Homemade Cosmic Brownies – Little Debbie copycat recipe! Fudgy brownies topped with rich chocolate ganache and sprinkles.
If you love Little Debbie copycat recipes, I have a delicious Homemade Fudge Rounds recipe and Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies.
So we’re moving.
Did I tell you that?
Not just moving houses – moving across the country. Like, soon.
And I have this huge problem. Chocolate. I have so much stinkin’ chocolate in my cabinets right now and chocolate won’t be making the cut for what’s traveling with us.
So what’s a girl to do? Make brownies. Then eat those brownies so she has to make more. Because there’s still more chocolate that has to be used!
These brownies are supposed to be like the Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies, which, if you’ve never had them, are amazing.
They’re so much more dense than any other brownie and then they’re covered in a rich ganache before being topped with little candy pieces. This recipe is so close to the original!
But I do recommend actual candy pieces (even something like m&ms) because the sprinkles, while super cute, just didn’t give that crunch that the original has.
Ingredients
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Heavy cream
- Bittersweet chocolate
- Colorful candies or sprinkles – I recommend these candy coated pieces that are used in the Little Debbie version
How To Make Cosmic Brownies
- Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together; add eggs and vanilla
- In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt)
- Combine wet ingredients and dry ingredients
- Pour into a 9×13-inch pan
- Bake about 18 minutes
- Make the ganache by melting bittersweet chocolate with heavy cream
- Pour the ganache over mostly cooled brownies; top with sprinkles
- Chill until ganache is set; slice and serve
How Long Are Cosmic Brownies Good For?
Typically brownies are good for up to 4 days. These Cosmic Brownies need to be stored in the refrigerator (because of the ganache) – make sure to store them in an airtight container.
Can You Freeze Them?
You can freeze these brownies for up to 3 months. I recommend wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and then putting them in freezer ziploc bags.
When you are ready to enjoy them, let them defrost for a couple hours at room temperature.
More Brownies
- Classic Brownies
- Nutella Brownies
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies
- Cadbury Mini Egg Brownies
- Rocky Road Brownies
- Mississippi Mud Brownies
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Cosmic Brownies
Ingredients
For the brownies:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup 1 ½ sticks butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the ganache:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 7 ounce bittersweet chocolate
- pinch of salt
- colorful candies or sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350F. Line a 13 x 9 pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, then lightly grease. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter and water with a whisk. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir the dry mix into the wet stuff and stir to combine. With a rubber spatula, spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18 minutes. Don’t over bake!
- Set aside on a rack to cool.
- While the brownies are baking, prepare the ganache: Place the chocolate in a bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the cream just to a simmer. Don’t boil it, just wait till you see little bubbles starting to form around the edges. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Sprinkle with the salt and let it all sit for a minute or so. Gently stir with a rubber spatula until all of the chocolate is melted. Whisking the heck out of it will just add air bubbles and we don’t want those. Set that aside to cool a bit.
- When the brownies are mostly cool, pour the ganache over and spread it evenly over the top. Sprinkle as many or as few of the candies/sprinkles over the top as you like. I cooled mine in the fridge until the ganache was set. When you’re ready to cut them into squares, lift them out with the foil and cut into the size or shape you like.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 260Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 113mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 2gSugar: 17gProtein: 4g
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
If you didn’t already know that I heart you then please know it now!! Ohmygoodness! I can’t help but go crazy over these bronies – I’ve had a love affair with them since childhood. I pinned it, stumbled it, and posted it everwhere I can think of. OMG Thank you!! lol ♥-K
Lauren at Keep It Sweet says
Oh wow, so exciting! What a great use of your chocolate:-) I have about 10 pounds of hershey kisses to use up so if you have any ideas for those, let me know!
Lamb says
Too much chocolate? Oh, how I’d love to have that problem!
Good luck with your move :)
Andrea @ From the Bookshelf says
When I opened the email I instantly was brought back to a Little Debbie memory. They’re great! TOO.MUCH. CHOCOLATE? ImPOSSible!
Yuri says
Good luck, Amanda! you can always mail me some of that chocolate. Sharing is caring ;)
Erin says
I love the Little Debbie version of these brownies, just because they are so dense! I must make them at home now. Here are few recipes that came time mind when thinking about ways to use up chocolate:
http://www.thespiffycookie.com/2010/12/10/blueberry-almond-turtles/
http://www.thespiffycookie.com/2011/04/05/chocolate-cookies-n-creme-cookies/
http://www.thespiffycookie.com/2010/12/08/brownie-peanut-butter-cups/
http://www.thespiffycookie.com/2010/11/15/big-fat-chewy-multichip-cookies/
Good luck cleaning out the chocolate!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
Mmmm please send me one :) I’d be happy to accept any leftover chocolate you have lol
Ginny says
I’m trying to diet… this doesn’t help… hehe! :)
Averie (LoveVeggiesandYoga) says
Ok if these really are like cosmic brownies, I need to make them! I love a really good dense, rich, fudgy, brownie. Nothing is too rich for me!!
The latest really dense brownie that will make you ooh and ahh, well it did me, is my Nutella Brownies w/ cream cheese frosting. Super rich and decadent. Best brownies I’ve ever made actually I’d say.
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/05/fudgy-nutella-brownies-with-cream-cheese-frosting.html
And I plan to link back to these brownies of yours in a future dessert post Im doing :)
Alicia @ AliGirl Cook says
I loved these brownies as a child! Homemade cosmic brownies are much better than plastic wrapped ones!
yummychunklet says
These look so fun! The sprinkles look amazing against the brownie canvas.
Kita says
These were a great lunch box find – but they always seemed to vanish too quickly! This may get bumped to the top of the must try list.
heidi says
these look delish! I bet they taste a lot better than little debbie too. I can’t wait to try these. I grew up on cosmic brownies.
Alli says
What a great use of chocolate. Those look delightful. Little Debbie has nothing on these.
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
I can’t wait to make these. They’ve been on the list since Elle posted them :) they look great!
Elle says
So happy that you like my Cosmic Brownies! Yours look great!
natalie (the sweets life) says
brownies are good fuel for packing! these look SO SO good, I’m so impressed!
Deb says
Ooo, I totally remember the Little Debbie brownies with the candy pieces!! My Little Debbie weakness was always the oatmeal cookie and cream sandwiches :D Yours look awesome and yes, dense fudgy chocolate is so amazing. I just had a vegan chocolate cupcake the other day and it was by far the fudgiest cupcake I’ve ever had in terms of the actual cake. I hate when chocolate baked goods are dry!
Tracy says
These sound so amazingly good, and they look just like the Little Debbie version! I’ve bookmarked them to try asap. :-) Here a couple of my favorite chocolate recipes:
http://sugarcrafter.net/2010/03/11/chocolate-chip-jam-bars/
http://sugarcrafter.net/2011/01/28/chocolate-kahlua-pie/
And, if you can’t use up all your chocolate in time, feel free to send it over to me and I’ll take care of it for ya. ;-)
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
Yum! I love how fudge-y Little Devils are. But I like your ingredients list MUCH better! I have to try these. And then try not to eat the whole batch. *drools*
Melanie Flinn says
Great, now I want to make these. NOW.
Delishhh says
Oh those brownies look amazing! So where are you moving?
CASL says
You are my hero!!!!!!!!!!!!!….. in México is not very easy to find them!!… I want to cry!….. so excited I will buy all the ingredients and let you know how did it go!
Thank you soooooo much!!
Lane says
Oh my goodness, I just made these brownies last night, and I already had one for breakfast this morning! They are BEYOND delicious. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe! :)
Marcia says
The brownie part was really good, but I didn’t like the ganache. Will probably use semi-sweet chocolate instead of bitter-sweet chocolate next time. It was just too bitter for my taste. Used walnuts instead of the sprinkles.
Bridget says
This is the same recipe that’s on the nestle cocoa powder container! Just substituted 2/3 brown sugar instead. That is my favorite recipe. I’ll have to try your adaptation.
amanda says
Oh really? No wonder it’s so good! Thanks for reading and commenting! :)
Erin @ Making Memories says
I can’t wait to make these! My son LOVES Cosmic Brownies!!! Thanks so much!
natalie (the sweets life) says
do you store these in fridge? and are they good for several days? want to make this week!
amanda says
I store everything in the fridge but I’m assuming that there’s enough sugar in these to preserve them for a few days if you left them on the counter. And yes, definitely good for a few days! They stayed nice and soft for me.
Callie Cleare says
These look amazing! I was thinking for the candy topping you could do nerds? they would have that crunch and color but idk about the taste.
k8 says
im actualy eating a little debbies cosmic browine right now! I will have to try this recipe in the future! I love little debbies little snacks, they are great for kids, and beautiful for a late night snack! *SMACK*