Dirt cake is an American classic dessert that features layers of crushed Oreos, a pudding layer, and cool whip. Often, it's decorated with gummy worms as a fun topping. There are many variations of this dessert. You may know it as a cup of dirt, Oreo dirt pudding, or Oreo dirt cup. This easy low-carb Oreo-inspired Dirt Cake recipe is reminiscent of the classic no-bake dessert we all know and love. This low-carb dirt cake is one you'll want to include the kids in the kitchen to help you prepare.
My recipe for keto Oreo cake is a delicious, low-carb alternative to traditional dirt cake recipes. This cake consists of a layer of chocolate "Oreo" keto cookie crumbs, a layer of chocolate cheesecake, and another layer of keto-friendly Oreo cookie crumbs. Have you ever heard of Keto Oreo Dirt Cake? It’s a delicious dessert made of layers of chocolate mousse, cream cheese and crunchy Oreo inspired “dirt.” Dirt cake with regular Oreos was one of my favorite desserts when I was a kid. I’ve always loved anything with Oreos in it! But, it took a while to replicate this dessert because I could never get the authentic Oreo flavor I was looking for.. until now.
If you're following a keto diet, you know that carbs can be tricky to manage. Plus, my recipe takes minutes to prepare, not counting the chill time. This makes it a great dish to take to your next potluck BBQ!
Unlike the name, keto dirt cake doesn't taste like dirt. Instead, it tastes like rich chocolate and creaminess. Simply make the cake and pudding, then enjoy!
Why Keto Dirt Cake?
Dirt cake isn’t exactly the most attractive name for a dessert, is it? It sounds like something you might have made in the sandbox in kindergarten, or something the school bully might make you eat on the playground after school. Thankfully, it is neither of those things. Instead, it consists of a creamy, no bake layered dessert made to look as if it contains dirt. Which surely appeals to the kid in all of us.
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers
I first made this Keto Peanut Butter Dirt Cake back in 2014 and it became an instant hit. I decided to update it after not making it in years. The only question is, why did I wait so long? This dessert is amazing! If you love creamy layered desserts, be sure to check out Keto Sex in a Pan and Keto Lemon Lush too!
I have to admit, I had never even heard of dirt cake until a reader asked me to make a low carb version. She sent me a link to a high-carb recipe she wanted me to re-create. I took one look and I knew I had to try it. Chocolate cookies, peanut butter AND chocolate pudding? Well that just jumped to the head of the to-make list!
This recipe brings together a few of my most popular keto desserts. It takes a batch of my Keto Peanut Butter Mousse and one recipe for Keto Chocolate Pudding. The crust is the same one I use for x. And the crumbly dirt topping can be made from scratch or you can just crumble up some keto brownie bites!
Ingredients
Oreo Keto Crumbs
- Almond flour
- Sugar-substitute
- Black cocoa powder
- Salt
- Melted butter
- Vanilla
Chocolate Cheesecake Layer
- Softened cream cheese
- Sugar substitute
- Cocoa powder
- Salt
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla
Chocolate Mousse
- Water
- Gelatin
- Heavy cream
- Sweetener
- Cocoa powder
Whipped Cream
- Heavy cream
- Sweetener
- Vanilla
Cake
- 3 eggs, room temp
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup granulated sweetener or erythritol
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 serving Cookies and Cream Keto Chow (or 1 scoop)
Pudding
- 8oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (must be UNSALTED)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup powdered sweetener Swerve
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream divided in 1 cup & 1/2 cup increments
- 1 serving Cookies and Cream Keto Chow (or 1 scoop)
- 1/2 cup water, cold
Instructions
1. Oreo Keto Crumbs
- In a medium-sized bowl combine the almond flour, sugar-substitute, black cocoa powder, and salt.
- To this dry mixture add the melted butter and vanilla and mix well. The texture will be crumbly.
- Next, in a preheated 350-degree oven spread the cookie crumbs evenly onto a large baking sheet that has been lightly greased.
- Bake the cookie crumb mixture for about 15-20 minutes.
- Allow the crumbs to cool completely before crumbling the mixture further. Then set the crumbs aside. Note that the mixture will still be a little damp, this is fine and will not affect the outcome.
2. Chocolate Cheesecake Layer
- Using an electric mixer and a large mixing bowl or a stand-up mixer, beat the softened cream cheese on high and then lower the speed to medium and add the sugar substitute, cocoa powder and salt.
- Next, slowly add the heavy cream and vanilla and process until the mixture is well incorporated and grows in volume.
3. Chocolate Mousse
- Put water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it.
- Let stand for 1 minute to soften. Add the hot water, stirring until the gelatin is completely dissolved.
- Use a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
- Whip the cream and sweetener on medium speed until soft peaks start to form.
- Scrape down the sides. Continue mixing, slowly adding the cocoa powder. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Pour in the gelatin mixture and mix until the mousse is smooth.
4. Whipped Cream
- Use a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
- On medium speed, blend cream with sweetener and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- You can also use a whipped cream dispenser to make excellent homemade whipped cream. It comes with different attachments and makes decorating fun.
5. Assembling The Keto Oreo Dirt Cake
- In an 11 X 7-inch pyrex or metal dish add half of the cookie crumbs to the bottom of the dish.
- Then, top with the remaining cookie crumbs.
- If adding the sugar-free gummy worms, add them to the final top "dirt" layer.
- Use a large trifle bowl or other clear serving bowl to layer the ingredients.
- Spread one third of the cookie crumbs in the bottom of the bowl.
- Next, evenly spread half of the chocolate mousse over the cookies followed by half of the whipped cream.
- Repeat with another third of the cookie crumbs and the rest of the mousse and whipped cream.
- Sprinkle the top with the rest of the cookie crumbs.
- Refrigerate for at least 8 hours to overnight before serving.
- You can layer the cake in any dish you like. For example, it can be layered in a 9×13 cake pan or individual dessert cups for parties.
6. Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix all of the cake ingredients with a mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into an 8x8 pan that has been lined with parchment paper and greased.
- Smooth batter to all edges and shake out air bubbles.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until done.
- Place the cake in the freezer to cool completely. Roughly 30 minutes.
- While the cake cools, you can prepare the pudding filling.
7. Pudding
- Whip together softened cream cheese, softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, vanilla and Swerve until creamy and smooth, about 3-5 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, blend together 1 cup heavy cream, water and Keto Chow until thick and pudding like.
- Fold together cream cheese and Keto Chow pudding mixture. Place in the fridge.
- Pull cake from the freezer and add to a food processor, pulse to break down into crumbles.
- Layer cake crumbles and the pudding mixture in your favorite glass dish until nothing remains. It’s easiest to pipe in the pudding if you can.
- Refrigerate to let set overnight or preferably 24 hours.
Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Keto Dirt Cake
- Black Cocoa Powder: Black dutch processed cocoa powder is what gives Oreos their distinct chocolate flavor. You can use regular cocoa powder, but it will not taste the same! It will be tasty but won’t have the oreo flavor that the original dirt cakes have. Black cocoa powder and dark cocoa powder are not the same. It tastes different from regular cocoa powder. Oreo cookies have a distinct deep chocolate flavor because they use black cocoa powder.
- Sweetener: As far as choosing your sweetener, my top choice is a monk fruit/erythritol blend. Lastly, if you can't easily find a more natural sugar substitute, you can also use Splenda or a generic brand.
- Cookie Crumbs: The cookie crumbs are the star of this dessert.
- Chocolate Mousse: An alternative would be a batch of sugar-free pudding.
- Whipped Cream: While you can use sugar-free whipped cream in most desserts, there’s just something about making homemade whipped cream that elevates your favorite desserts.
- Glucomannan: This helps thicken the chocolate pudding and helps it set. You can also use xanthan gum.
- Unsweetened chocolate: Make sure to choose chocolate that is 100% cacao, with no sweeteners at all.
- Chocolate cookie crumbs: I used some crumbled HighKey brownie bites for the topping. If you don’t have that, you can make a little extra of the crust mixture.
- Make sure you give the pudding time to set properly, especially if you are using some allulose as the sweetener. It can take longer to set if you do but I think the results are a little better. It’s less likely to re-crystallize.
- You can use any powdered sweetener in the peanut butter mousse layer, as it doesn’t rely on it for structure. Even liquid stevia works here.
- I think the crust works best with Swerve, but it doesn’t need to be crisp so you can use what sweeteners you like best.
- If you don’t have the HighKey Brownie Bites, you can make a little bit of extra crust for the dirt topping. Simply whisk 2 tablespoons of almond flour (or sunflower seed flour for nut-free), 1 tablespoon of powdered sweetener, 1/2 tablespoon of cocoa powder, and 1/2 tablespoon of melted butter. Once it begins to clump together, sprinkle it over the cake.
Variations and Toppings
The toppings for Keto Dirt Cake can vary depending on your taste preferences.
Storage Instructions
Keto Dirt Cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When storing in the refrigerator, it’s best to store the cake in an air-tight container.
Read also: Keto Calorie Counting: A Detailed Guide
Store the cake in the fridge, covered up, for up to 5 days. It can also be frozen for several months. Wrap it up tightly to avoid freezer burn.
Can I layer the cake in different dishes?
Yes! You can layer the cake in any dish you like. For example, it can be layered in a 9×13 cake pan or individual dessert cups for parties.
Nutritional Information
Nutritional information is included as a courtesy and is calculated to the best of my ability, using my preferred brands. I recommend calculation your own macros, as they can widely vary depending on the brands of ingredients you use.
This keto chocolate peanut butter dirt cake recipe has 6.5g of carbs and 1.8g of fiber per serving. That comes to 4.7g net carbs per slice. But it’s a really rich dessert so you may want to cut the cake into 18 or 20 slices!
Read also: Magnesium Supplements for Keto