The Concept of the Worms and Dirt Pie Camping Dessert
This camp dessert just needs to be "put together" at camp. No cooking is involved. The base ingredient is the instant chocolate pudding, which must be prepared before the trip, at home, then the other ingredients; the gummy worms, chocolate cookie crumb dirt, and Cool-whip topping are all mixed and combined at camp, by the kids.
Toddlers will love the taste, but might be a little to young to appreciate the "ugh" factor of eating dirt and worms, and teenage campers will be too "cool" to admit they like it, but for elementary school age campers, it's a super winner that they will enjoy making as much as they do eating it.
The bonus will be that it's less work for you - meaning a little more relaxing time around the campfire.
How to Make Worms and Dirt Pie
These ingredient quantities are for four to six campers. it can be doubled for larger groups, or will have seconds for smaller groups.
Camping Recipe Prep Items:
- 2 each round disposable foil pie plates, or one 9 x 13 inch rectangular foil pan
- 1 disposable drink cup and spoon for each camper (10 to 16oz size)
- 1 large serving spoon
- 1 box ZipLoc gallon size double seal freezer storage bags
Recipe Ingredients:
- 2 pound pkg of chocolate sandwich cookies, ( or 2 each 1lb pkgs.), like Oreos
- 1 8oz pkg of gummy worms
- 1 tub Cool Whip topping ( or generic whipped topping)
- 1 small box of Milk Duds (these will be the rocks and stones in the dirt)
- 4 ea, 4oz pkgs. of instant chocolate pudding mix
At home recipe prep:
- Following pkg. instructions, make the chocolate pudding at home, but instead of putting in a bowl to chill in the refrigerator - divide the mixture into two of the ZipLoc gallon freezer bags, and lay flat to chill.
- Put the Cool whip in the fridge to thaw before the trip
At camp recipe prep:
This is more than just one of those fun camping recipes for kids - when you let them make it themselves it also becomes a fun camping activities for kids too. So just stand back and supervise - let the kids have the fun of making their Worms and Dirt Pie camping dessert.
- Divide the sandwich cookies into two of the ZipLoc gallon bags. Press out most of the air and seal the double seals. Then let the kids mush and pound them into fine crumbs - this is the dirt.
- Divide the Cool Whip topping into the two bags of pre-made chocolate pudding, bleed out as much air as possible, then seal the double seals and let the kids "mush" and massage the bags until the pudding and topping are well mixed. No Pounding on this step!
- Spread 1/2 of the cookie crumb "dirt" in the bottom of the pan(s)
- Pour in all of the chocolate pudding and whipped topping mixture. Have the kids drop in 2/3 of the gummy worms and Milk Duds. (final 1/3 of each will go on the top)
- Cover with the rest of the cookie crumb "dirt," smooth it out, but they can leave a few worms poking through if they want.
- Scatter the remaining Gummy worms and Milk Duds on the top - and it's done!
- Use the serving spoon to dip portions into the disposable cups for the campers to enjoy.
Notes:
- Make sure you have plenty of paper towels and/or wet-wipes. This camping recipe can get messy, no matter what age the campers making it are. It's just too much fun to resist playing, so be ready.
- The chilled pudding made at home will hold in the sealed ZipLocs for up to 5 days. If it will be more than two days before you use it - freeze it after it sets, then it will also act as ice to help chill your cooler, and still thaw in time for use.
- This is a delicious, but rich dessert that goes especially well with a cup of milk. Sort of like "milk and cookies"