The Best Sand Pudding Recipe (2024)

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June 29, 2022 By Kristie Sawicki 77 Comments

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This Sand Pudding Recipe has been a family favorite for many years.

Kids and adults absolutely love this recipe any time that I make it and I’m sure you’re family will too!

It’s similar to the traditional dirt cake or dirt pudding that so many have made and loved over the years, but this one is a little less chocolatey and a lot more vanilla-y.

Sand Pudding tastes delicious and is so realistic looking that it is the perfect dessert for any backyard barbecue, beach or pool party or just because.

This is a recipe I shared here with you last summer, but it was such a treat with my family, so I am sharing it again today and making up a batch for my family!

The ingredients were simple as were the instructions to create this dessert that will have people wondering if it is REALLY sand or not.

I brought it to our family reunion and it was gobbled up quickly!

My daughter asked if I would make it again the next day.

I’m pretty sure she ate half the pail herself 😉

Seriously though, this was a very quick & easy dessert to whisk together with a LOT of wow factor included.

I just make mine and put it in a large sand pail, it’s the perfect size.

Sand Pudding Cups

If you prefer to make individual sand pudding cups, it’s easy to do. Just make it the same as you would for a large sand pail, but layer it into plastic cups or little individual mini sand pails like these ones instead.

Sand Pudding Ingredients

Vanilla Wafers
Oreo Cookies
Cream Cheese
Butter
Powdered sugar
French Vanilla instant pudding mix
Milk
Cool Whip

How to Make Sand Pudding

Before starting, gather up all the ingredients needed!

Step 1: Add Vanilla Wafers and 2 Oreos to your food processor and crush until they resemble sand.

Expert Tip

If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender. You’ll need a blender that is able to really blend up the cookies into a fine “sand” like substance.

Step 2: In a small bowl, cream together softened 8 oz cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar until smooth.

Step 3: In a larger separate bowl, mix vanilla pudding with cold milk and then add the instant vanilla pudding mixture to the cream cheese mixture and mix together.

Step 4: Fold in all of the Cool Whip.

Step 5: Layer into sand bucket in this order: sand, pudding, sand, pudding, sand…

Step 6: Allow to chill in refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.

Notes: I know some people like to line the sand pail with wax paper before filling.

I guarantee if you take this to your next barbecue party it will be a hit!

Looking for more fun summer desserts?

If you love this dessert recipe, you’ll love these ones too!

Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches – SO EASY to make! This recipe includes a homemade sugar cookie filled with delicious ice cream and sprinkles.
Easy Watermelon Popsicles Recipe – Made from fresh fruit and no added sugars, you’ll love knowing that the ingredients to make them are pretty healthy and inexpensive too.
Banana Pudding in a Jar Recipe – I made this Banana Pudding in a Jar for a family party and they were a hit! They tasted great, but also because obviously putting any kind of dessert in a jar makes it SO much more fun!
No Fail Banana Pineapple Dessert Recipe – I have been making this Banana Pineapple dessert for years!
Chocolate Eclair Icebox Cake Recipe – Looking for a dessert that will cool your taste buds and your cravings? This Eclair Icebox Cake is about to become your new tasty best friend.

Sand Pudding Recipe

Kristie Sawicki

Super quick & easy summer time dessert that is sure to be the talk of the party!

4.39 from 26 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Candy/Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 426 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 1 pkg Vanilla Wafers
▢ 2 Oreos
▢ 8 oz Cream Cheese
▢ 1/4 C Butter
▢ 2/3 C powdered sugar
▢ 2 small pkgs French Vanilla instant pudding mix
▢ 2 3/4 C Milk
▢ 12 oz Cool Whip

Instructions

Add Vanilla Wafers and 2 Oreos to your food processor and crush until they resemble sand.
In a small bowl, cream together softened 8 oz cream cheese, butter, and powdered sugar until smooth.
In another larger bowl, mix pudding with milk and then add the pudding mixture to the cream cheese mixture and mix together.
Fold in all of the Cool Whip.
Layer into bucket in this order: sand, pudding, sand, pudding, sand

Video

Notes

Allow to chill in fridge at least one hour before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 426kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 8gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 303mgPotassium: 270mgFiber: 1gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 1024IUCalcium: 227mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional information is automatically calculated with ingredients and serving size and may not be accurate. Please always double check with your own nutritional apps as well.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave me a comment below, I would love to hear how you liked it (or not lol) Share a photo with me @KRISTIESAWICKI or tag #SAVINGDOLLARS!

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About Kristie Sawicki

I'm the blogger behind Saving Dollars & Sense. I started this website over ten years ago, to share my journey out of debt, while living a simple, frugal lifestyle. You'll find lots of great MONEY SAVING TIPS, DIY PROJECTS, HOMEMADE RECIPES, SIMPLE LIVING IDEAS and MORE!! I'm so glad you're here.

Reader Interactions

Comments

anais ehrhart says
January 9, 2020 at 7:50 pm

Hi! awesome recipe, i just really need to know how many servings this would make as I am wanting to recreate it in my classroom. Let me know! Thanks.
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  January 9, 2020 at 7:53 pm
  
  It makes a sand bucket full. Sorry, I’ve never figured out servings, but I bet one pail would be enough for everyone to have a small amount. I would probably double this recipe if it were me, because it is so good everyone will want a little more.
  Reply
Cherie K Fernsler says
June 4, 2018 at 8:39 pm

good
Reply
Stephanie says
July 25, 2017 at 3:32 pm

Made this for a neighbor to ‘Welcome Summer.’ She initially didn’t believe it wasn’t actually sand! It tasted amazing! Thank you!
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  July 26, 2017 at 2:04 pm
  
  I love hearing this <3
  Reply
Anna Hornsby says
July 23, 2017 at 1:06 am
See Also
Soft Molasses Cookies Recipe | The Prairie Homestead Spiced Pumpkin Pound Cake with Caramel Glaze Recipe – GSFF 25 Cheap Keto Diet Recipes Pumpkin Bread Recipe (No Mixer!) - Sally's Baking Addiction

I wrote this recipe down. My grand & great grand kids will love it!! We have tried the dirt cake but this one looks so much more yummy!!!Cant wait to make it !!!
Reply
Crystal says
June 28, 2017 at 9:38 am

What size bucket do I need for this?
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  July 11, 2017 at 10:06 am
  
  Just a regular sized sand pail.
  Reply
Barbara says
May 9, 2017 at 8:25 pm

How many servings does this make?
I am making them in 8oz glasses for a class.
Reply
Darice says
May 4, 2017 at 11:09 am

How many servings does this make?
Reply
Jessica Hayes says
March 26, 2017 at 12:45 am

I accidently used cook and serve pudding! Can I still follow the recipe or should I do something different?
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  March 29, 2017 at 11:42 am
  
  I would still try to make it using that and see what happens 🙂
  Reply
Pattie says
August 15, 2016 at 9:49 pm

My daughter really wants this for her quinceanera coming up in a couple of months. I am wondering approximately how many this serves since I will need to make enough for 100-150 people. Thanks!
Reply
Berneda says
July 21, 2016 at 10:30 pm

Make this all the time grandchildren love it!!!!
Reply
Kitchen mom says
July 5, 2016 at 7:12 am

The plastic of a beach sand pail is not food grade is this safe to use? Maybe it should be lined with something (plastic wrap, parchment paper) before putting in the pudding?
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  July 9, 2016 at 11:08 am
  
  You are correct. It is easy to line the pail with plastic wrap or cling wrap.
  Reply
Nikki says
May 1, 2015 at 1:35 pm

Can I make it the night before or should I the day of?
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  May 13, 2015 at 7:50 am
  
  I have made it several time both ways and it turns out great!
  Reply
Kelly says
April 10, 2015 at 11:17 am

Do you make the pudding first then combine with more milk, etc or does it mean combine the pudding MIX? Thanks!
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  April 13, 2015 at 9:58 am
  
  I mean to combine with the pudding mix.
  Reply
Ken M says
February 17, 2015 at 9:46 am

I’ve been making this for years! Thought I had invented it, as I was using the old dirt pudding recipe, substituting vanilla wafers for the Oreos. You can decorate the top with teddy grahams lying on fruit tape “beach towels” under coctail umbrellas.
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  February 26, 2015 at 5:59 pm
  
  Cute ideas, thanks!
  Reply
B-mom says
January 22, 2015 at 3:31 pm

Can the recipe be changed to say instant pudding. I purchased regular because I figured it would say ” instant” if that were the case.
It works with regular but you have to make the pudding first and then cool before mixing with other ingredients.
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  January 22, 2015 at 3:50 pm
  
  I have just updated the post. Thanks for the suggestion 🙂
  Reply
Kristie Sawicki says
January 3, 2015 at 6:14 pm

The wafers will get mushy, I would think you could make it a day ahead of time as long as you save some of the “sand” to put on top just before eating it so it will stay looking like sand.
Reply
Julie Brandt says
July 27, 2014 at 2:07 pm

Hi, do you use cook and serve or instant pudding ? Thanks
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  July 28, 2014 at 6:39 pm
  
  I use instant pudding.
  Reply
Lisa O says
July 7, 2014 at 11:49 am

I made it for the 4th and it was a hit. Thanks 🙂
Reply
Violet says
See Also
Mug Cakes: 75 Decadent Frugal Recipes - This Tiny Blue House
June 30, 2014 at 2:40 pm

Looks YUMMY!! is this instant or regular cooking pudding?
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  January 3, 2015 at 6:15 pm
  
  This is made with instant pudding.
  Reply
Jamie says
June 8, 2014 at 3:40 am

I don’t have a food processor – would a blender work? If not, what alternative would work? About how many people does this feed? Having a beach wedding on Thursday, and I’m thinking of possibly trying this!
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  June 24, 2014 at 7:23 pm
  
  I have not tried a blender, but I imagine it could work as long as it could grind the cookies up to a fine consistency. Please let me know how it goes.
  Reply
  - Shannon says
    July 4, 2017 at 3:19 am
    
    I used my blender and it worked fine but just need to crumble the cookies by hand while putting them in and not out whole cookies in unless you do a couple at a time and mix them then add more and mix etc etc but they both came out exactly like yours! Thank you!
    Reply
    - Kristie Sawicki says
      July 11, 2017 at 10:03 am
      
      Thanks for the update Shannon <3
      Reply
- Melissa says
  July 15, 2014 at 4:07 pm
  
  Jamie, did your blender work for the wafers/oreos? I don’t have a food processor either and need to make this for a party this weekend.
  Reply
dannette says
May 29, 2014 at 7:33 am

Hi, I’m in Australia and we don’t have cool whip. Can you please tell me what the equivalent would be?
Thanks:)
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  May 30, 2014 at 10:09 am
  
  Hey Dannette! Cool Whip is the same as whipped cream. I have a Homemade recipe you could use here https://savingdollarsandsense.com/homemade-whipped-cream/
  Reply
cee Dee says
May 27, 2014 at 11:44 pm

Pretty sure that plastic pail and shovel, while they make a cute presentation, aren’t food safe.
Reply
doris says
August 5, 2013 at 3:34 pm

how many people will this feed ?
Reply
jamie says
August 1, 2013 at 3:38 pm

would i be able to just use pudding by its self instead of using everything else with it?
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  August 14, 2013 at 7:56 am
  
  Sure.
  Reply
Beth says
July 6, 2013 at 4:23 pm

can this be made the day before it’s served? Daughter’s party is tomorrow but wanted to do lots of preparing today. Wanted to make sure it will still be the same! Thanks!
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  July 6, 2013 at 5:12 pm
  
  I’ve made it the day before and it was fine.
  Reply
P Foisy says
July 5, 2013 at 11:32 pm

I made this today, I made a few changes and this novelty dessert turned out delicious. It doesn’t say to mix the milk and pudding for 2 minutes to thicken it a bit, before mixing it with the cream cheese/butter/powdered sugar mixture. Also, I didn’t know what to do with the leftover Oreo cookies, so I took out about 2+ cups of the “sand” mixture, then I crushed the rest of the Oreos and added to the rest of the “sand” mixture. I layered that mixture on the lower layers, then put the “sand” mixture on top. So the bottom layers were more of a dirt pudding and the top layer looked like sand. I think next time I will try chocolate wafers instead of Oreos, because the Oreos were kinda mushy when they were crushed. I recommend giving this desert a try.
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  July 8, 2013 at 6:34 pm
  
  Great tips, thanks!
  Reply
brandy says
June 30, 2013 at 11:08 pm

I love this! My kids are wild about Nilla wafers. Definitely going on my must do list!
Reply
Nichol (@KiddiesCorner) says
June 28, 2013 at 3:41 pm

I Love this. This will be perfect for my sons pool party coming up in 2 weeks!
Reply
Kristie Sawicki says
June 28, 2013 at 6:17 am

Yes, a whole box.
Reply
- jayarby says
  July 2, 2013 at 12:42 pm
  
  How big of a pail do I need?
  Reply
  - Kristie Sawicki says
    July 2, 2013 at 1:13 pm
    
    I just used a regular kids sand pail.
    Reply
  - P Foisy says
    July 5, 2013 at 11:39 pm
    
    medium size
    Reply
nichole says
June 27, 2013 at 11:36 pm

When I see 2 oreos does that only 2 oreos or 2 pkgs of oreos
Reply
- Kristie Sawicki says
  June 28, 2013 at 5:51 am
  
  It is just 2 Oreos. They help to make the Nilla wafers look more realistic like sand.
  Reply
Alicia says
May 14, 2013 at 10:04 pm

HOLY COW!!! That so crazy that it just might work. My family will get a kick out of it at the picnic this weekend!
Reply
monique says
May 14, 2013 at 3:37 pm

yeah, we’re gonna have to make this. Looks like so much fun!
Reply
Chi-Chi says
June 30, 2012 at 10:44 am

Is the butter melted or softened too? I’m making this today!
Reply
janet eades says
June 17, 2012 at 6:20 pm

Can people give the nutritional value of this dessert? I am a diabetic and must count cabs so I need to know
Reply
Marqueta Harris via Facebook says
June 15, 2012 at 2:29 pm

Made this to take to my daughters daycare and the kids loved it!!
Reply
Saving Dollars and Sense via Facebook says
June 9, 2012 at 2:14 pm

Here is a simple homemade recipe (much healthier) for cool whip http://lynnskitchenadventures.com/lra/homemade-cool-whip/
Reply
Saving Dollars and Sense via Facebook says
June 9, 2012 at 2:12 pm

You could probably just leave it out and it would taste fine. All it does is make the pudding part a bit lighter and creamier
Reply
Grace Dycus Desnoyers via Facebook says
June 9, 2012 at 2:10 pm

Sounds good except for the Cool Whip! What’s a good sub except real whipped cream?
Reply
Melinda @ LookWhatMomFound says
June 8, 2012 at 10:12 pm

I used to make this all the time, looks like its time to bring it back 🙂
Reply
Nichol says
June 8, 2012 at 9:05 pm

I love this going to make it for my son’s 10th birthday pool party! PS I’m following on Pinterest now:)
Reply
Billie says
June 8, 2012 at 8:04 pm

Yum, looks fun and sounds delicious.
Reply
Lindsay says
June 8, 2012 at 7:53 pm

That looks awesome! I’ll have to try it!
Reply
Tamara says
June 8, 2012 at 5:58 pm

Yum! That looks so fun and tasty. It would be perfect at a kids summer or pool party!
Reply
Phoebe @ Getting Freedom says
June 8, 2012 at 2:59 pm

That looks just like sand! My kids would love this!
Reply
Cat Davis - Food Family Finds says
June 8, 2012 at 2:46 pm

That is really cool, it sure does look like sand. Kinda reminds me of the Halloween Kitty Litter dessert, except more appealing. LOL
Reply
Kit Cook via Facebook says
June 8, 2012 at 2:46 pm

I got it wrote down. Gonna try to make it for the 4th
Reply
Saving Dollars and Sense via Facebook says
June 8, 2012 at 2:40 pm

It is SO easy and only took me about 10 minutes to prepare!
Reply
Kit Cook via Facebook says
June 8, 2012 at 2:38 pm

That looks delicious! I need to write this recipe down.
Reply
- Tracy Steinberg says
  June 23, 2014 at 11:50 pm
  
  One of my relatives made this for our family reunion this last weekend.
  I think I could have sat in a corner and ate the whole darn bucket…….it was SO good.
  She has now passed this recipe link to me and I will definitely put this in the recipe box !!!!
  You can’t fail with this one !!!!
  Reply
  - Kristie Sawicki says
    June 24, 2014 at 7:23 pm
    
    Thanks so much for the raving review! It is one of my families most requested desserts!
    Reply