These homemade cosmic brownies are rich and fudgy topped with candy coated chocolate chips. A copycat recipe just like the store bought ones from your childhood!
Copycat Cosmic Brownies
As a kid there was nothing better than finding Little Debbie brownies in your lunchbox and these homemade cosmic brownies taste like the real deal.
Dense and fudgy homemade brownie are topped with a rich chocolate ganache like my fudge frosted brownies. What makes them a copycat recipe, though, is the signature rainbow chip sprinkles on top!
It’s no wonder that these became a TikTok viral, they are out of this world delicious!
Ingredient Notes
This homemade cosmic brownies recipe has a dense brownie base, chocolate fudge frosting and signature candy coated chocolates.
Find the full printable recipe below.
- Unsalted butter: I love to use unsalted butter in baking as brands differ in their amount of salt. Only have salted butter? Reduce the added salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
- Cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips: Using the combination of cocoa powder and melted chocolate is what gives these brownies their fudgy texture! Unsweetened natural cocoa powder is my preference and I love to use a high quality brand of chips like Ghiradelli or Guittard.
- Granulated sugar: White sugar dissolves more easily into the brownie resulting in a smoothie brownie texture. For more chewy brownies, substitute 1/2 cup brown sugar for a combination of both granulated sugar and brown sugar.
- Ganache: Using chocolate bars chopped into pieces will provide a smoother melt. Heavy cream thins out the ganache while adding rich taste.
- Cosmic brownie sprinkles: For copycat Little Debbie’s cosmic brownies, I used rainbow chip crunch sprinkles from Wilton’s but any rainbow candy-coated chocolate chips will work as would small M&M’s or rainbow sprinkles.
How to Make Homemade Cosmic Brownies
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the chocolate chip until melted. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract.
Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition then mix in the cocoa powder, salt, and all purpose flour only until combined. Pour into prepared pan then bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. For fudgy cosmic brownies, don’t overbake. Cool completely.
For the chocolate ganache frosting, place 1 cup chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream to boiling the pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Rest for 3 minutes then stir until the chocolate chips are melted.
Pour the ganache over the cooled brownies and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Sprinkle rainbow chips over the top then refrigerate until the top has hardened.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Chill the brownies. After topping with the ganache immediately chill the cosmic brownie recipe for about an hour or two. This not only helps solidify the texture but creates the soft and fudgy texture that we love!
- Grease and line the dish with parchment paper. This ensures that the brownie batter doesn’t wiggle around and ensures easy removal from the pan.
- Color of pan. While a light metal pan is best for baking this homemade version of little debbie cosmic brownies, you might only have a glass pan or dark metal pan. I had to use a glass pan myself which can cause the brownies to bake faster.
- Don’t overmix the batter. For the perfect copycat cosmic brownie, only mix the dry ingredients until combined.
- Cleanest cuts. If you want to slice these like the store-bought version, wait until they are completely chilled then use a long sharp knife to cut the brownies into rectangles using one quick motion. Wipe off knife in between cuts.
Storage
- Store: I prefer the brownies chilled, so I store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The fridge helps them keep their fudgy brownies texture!
- Freeze: I love to slice individual brownies, flash freeze them then wrap in plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe bag for 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and enjoy!
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Homemade Cosmic Brownies
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These homemade cosmic brownies are rich and fudgy topped with candy coated chocolate chips. A copycat recipe just like the store bought ones from childhood!
Brownies
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt 12 Tablespoons butter over medium-low heat. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips and continue stirring gently until melted. Remove from heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Mix in 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 cup flour until combined.
Spread the brownie batter in the baking dish. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache
Make ganache when the brownies are nearly cool, place 1 cup chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup heavy cream to boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips. Let sit 3 minutes. Stir until the chocolate chips have melted completely. If it’s too thick, microwave 15 to 20 seconds and stir until smooth.
Pour the ganache over the cooled brownies and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle rainbow chips over the top. Allow to set at least 1 hour or refrigerate until the top has hardened.
Slice the brownies into 24 bars. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Serving: 1g | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 329IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
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