Rich, fudgy, and covered with bright little sprinkles, these homemade cosmic brownies are delicious. They taste just like those coveted lunchbox treats, only better!
With just a bit of time you’ll be skipping down memory lane. These indulgent retro brownies are sure to be a new family favorite! For more chocolate brownie goodness try Homemade Little Debbie Fudge Brownies, Rich Fudgy Flourless Brownies, and Triple Chocolate Brownies.
A Childhood Favorite
When I was in elementary school I was always jealous of the kids who had store bought treats in their lunches. Especially Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies. I mean how can a kid resist thick and chewy brownies covered in fudge and topped with bright crunchy candies? They can’t. Sometimes I traded parts of my lunch just to get a half of one. Sad, but true. Shhh…don’t tell my mom 😉
Anyway, since Stephen is always begging me to make brownies (and only brownies) I decided I’d do something different. He’s always going on about how I should make things and cover them in a fudgy ganache, so these brownies seemed perfect.
You won’t believe how good they are! We ate one after another and still wanted more! It’s a good thing this recipe makes 24 brownies, because we were hooked! They got the stamp of approval from Stephen and from several other Little Debbie obsessed taste testers. I couldn’t be happier! Enjoy and happy baking!
How to Make Cosmic Brownies
PREP. Line a 9×13 inch pan with aluminum foil and lightly spray it with baking spray. (Note: The size of the pan will help create the perfect thickness and the sprayed foil will prevent the brownies from sticking- plus it makes getting them out of the pan so easy, just lift and remove, cut and serve!)
BEAT. Using a combination of both regular sugar and brown sugar will help keep these brownies extra moist. Beat the sugars along with the butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. This not only helps the sugar to dissolve but also helps create a soft and chewy texture.
COMBINE. The addition of two eggs also keeps these brownies nice and dense. And if you’re like me, dense brownies are the best brownies!
MIX. Now add the dry ingredients. I used all-purpose flour and natural unsweetened cocoa powder.
(Note: I’ve actually made these brownies with a special dark cocoa and a Dutch cocoa, but they do not taste like Little Debbie Brownies. If rich and dark is your thing, go for it. If you’re looking for an exact copycat, stick with the natural! I played around with the recipe a bit and decided that a little bit of cornstarch helped give these brownies the perfect texture. It helped make them more fudge-like. In my opinion, it’s absolutely necessary so don’t be tempted to ditch it! Most of my brownie recipes don’t include baking powder but for this particular one it helps lift these ever so slightly.)
WHISK. Add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor of the chocolate, whisk everything together and incorporate it along with the milk.
BAKE & COOL. Spread these into the prepared pan, put them in the oven to bake and then let them cool.
GANACHE & SPRINKLES. Whip up the ganache, pour over the top and sprinkle, sprinkle, sprinkle!
Let these cosmic brownies cool until the ganache has set and dig in!
Troubleshooting and Storing
If your brownies turn out dry, then next time try baking them for 5 less minutes. The best brownie baking practice is to always under bake them. Another reason these cosmic brownies could be dry is because of your elevation: baked goods finish quicker than you expect at a higher elevation.
If the ganache doesn’t set, you should put the brownies in the fridge for 20 minutes or so. If the ganache is too liquidy, try whisking in a little bit of powdered sugar to thicken it up.
Store: These should be stored in an airtight container either at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for a week.
Freeze: Slice the brownies and place in an airtight bag and freeze for up to 4-6 months. Defrost in the fridge and then bring them to room temperature on the counter with the bag opened to avoid condensation.
For more brownie recipes, try:
- Peppermint Frosted Brownies
- Nutella Cheesecake Brownies
- Fudgy Brownie Cookies
- Mint Chocolate Brownies
Cosmic Brownies Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 3/4 cup butter - (1 ½ sticks), melted
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- pinch salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Ganache
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Topping
- rainbow chip sprinkles - if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with foil and lightly spray with baking spray; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, natural unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and whole milk to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Remove the bowl from the stand and pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. The batter will be thick, so use a rubber spatula to spread it into an even layer. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 18–25 minutes. Be cautious not to overbake to prevent dry brownies. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan.
- While the brownies are cooling, prepare the ganache. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, combine semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and heavy cream. Microwave on half power for one minute, stir, then repeat. Stir the mixture until all the chocolate chips are melted and the ganache is smooth. Beat for 1 minute, then pour it over the cooled brownies. Spread evenly and sprinkle with rainbow chip sprinkles, if desired. Serve warm or cold.
I tried this recipe last night and while they taste amazing, they did come out a little dry. is there anything i can do next time to prevent having dry brownies?
Try baking them for 5 minutes less, or adding an extra egg yolk 🙂
thanks so much! tried it again and they came out even better! love this recipe! 🙂
Hey… These look so yum and so luscious and so festive … I’m so making them and adding them to my Diwali(Indian Festival of Lights) gifts for my friends. On a baking marathon tomorrow…will link your post when I blog about them.
Happy Diwali to you…. May lights always shine in our life for bringing our such an awesome chocolicious brownie.
Hi ..I made them and some more and spread thee joy…
So we have. Cosmic brownies here in India too.
Love
i just have a question about the ganache. If I don’t know how to change to power setting on my microwave how long should I cook or melt the chocolate for? Just until it’s melted and combined or is there a specific consistency that needs to be reached. Trying these tomorrow for a Halloween treat.
Just until the chocolate is mostly melted… when you whisk it the rest should melt.
These brownies are very good! Today is the first time I’ve made them “normal”. In the past I’ve made them with GF flour and xylitol…and they were fantastic! Really excited to try the unhealthy (and better, IMO) version tonight. 🙂 I did find I had to bake mine for an additional 10 minutes; after 18 min they were liquid goo. Thanks!
Thanks for the heads up Catie! I will make sure to note the time in the recipe. Glad you enjoyed them 🙂