These pumpkin patch dirt cups are too cute not to share – make them now to celebrate the holiday early

August might have just begun, but Halloween always seems to creep up on me (if you'll excuse the pun) when Halloween decor starts taking over store fronts and pumpkins are gracing the farm stands – especially with the rise of the summerween trend, which is seeing the festivities kick off even earlier.

I love Halloween, though, so I'm happy to extend the festivities, especially when it means I have the chance to try out some fun recipes. These pumpkin patch dirt cups are my current obsession.

Not only do these spooky desserts look really cute, but they're delicious, too – who can resist chocolate pudding, after all?

How to make pumpkin patch dirt cups

Ingredients

• 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup Cool Whip or heavy whipping cream
• 25 Oreo cookies
• 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 2-3 drops green food coloring
• Mini pumpkin candies

Method

• Add the pudding mix into a large bowl and pour in the milk. Whisk for 2 minutes until smooth and combined.
• Fold the Cool Whip into the thickened pudding mix and set aside.
• Place the Oreo cookies in a ziplock bag and crush them up with a rolling pin or meat mallet until you're left with fine crumbs. (You can also do this in a food processor.)
• In a second bowl, carefully add a few drops of food coloring into the shredded coconut and mix together. (You might need a drop or two of water to loosen up the mixture.) Continue until you achieve your desired shade of green.
• To assemble, you'll need four small Weck Jars or glass tumblers. (Clear solo cups will also work if you're hosting a crowd.)
• Place a spoonful of the Oreo crumbs into the bottom of each cup and gently level this layer with a spatula. Add a large spoonful of the pudding mix on top, and then repeat this process until you reach the top of the cups. Make sure you end up with cookie crumbs as the final layer – this will create the 'dirt' you want for your pumpkin patch.
• Sprinkle the shredded coconut onto each crumb layer and nestle your pumpkin candies on top. You can customize the cups with plenty of different toppings: I like to add candy corn and gummy worms, or use Halloween M&Ms and Reese's pumpkins.
• Refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

It took me a while to get on board with the pre-Halloween celebrations, but I've been totally converted: you can catch me making watermelon jack-o-lanterns until further notice.