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One of my most cherished childhood memories is from my days as a Girl Scout. I recall a particularly memorable weekend at an invitational camporee at West Point, where our troop participated in various activities from obstacle courses to cook-offs. We even won one of the food competitions with a fun treat we called “dirt.” We presented it in a flower pot, complete with an artificial flower planted in it.

Since then, I’ve made “dirt” several times, and I’m always surprised by how easy and delightful it is. With just four ingredients, it’s a perfect, light treat for spring. Plus, you can easily adapt it to create a beach-themed “sand” version.

Here’s the simple recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 box of instant chocolate pudding
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 containers of Cool Whip (store brand is fine)
• 1 box of plain Oreos, crushed

Instructions:

1. Mix Pudding and Milk: Combine the instant pudding mix with the milk using a whisk. This works wonderfully for achieving a smooth texture.
2. Add Cool Whip: Stir in the Cool Whip. I prefer Jell-O brand pudding but am flexible with the Cool Whip brand. Use a mixing spoon or scraper to get rid of lumps, then whisk to smooth everything out.
3. Assemble: Transfer the mixture to your chosen container (a bowl, flower pot, etc.) and top it with the crushed Oreos. Refrigerate to keep it chilled.

Variations:

• Layered Oreos: For a deeper container, layer the crushed Oreos throughout the dessert to ensure a consistent crunch with each bite. For a shallower dish, just sprinkle the Oreos on top.
• Chill Before Topping: Refrigerate the pudding mixture before adding the Oreos to keep them crisp and crunchy.
• Beach-Themed “Sand”: Swap the chocolate pudding for vanilla pudding mix and use crushed sugar cookies or golden Oreos to create a sandy effect.

Recently, I used this recipe for a dinosaur-themed treat at the end of the school year. For the event, I substituted dinosaur gummies for the traditional gummy worms. I portioned the dessert into small plastic cups with lids (you can find them here) and kept them cool in a cooler bag with ice packs. The teacher let me know that the kids adored the treat! It was a bit of effort to prepare, but the high reward made it worth it.

Making these fun and simple treats brings joy not only to those who eat them but also to the creator. So next time you’re looking for a light and whimsical dessert, give “dirt” a try!

Featured image courtesy of Deposit Photos artist bhofack2.