Graveyard Pudding Cups with Cookie Tombstones (No-Bake Halloween Dirt Cups)
These graveyard pudding cups are Halloween dirt cups made with homemade microwave chocolate pudding and crushed chocolate cookie dirt, layered in clear cups. Each one is topped with a Milano-style cookie tombstone and a gummy worm. Nothing goes in the oven, and every guest gets an individual cup.
Equipment
- Large (at least 3-quart) microwave-safe bowl
- Whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Plastic wrap
- 8 clear cups, 8 to 9 ounces each
- Food processor (or zip-top bag and rolling pin)
- Parchment-lined plate
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Pudding
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder not hot cocoa mix
- 6 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 4 1/2 cups whole milk
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Dirt
- 22 regular chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos filling included, about 2 cups of fine crumbs
For the Graveyard Toppers
- 8 Milano-style oval cookies for the tombstones
- 1 small tube black decorating icing use white icing if your cookies are dark
- 8 gummy worms about 4 inches long
Instructions
Prepare the Tombstones and Dirt
- Pipe the tombstones. Line a plate with parchment paper. Use the black icing to write "RIP" on each of the 8 cookies. Let the icing dry until set, at least 15 minutes, and keep the cookies away from moisture until you assemble the cups.
- Crush the cookies. Pulse the 22 cookies, filling included, in a food processor until you have fine crumbs with no large chunks. If you do not have a food processor, seal the cookies in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Set the crumbs aside.
Make the Chocolate Pudding
- Mix the first pudding batch. The pudding is cooked in two equal batches so each one heats evenly. In the large microwave-safe bowl, whisk 2/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon salt, breaking up any cocoa lumps. Gradually whisk in 2 1/4 cups milk until completely smooth.
- Microwave to a full boil. Microwave on High for 7 to 10 minutes total, stopping to stir every 2 minutes. The pudding is ready when it comes to a full boil, looks glossy and thick, and coats the back of a spoon. If it has not reached a full boil after 7 minutes, continue in 1-minute increments, stirring after each. Microwave wattage varies, so go by these cues rather than the timer. Use oven mitts, because the bowl and pudding will be very hot, and watch for bubbling over near the end.
- Finish and cover. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla until the butter melts and the pudding is smooth. Scrape it into a large clean bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface so a skin does not form.
- Make the second batch. Repeat the three steps above with the remaining ingredients: 2/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 1/4 cups milk, 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir the second batch into the first in the large bowl, then press fresh plastic wrap onto the surface. You should have about 4 cups of pudding.
- Chill. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until the pudding is cold and thick. It can chill overnight.
Assemble the Graveyard Cups
- Layer the cups. Stir the chilled pudding until smooth and spoonable. Set 8 clear cups on a tray. In each cup, layer 1 tablespoon of cookie crumbs, 1/4 cup pudding, another 1 tablespoon of crumbs and another 1/4 cup pudding. Spoon the pudding down the center of the cup to keep the glass clean, and smooth each layer with the back of the spoon. Finish with 2 tablespoons of crumbs, spread to cover the pudding.
- Add the graveyard. Push the bottom 1/2 inch of a tombstone cookie into the crumbs near the back of each cup so it stands upright. Bury one end of a gummy worm in the crumbs so it looks like it is crawling out of the ground. Serve cold.
Notes
Time: Prep is 25 minutes, cooking is about 20 minutes (two microwave batches), the pudding chills for at least 2 hours and assembly takes about 15 minutes. Total time is about 3 hours, with about 1 hour of hands-on time.
Ingredient tips: Use whole milk, because the recipe is built around it and lower-fat milk may give a thinner pudding. Use plain unsweetened cocoa powder, not hot cocoa mix. Regular cookies make more even crumbs than Double Stuf. Any sturdy oval or rectangular cookie can be a tombstone.
Success tips: Whisk the dry ingredients first and add the milk gradually to avoid lumps. Use a bowl of at least 3 quarts to prevent boil-over. Cook each batch to a full boil so the pudding thickens fully. Chill the pudding completely before layering, because warm pudding makes the crumbs soggy and can soften the gummy worms. Add the tombstones and gummy worms last.
Troubleshooting: If the pudding is lumpy, whisk it well or press it through a fine-mesh sieve before chilling. If it is still thin after chilling, microwave it again in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each, until it comes to a full boil, then chill again. If a skin forms, lift it off before layering.
Variations: Instant chocolate pudding, prepared according to the package directions for about 4 cups, can replace the homemade pudding. Skip the microwave steps if you do this. The texture and nutrition will differ.
Storage and make-ahead: Make the pudding up to 2 days ahead with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface. Layer the cups, including the top crumbs, up to 1 day ahead and cover them with plastic wrap. Add the tombstones and gummy worms just before serving. Cover leftover cups and refrigerate for up to 3 days, though the crumbs, cookies and gummies soften over time. Freezing is not recommended, because cornstarch pudding can turn watery after thawing.
Serving safety: Because the pudding contains milk, keep the cups refrigerated. Do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it is above 90°F.
Allergens: Contains wheat, milk and soy. Check labels on the cookies, icing and gummy worms.
Nutrition: Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 of 8 cups, based on standard ingredient data and label values for the cookies. The tombstone cookies and gummy worms vary by brand and size, and the decorating icing is not included. Cholesterol and potassium are in mg, and vitamin A, calcium and iron are rough percent daily value estimates.
Calories per serving: ~525 kcal (estimated, per cup)