Cosmic Brownies are fudgy brownies topped with chocolate ganache and colorful candies. They are so rich and delicious and taste even better than the Little Debbie version!
If you love Little Debbie copycat recipes, I have recipes for Fudge Rounds and Oatmeal Cream Pies.
The other day I went to the gas station down the road for my daily Diet Coke (which is really just an excuse for me to get out of the house for a few minutes) and when I walked past the Little Debbie display, the Cosmic Brownies were calling my name.
So I bought one. And then I couldn’t stop thinking about them.
I originally posted this recipe back in 2011 so I used my random craving as an excuse to update the pictures and let me tell you, they are so delicious.
I love a fudgy, chewy brownie and these are perfect. Plus a ganache and crunchy candies?! I’m obsessed with them.
Why You’re Going To Love This Recipe
- They are so delicious and may be even better than the Little Debbie ones we all know and love.
- The fudgy brownies with the smooth ganache on top is texture perfection! Plus, the crunchy candies on top add even more!
- It’s a really easy recipe! I know ganache sounds fancy but it’s just heating up heavy cream and pouring the hot cream over chocolate. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the brownies to cool so you can add the ganache.
Ingredients
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar – the brown sugar adds additional moisture that using all granulated sugar wouldn’t give. It also adds that delicious brown sugar flavor.
- Butter – these brownies call for butter instead of oil because butter tends to make a fudgier brownie.
- Eggs – make sure your eggs are at room temperature before beginning.
- Vanilla
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – the actual brownie part of this recipe only uses cocoa which means no melting chocolate!
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Heavy cream – this is going to be used to make the chocolate ganache that goes on top of the brownies.
- Bittersweet chocolate – this is going in the ganache. I like to use a bittersweet chocolate because the brownies themselves are super sweet but you can use a semisweet chocolate if you prefer.
- Colorful candies or sprinkles – I use these candy coated chocolate chips because they are very close to what they use on the Little Debbie brownies
How To Make Cosmic Brownies
- Combine wet ingredients. Beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together; add eggs and vanilla
- Combine dry ingredients. Stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt
- Combine wet and dry. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir until just combined.
- Transfer. Pour into a 9×13-inch pan
- Bake. Bake about 18 minutes
How To Make Chocolate Ganache
- Make ganache. Heat heavy cream over low heat until hot. Pour over chocolate in a bowl. Let sit for several minutes; stir until smooth.
- Decorate. Pour the ganache over the cooled brownies; top with colorful candies.
- Chill and serve. Chill until ganache is set; slice and serve.
How Long Are They 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
- Rocky Road Brownies
- Mississippi Mud Brownies
- Peppermint Chip Brownies
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Cosmic Brownies
Cosmic Brownies are fudgy brownies topped with chocolate ganache and colorful candies. They are so rich and delicious and taste even better than the Little Debbie version!
Ingredients
For the brownies:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 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 9x9-inch 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 mixture and stir to combine. With a rubber spatula, spread the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the pan comes out mostly clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- When the brownies are mostly cool, make 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 sit for a couple minutes.
- Gently stir with a rubber spatula until all of the chocolate is melted. Cool slightly.
- When the brownies are cool, pour the ganache over and spread it evenly over the top. Sprinkle colorful candies on top.
- Let sit until ganache has set.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 249Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 73mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 3gSugar: 21gProtein: 5g
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*
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. ;-)
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!
natalie (the sweets life) says
brownies are good fuel for packing! these look SO SO good, I’m so impressed!
Elle says
So happy that you like my Cosmic Brownies! Yours look great!
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
I can’t wait to make these. They’ve been on the list since Elle posted them :) they look great!
Alli says
What a great use of chocolate. Those look delightful. Little Debbie has nothing on these.
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.
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.
yummychunklet says
These look so fun! The sprinkles look amazing against the brownie canvas.
Alicia @ AliGirl Cook says
I loved these brownies as a child! Homemade cosmic brownies are much better than plastic wrapped ones!
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 :)
Ginny says
I’m trying to diet… this doesn’t help… hehe! :)
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
Mmmm please send me one :) I’d be happy to accept any leftover chocolate you have lol
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!
Yuri says
Good luck, Amanda! you can always mail me some of that chocolate. Sharing is caring ;)
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!
Lamb says
Too much chocolate? Oh, how I’d love to have that problem!
Good luck with your move :)
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!
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