These Healthy Halloween Dirt Cups are perfect for a Halloween party! Filled with layers of coconut milk mousse and crushed sandwich cookies, this lightened-up spooky treat is gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
Remember being a kid and eating "dirt & worms" as a dessert around Halloween time? I know I used to.
These healthy halloween dirt cups are the festive adult version!
Creamy avocado-coconut mousse layered with crushed sandwich cookies creates a simple yet crowd-pleasing treat! These desserts are filled with healthy fats and chocolatey flavours, all while remaining gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. Keep reading to learn just how easy they are to make.
Looking for more fall treats? Why not check out some of these:
- Pumpkin Spice Tiramisu (Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free)
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Scones (Starbucks Copycat!)
- Healthier Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Dairy-Free Vampire Bite Cupcakes
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's healthy for everyone. Made from whole ingredients, this recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and vegan.
- Only 15 minutes of hands-on time. The rest of the time they chill in the fridge.
- Perfect for a Halloween party. For kids or adults!
Ingredients Needed
With just 7 ingredients, you can make enough healthy dirt cups for a crowd. Here's what you'll need:
- Full-fat coconut milk: Be sure to use full fat unsweetened coconut milk in the can. In this recipe, you will only use the coconut cream which is thick and white. It is easy to separate this from the coconut water if the cans are chilled in the fridge overnight.
- Avocado: This healthy source of fat adds more creaminess to the dirt cups. Be sure your avocado is ripe and slightly squishy.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use natural or dutch process, I find it doesn't make a huge difference in the taste. You could also use cacao powder.
- Maple syrup: A great natural sweetener.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances other flavours.
- Gluten-free chocolate sandwich cookies: These make up the crumbly dirt layers. Use your favourite: Glutino, KinniKinnick, Gluten-Free Oreos, etc.
- Gummy worms: Because it's dirt and worms! If you are vegan, ensure the gummies comply, or omit them.
Equipment Needed
You will likely have this equipment in your kitchen already:
- Hand mixer: Or something to whip up the coconut cream and mousse ingredients.
- High power blender or food processor: This is to crush the sandwich cookies. You could also place them into a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Small jars or cups: This recipe will make 4 large (250ml) jars. If serving children or a crowd, I recommend using 8 smaller 125ml cups.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Be sure to read the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and instructions.
(Prep) Begin by opening the cans of coconut milk and scooping the thick white coconut cream into a large bowl. This will be easy if the cans have been chilled overnight, as the cream will be solid. Be sure to avoid adding any coconut water. Save this for another recipe or discard.
(1) Add the avocado, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and vanilla to the bowl. Beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes to combine the ingredients into a thick and smooth mousse.
Cover and place the mousse in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
(2) Next, crush the cookies into crumbs. Do this by using high power blender, food processor, or placing the cookies in a ziplock bag and hitting them with a rolling pin. Set aside.
(3) Ideally prepare the dirt cups just before you're ready to serve. Layer mousse and cookie crumbs in a 250ml clear glass of your choosing until it's full. That will make 4 cups. If serving children or a crowd, I recommend making 8 smaller 125ml cups.
Top with gummy worms and enjoy your spooky treat!
Serving Suggestions
If you're having a Halloween party, why not showcase your healthy Halloween dirt cups beside some of these other spooky treats (all gluten-free!):
- Vampire Bite Cupcakes (Dairy-Free)
- Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Pumpkin Patch
- Pumpkin Spice Tiramisu (Dairy-Free)
- Soft Pumpkin Sugar Cookies (Dairy-Free)
Storage Instructions
Healthy Halloween Dirt Cups are best served immediately, however the cups will last in the fridge for 3-4 days. The cookie crumbs may become less crunchy over time. I do not recommend freezing this dessert.
Customizations
While these healthy Halloween dirt cups have been developed to taste delicious as is, however here are some suggested customizations you could make:
- Flavoured dirt: When whipping the mousse ingredients together, add in some fresh berries or jam to make a flavoured mousse. You could also add jam into the layers of the cups. My picks are strawberry or raspberry.
- Flavoured cookie crumbs: Use a different type of gluten-free sandwich cookie to change the flavour! Try vanilla sandwich cookies, or a funky flavour you find.
- Add chocolate ganache: Make a quick ganache using some dairy-free chocolate and warmed coconut cream. Melt and mix together, then let sit in the fridge for an hour to harden. Spoon the ganache in as one of the layers and make this dessert even richer!
Expert Tips
Here are some of my top tips and tricks for successful healthy Halloween dirt cups:
- Chill the coconut milk overnight. This is a must in order to be able to separate the coconut cream from the water. The cold cream will also be much easier to whip into a mousse.
- Whip the mousse for a few minutes. Even when the ingredients are incorporated, keep whipping to fluff up the mousse with more air.
- Layer just before serving for the crunchiest cookie bits. While the cups can be stored in the fridge, the cookies will soften under the mousse.
- While delicious, these dirt cups are rich in healthy fats, so you may not be able to eat as much as you think. Start with a small serving—they are filling!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can still attempt to make these healthy Halloween dirt cups. Open the cans of coconut milk and do your best to only remove the white coconut cream. Place in a bowl, cover, and freeze for about 45 minutes to an hour. The coconut cream should have solidified slightly. Continue with the next instruction which is to whip the mousse ingredients together, and it should come together just the same!
I don't recommend freezing any part of this dessert, since the texture would not remain the same after defrosting.
A lot of gummy candies are not vegan since they contain gelatin, which comes from animals. As long as your cookie crumbs are vegan, these cups are vegan. Simply omit the gummy worms if you cannot find a vegan option.
No matter if you're serving kids, teens, or adults - anyone who gets a chance to taste these healthy Halloween dirt cups is sure to love them! They're a super fun fall-themed dessert—however if you omit the gummy worms, you can have a delicious mousse parfait any time of the year. And since they're gluten-free, dairy-free, and easily vegan, you can easily serve them to all of your family & friends!
Have you made these healthy Halloween dirt cups? Be sure to leave a comment telling me how much you loved them, and tag me on instagram @livglutenfree. I hope you enjoy as much as I do!
More Spooky Treats You'll Love
Recipe
Healthy Halloween Dirt Cups (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)
Equipment
- Hand mixer
- High power blender or food processor (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 cans full-fat coconut milk chilled in the fridge overnight
- 1 large avocado ripe
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 rows gluten-free sandwich cookies
- 1 package gummy worms if you are vegan, ensure the gummies comply
Instructions
- Begin by opening the cans of coconut milk and scooping the thick white coconut cream into a large bowl. This will be easy if the cans have been chilled overnight, as the cream will be solid. Be sure to avoid adding any coconut water. Save this for another recipe or discard.
- Add the avocado, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and vanilla to the bowl. Beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes to combine the ingredients into a thick and smooth mousse.
- Cover and place the mousse in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Next, crush the cookies into crumbs. Do this by using high power blender, food processor, or placing the cookies in a ziplock bag and hitting them with a rolling pin. Set aside.
- Ideally prepare the dirt cups just before you're ready to serve. Layer mousse and cookie crumbs in a 250ml clear glass of your choosing until it's full. Top with gummy worms.
- Best served immediately, however the cups will last in the fridge for 2-3 days. The cookie crumbs may become less crunchy over time. Enjoy!
Let us know what you think!