perfect, even sour gummy worms work well too!
    • Not a fan of chocolate cream cheese frosting? Use your preferred frosting.
    dirt cupcakes with gummy worms on top of them on a wooden plate over photo.

    Storage and reheating tips

    • Refrigerate: These cupcakes have a cream cheese frosting, so they should be refrigerated for 3-4 days.
    • Freeze: To freeze cupcakes, we like to wrap them well in plastic if frosted and then place them in a freezer bag. You can save for up to 3-4 months.
    • Defrost: To defrost the cupcakes from the freeze, just set them in the fridge the day before.

    Frequently asked questions

    Does cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated?

    Yes, cream cheese frosting must be refrigerated to prevent it from spoiling. Weather permitting, you can leave them out frosted for up to 2 hours. If it’s too hot outside, we suggest keeping them indoors until they are ready to serve.

    Can I use anything aside from Oreos?

    Some have allergies, and that’s why we love the allergy-free offerings. Oreo makes gluten-free cookies. One of our top allergy-free favorites is Kinnikinnick. Kinnikinnick cookies and treats are produced in a facility free from gluten, wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame.

    wooden plate full of dirt cupcakes with gummy worms on them and gummy worms in front and a plate in the back left.

    More Oreo recipes

    close up of inside air fryer oreo

    Air Fryer Oreos

    layered oreo brownies with ganache frosting

    Layered Oreo Brownies with Ganache Frosting

    Halloween Popcorn Balls Recipe

    Halloween Popcorn Balls

    dirt cupcakes with gummy worms on top of them on a wooden plate.

    Dirt Cupcakes with Gummy Worms

    Author: Courtney
    These Dirt Cupcakes with Gummy Worms are made up of chocolate cake mix, topped with a chocolate cream cheese frosting and Oreo cookie crumbs. They're perfect for any holiday or occasion, like Halloween or even summer parties!
    5 from 2 votes

    click the stars to rate this recipe

    Print Pin Recipe 🖤 Save Saved!
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: dirt cake, dirt cupcakes, halloween cupcakes
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 24 cupcakes
    Calories: 249kcal

    Ingredients

    Cupcakes

    • 1 box Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
    • 3 eggs
    • 1 ¼ water or milk
    • ½ cup vegetable oil

    Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

    • ½ cup milk chocolate chips melted
    • 1/2 cup butter softened. If you're using unsalted add in 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 8 ounce cream cheese softened
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • ½ cup cocoa Powder

    Toppings

    • 15 Oreos crushed
    • 1 bag gummy worms
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Cupcakes

    • Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two muffin pans with desired paper liners. Set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl, prepare the cake mix as per the box instructions and make sure not to overmix.
    • Spoon the cupcake batter into the liners, filling only ⅔ of the way full (about 3 tablespoons). Then place in the oven and bake as per box instructions, about 14-19 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool 2-3 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before decorating.

    Frosting

    • Melt the milk chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds. Stir the chocolate with a spoon and place it back in the microwave for another 15 seconds if needed, stirring in between, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Be careful not to overdo it, as the chocolate will burn.
    • Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, place cream cheese and butter into a large bowl and mix on medium speed until there are no more lumps and the mixture is creamy. Add the remaining ingredients in intervals mixing in between each addition. (Melted chocolate, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla.) Set aside.

    Toppings

    • Place the Oreos into a food processor and pulse until you get Oreo cookie crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, you can also use a Ziploc bag and rolling pin to crush the Oreo cookies. Pour the Oreo cookie crumbs into a bowl and set it aside.
    • Once the cupcakes have cooled, they're ready to decorate. You can either spread the frosting with a spatula or use a piping bag. We used a piping bag with a 1M piping tip from Wilton. The large open star. After topping the cupcakes you can place a teaspoon full of Oreo "dirt" onto your cupcakes. Then add the gummy worms on top as a hole or half of a gummy worm.
    • Serve or refrigerate until ready to serve. Just take them out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes prior to serving.

    Tried this recipe?

    We’d love to know what you think! Please leave a rating and comment to share your thoughts on this recipe. Your feedback helps us continue sharing free, high-quality recipes with you. Thank you so much!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 249mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 284IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

    The nutritional information is automatically calculated and can vary based ingredients and products used. If the nutrition numbers are important for you we recommend calculating them yourself.

    nutrition disclaimer
    Tried this recipe?Mention @courtneyssweets or tag #courtneyssweets!

    So nice to have you here! Did you try this recipe? ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Be sure to leave a recipe rating! Also, tag us @courtneyssweets #courtneyssweets on Instagram so we can share it!

    POSTED IN: Desserts Recipes

    About Courtney

    Family, Food, and Photography are Courtney's passions and you'll see all of that on this blog. She is happily married to her husband Chris and together they have two amazing kiddos!

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    fall family photo mom, son, daughter, dad.

    WELCOME, I'M COURTNEY! This is where I share all the sweet things in my life. From my family, recipes we love, and even fun DIY projects and parties!

    More about me →

    Subscribe Today

    For all the latest in your inbox



    All links on this site may be affiliate links and should be considered as such. Courtney's Sweets is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Cookie Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • About
    • Nutrition Disclaimer

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Courtney's Sweets

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

    This worked exactly as written, thanks!
    My family loved this!
    Thank you for sharing this recipe

    Or write in your own words:

    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.