Fudgy Graham Pudding

Fudgy Graham Pudding
Dorcas Annette Walker

Most people I am acquainted with have a sweet tooth. No matter what is served during the main course all a person needs to do is bring out a dessert and smiles appear on every face. My Fudgy Graham Pudding, also known as Dirt Pudding, Dirt Cake, Dirt Pie, or Oreo Dessert, always lights up my husband and son’s face whenever I serve it. I’ve served this dessert many times throughout the years as my splattered and faded, hand-written recipe testifies. This dessert is well-known and quite popular. I found close to 850 recipes listed.

In the middle of the 19th century modern industrial advances enabled the refinement of cornstarch extraction. By the turn of the 20th century there were recipes for all kinds of cornstarch puddings. The first packaged pudding mix was introduced to the United States in 1918 and required cooking. Jell-O wasn’t the only brand name. Other popular brands were Knox and Royal, and all three published recipe booklets to promote their products. Jell-O first introduced instant chocolate pudding to the American public in 1936 and was an instant hit. In 1966 the Jell-O “No-Bake” dessert line was launched, and in 1971 pre-packaged prepared puddings called Jell-O Pudding Treats were introduced.

Throughout the years I tweaked my original recipe of Dirt Pudding using Oreo cookies to Fudge Graham cookies as the Oreo cookies with icing in the middle made the dessert seem too sickening sweet to me. I first experimented using Chocolate Fudge cookies with chocolate icing, but soon settled on Fudge Graham cookies. The chocolate-covered graham cookies give the perfect taste to compliment the pudding dessert. Fudgy Graham Pudding is a filling dessert that is quick and easy to make and is perfect for large crowds. My Fudgy Graham Pudding recipe takes fifteen to twenty minutes to prepare and serves around sixteen.

Fudgy Graham Pudding

1 pkg fudge graham cookies
1 (8 0z) cream cheese
1 c sugar
2 small pkg instant vanilla pudding
3½ c cold milk
16 oz cool whip

Crush all but about four cookies in the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Cream together cream cheese, sugar, and ½ c milk until smooth. Add pudding mixes and the rest of milk slowly, beating until thickened. Fold in cool whip with wire Wisk and pour over crushed cookies. Crush and sprinkle the rest of the fudge graham cookies on top. Chill and serve!

Dorcas Annette Walker is a freelance writer, author, columnist, and photographer from Jamestown, TN. If you have any cooking tips or favorite recipes you are welcome to contact me by mail at: Dorcas Walker, 929 Wildwood Lane, Jamestown, TN 38556 or email me at: dorcaswalker@yahoo.com. For more information about the Walker family and Dorcas’ books check out her website at: www.dorcasannettewalker.com or htpp://dorcasannettewalker.blogspot.com for other Creative Mountain Cookin recipes.