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Cosmic Brownies are a fudgy, indulgent chocolate treat with big, colorful sprinkles. These fudgy brownies will take you back to your childhood while introducing a whole other generation to this nostalgic snack.
These cosmic brownies make a great dessert for a picnic or in a lunch box. Pack them right next to your Stacked Club Sandwich or Chicken Caesar Wraps.
What are Cosmic Brownies?
Little Debbie introduced the Cosmic Brownies in 1999. They were actually inspired by the cosmic bowling trend!
Little Debbie brownies were a staple around the lunch table in elementary school. A rich, chewy brownie topped with a fudgy frosting and rainbow candy sprinkles are always going to make you the envy of the playground!
Ingredients and Substitutions for Cosmic Brownies
- Brownie base – The brownie is a fairly typical brownie recipe with butter, sugar, eggs, flour and cocoa powder. The addition of corn syrup helps to create a rich and chewy texture that is out of this world!
- Frosting – The frosting is simple and made with heavy cream, milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips so it’s extra chocolatey.
- Sprinkles – Big rainbow colored candy sprinkles are the iconic finishing touch. You can use regular sprinkles if you can’t find the candy ones.
How to Make Cosmic Brownies
Make the brownie batter. Mix the ingredients with a handheld electric mixer to get a thick and creamy batter. Spread in an 8-inch square baking pan and bake.
Make the chocolate fudge frosting. Warm the heavy cream until it’s hot but not boiling. Pour the cream over the chocolate in a large mixing bowl, and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Frost the brownies. Pour the melted chocolate frosting over the brownies and top with candy sprinkles.
Cool and slice. Let the brownies cool completely for at least 3 hours, then slice into squares and enjoy. Be patient – chocolate ganache takes some time to set completely.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- Use high quality chocolate. In brownie recipes, the quality of the chocolate matters, so make sure to good quality cocoa powder and chocolate.
- Storage: In my opinion, these brownies are best when refrigerated, and they will last about a week. You can also store at room temperature in an airtight container.
- Freezing: Cut the brownies into squares and freeze in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper for up to 6 months.
There is a small amount in the recipe, but feel free to leave it out. It will affect the end result of the brownies and they won’t have that same chewy texture.
More Brownie Recipes You’ll Love
- Slutty Brownies
- Oreo Brownies
- Peanut Butter Brownies
- German Chocolate Cake Brownies
- Cream Cheese Brownies
- Peppermint Patty Brownies
Cosmic Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips
- 1- 4 ounce bar semi-sweet chocolate
- ½ cup rainbow crunch sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare an 8×8 baking pan by spraying with non-stick spray and lining with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, eggs, corn syrup and milk until smooth.
- Gently fold in the flour and salt until fully combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by warming the heavy cream in a small saucepan until extremely warm, but not boiling.
- Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted and smooth. Pour over prepared brownies, top with sprinkles and cool for 3 hours before slicing.
Notes
- Brownies are best chilled and they will last about a week. You can also store at room temperature for 3 days.
- To freeze, cut into squares and freeze in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper for up to 6 months.
I wish when you have the option of doubling or tripling the recipe, the size of the pan increased as well.
My son tried to surprise me by making these while I was in the hospital, and he didn’t realize the pan size did not increase. Was a bit of a mess, to say the least.
Hi Nanci, we try to provide as much information as possible, but unfortunately the serving size feature is an auto feature and can’t guess the pan size needed. The size listed in the recipe, especially for baking, is for one batch. When doubling you should always use a second pan rather than trying to fit it all in one.