Dirt Patch Halloween Brownies Recipe

Halloween is the ultimate occasion for bringing out treats full of whimsy and maybe just a touch of scary and gross. These dirt patch Halloween brownies — courtesy of recipe developer Julie Kinnaird — strike just the right balance of delight and disgust, and are sure to please the most ghoulish guests. The delight part comes in the form of dark chocolate chunk brownies covered in rich, velvety chocolate ganache and coated in crunchy cookie crumbs. The disgust part comes into play by way of frighteningly realistic raspberry gelatin cream worms, which sit atop your brownie creation as if they just crawled out of the earth. (The good news is that the worms are actually a form of delight, too, since they taste much better than they look.)

The brownies are a one-bowl recipe, which are quick to mix and out of the oven in just over 20 minutes. The ganache icing is a breeze to prepare, giving you plenty of time for creating the worms. Although they are a bit time-consuming from mixing to set-up to unmolding, these gelatin treats are a perfect homage to Halloween. As creepy as it looks, this dessert is so tasty and sophisticated that it will be gobbled up with just crumbs to spare!

To make the gelatin cream worms for this recipe, you will need two packages of raspberry jello, one package of unflavored gelatin, fresh heavy whipping cream, and a few drops of green food coloring to adjust the red to a more realistic "worm" color. Red and green are complimentary colors on the color wheel, so Kinnaird says that when just a bit of cool green is added to the vibrant red jello color, the result is a reddish-brown, very similar to the earth tone of a worm. For molding the worms, you will need around 100 flexible straws to hold the gelatin mixture. 

For making the brownies, use unsalted butter, sea salt, dark unsweetened cocoa powder, light brown sugar, large eggs, vanilla extract, and all-purpose flour. A ganache icing is made from dark chocolate chunks and more of the heavy whipping cream. The brownies are finished with the "dirt," which is deliciously represented by chocolate cookie crumbs.

To make the gelatin cream worms, combine the raspberry gelatin and unflavored gelatin in a large, heat-proof container.

Add the boiling water and whisk or stir until dissolved. Cool until lukewarm (about 30 minutes).

While the gelatin mixture cools, prepare the straws. Pull and extend the necks of 100 flexible straws so that the straws are completely straight.

Bundle the straws together with the flexible ends down and secure with a rubber band. Place the bundle in a tall quart-sized jar or glass with a flat bottom and snug fit.

Set the jar in a shallow bowl to catch any drips or overflow.

Add the cream to the lukewarm gelatin mixture and whisk until combined.

Add the food coloring to achieve a muted pink "worm" color.

Carefully and slowly pour the mixture into the straws, making sure to evenly fill each straw.

Check that the liquid does not rise above the lip of the jar or glass and refrigerate the straws for at least 12 hours for the best texture.

Once the worms are nearly set and you're ready to make the brownies, preheat the oven to 325 F.

Oil an 8-inch square pan and line with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, salt, cocoa powder, and brown sugar.

Add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time, beating until glossy and smooth.

Stir in the flour until smooth.

Fold in ½ cup of the chocolate chunks.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 22 to 24 minutes, until just set.

Cool the brownies completely in the pan.

While the brownies cool, start the ganache by adding the remaining 1 cup chocolate chunks to a medium heat-proof bowl.

Bring the cream just to a boil in a small pot over medium heat.

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and whisk until smooth.

When the brownies are completely cool, carefully remove them from the pan and peel off the parchment paper.

Place the brownies on a rack set over a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Pour the ganache over the brownies, allowing it to run down the sides.

Sprinkle some of the cookie crumbs over the top of the ganache to create the "dirt." Reserve the remaining crumbs for coating the worms.

Transfer the coated brownies to a serving platter.

Pull a few of the worm straws out of the set gelatin mixture. Carefully and quickly rinse the outside of the straws with hot water, taking care not to melt the gelatin inside.

Starting at the end of the straw with a gap at the top, gently push the gelatin out and onto a plate, repeating this process until you have enough worms to cover the brownies. You can also push the worms out directly onto the crumb coating on the brownies, if desired.

Toss some of the worms with the reserved cookie crumbs to cover them in "dirt."

Sprinkle any extra crumbs around the platter and add more worms as desired.

Cut the brownies into squares when ready to serve.

Kinnaird loves the pairing of raspberry gelatin worms and dark chocolate brownies, but there are lots of options for switching up the flavors in this recipe. Instead of using raspberry gelatin, try cherry or strawberry to keep the red color but change the taste to chocolate-covered cherries or dipped strawberries. If you want to be a bit more bold and non-traditional with the worm colors, go for orange or berry blue as they will still pair nicely with the chocolate flavor. 

For the brownies themselves, try adding different extracts like coffee, rum, or almond to enhance the chocolate flavor. Instead of dark chocolate chunks, try milk or white chocolate chips in an equal amount. A dash of cinnamon will also add an interesting and spiced dimension. Kinnaird used plain chocolate cookies for her crumbs, but you could experiment with Oreos, fudge-striped cookies, or even peanut butter-filled chocolate cookies for a twist on the tasty "dirt." 

This recipe has multiple steps that can be prepared in advance. First, the worms can be mixed and molded up to three days before using, then unmolded several hours before serving. The brownies can be baked up to two weeks in ahead, wrapped tightly in multiple layers of plastic and frozen. Alternatively, they can be baked the day before and wrapped and refrigerated until ready to use. The ganache and cookie crumbs can be added to the brownies a day in advance, as well. Just be sure to keep everything in an airtight container to prevent drying out. 

If you have extra worms and cookie crumbs, it is fun to make an additional display to set next to the brownies. You can also try filling a styrofoam cup with cookie crumbs and worms to look like something you might pick up at the bait sore. However you choose to serve this creepy display, note that the gelatin worms will only hold up for a couple of days after they are unmolded from the straws. Keep everything wrapped in plastic and refrigerated so it all stays fresh.