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+ servings
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5 from 1 vote

Dirt and Worms Halloween Brownies

Featuring layers of rich and moist chocolate brownie, smooth and creamy chocolate pudding buttercream, edible "dirt" crushed Oreos, and spooky gummy worms.

Equipment

  • small pot
  • saute pan
  • rubber spatula
  • kitchen aid stand mixer
  • 4 qt mixing bowl
  • paddle attachment
  • parchment paper
  • whisk
  • plastic wrap

Ingredients

Chocolate Pudding Buttercream

  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
  • ½ cup 2% milk
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

Brownie Batter

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter
  • 1 ⅛ cup light brown sugar
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup dark cocoa powder
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 3-4 oreos, crushed into "dirt" filling scraped out
  • cup assorted gummy worms

Instructions

Making the Chocolate Pudding Buttercream

  • In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and milk. Whisk well to combine.
  • Pour the mixture into a small pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat, about 5-6 minutes, whisking every minute. When the mixture is boiling, let it boil for 3 minutes whisking constantly, until it is very very thick and pudding-like.
  • Remove from heat and transfer the pudding into a small bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the pudding so it touches the surface, then place it in the fridge to cool for at least 30 minutes while the brownies are made.
  • When the pudding is completely cooled, place the room temperature butter into a stand mixing bowl and whip with the paddle attachment for 2 minutes on medium low until smooth.
  • Add the pudding into the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, whipping well after each addition until completely combined. When all the pudding has been added, whip on medium high speed for 2 minutes, until the buttercream is pale, light, and fluffy.

Making the Brownie Batter

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/177 degrees C.
  • Place the butter into a small pot and heat over medium low until melted.
  • Whisk the sugar and brown sugar into the melted butter, remove the pot from the heat and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.
  • Then add the eggs in one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine.
  • Add the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt and use a rubber spatula to fold them into the batter.
  • Line a square 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper so it hangs over the sides. Pour the brownie batter into the baking pan and smooth the top evenly with the spatula. Bake the brownies for 18-20 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  • Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

Topping the Brownies

  • When the brownies are completely cooled, remove the brownies from the pan by lifting up the parchment paper. Loosen any stuck sides with an offset spatula.
  • Spread the chocolate pudding buttercream evenly over the top. Sprinkle the oreo crumbs over the top. Cut the brownies into 9 portions. Add the gummy worms on top.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Step by step process photos are provided above, in the body of this post.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Butter- this recipe uses unsalted melted butter.
  • Eggs- this recipe calls for large eggs and they can be either cold or room temperature.
  • Cocoa powder- for the darkest, richest brownies, use a high quality dutch process cocoa powder. It can be substituted for regular cocoa powder, but your brownies will not be as rich or as dark.
  • Flour- all-purpose flour will make our brownies extra soft and tender.
  • Oreos- the edible "dirt" of the dirt and worms. Scrape out the middle filling and just use the chocolate cookie. You can crush them in a plastic bag to get them finely crushed.
  • Gummy worms- any brand will work, I do not recommend substituting for sour worms.

Expert Tips

  • Always spoon measure your flour when baking-This means using a spoon to fluff the flour first, then spoon it into your measuring cup. This will give the most accurate results when baking without a kitchen scale.
  • Making the pudding buttercream
    • The pudding should be VERY thick before removing from heat. 
    • The pudding should be completely cooled before adding it to the butter.
    • Do NOT add more than 1 tablespoon of the pudding to the butter at one time or it will start to separate from the butter and the final buttercream will look curdled.
  • Storing the brownies
    • Keep the brownies in the pan wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in a sealed air tight container at room temperature.
    • After the first day, the chocolate pudding buttercream will get darker in color and not be as light as the first day. This is normal!