These cosmic brownies are a rich, fudgy, and decadent treat that taste even better than the kind you buy at the store! Chewy brownies are topped with homemade chocolate frosting (and, of course, sprinkles) for a nostalgic dessert that will take you back to your childhood. Each bite is so delicious that these brownies are hard to resist!
Homemade Cosmic Brownies Recipe
If your childhood was anything like mine, then Little Debbie's treats hold a special place in your life! It was always an exciting moment when my mom came home from the grocery store with some cosmic brownies!
This homemade version is even better than the original! Plus, there are no additives or preservatives, so you can enjoy your brownies while knowing exactly what is in them!
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🥘 Cosmic Brownies Ingredients
While this may look like a long ingredient list, it is made up of primarily baking staples. If there is anything you are missing, you can easily grab it on your next trip to the grocery store.
Brownies
- Butter - 10 tablespoons of butter.
- Sugar - 1 cup of sugar.
- Brown Sugar - ⅓ cup of light brown sugar, packed.
- Cocoa Powder - ¾ cup +2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. Make sure to sift it for the best results!
- Vanilla - 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Pure vanilla will yield the most flavorful brownies!
- Eggs - 2 large eggs.
- Cornstarch - 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
- Corn Syrup - 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup.
- Salt - ¼ teaspoon of salt. This will offset all of the sweetness.
- Egg Yolk - 1 egg yolk.
- Flour - ⅔ cup of all-purpose flour.
Frosting
- Heavy Cream - ½ cup of heavy cream. This is the key ingredient for making your frosting remain firm when at room temperature.
- Chocolate Chips - 1½ cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Rainbow Candy-Coated Chocolate Chips - 2 tablespoons of rainbow candy-coated chocolate chips. You can also use Wilton's rainbow chip crunch sprinkles, decorating sprinkles, mini M&Ms, or any other colorful mini candy.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Cosmic Brownies
Both the brownies and the homemade frosting are very simple and straightforward to prepare. To begin, you'll need an 8x8 baking dish, measuring cups, and a silicone spatula.
Your 8x8 pan of cosmic brownies can be cut into 16 squares for serving.
Make the Brownies
- Preheat. To begin, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish (or line it with parchment paper).
- Melt butter. Add 10 tablespoons of butter to a large mixing bowl and melt it in the microwave. Stir in 1 cup of sugar, ⅓ cup of brown sugar, and ¾ cup of cocoa powder. (If still hot, allow the mixture to cool slightly before continuing).
- Mix ingredients. Next, add in 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Mix until well combined. Add in 1 egg yolk and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add flour. Then, add in ⅔ cup flour and stir until just combined, do not over-mix. Your batter will be thick.
- Bake. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean. *There is usually some fudgy cling on a toothpick, you just don't want wet batter.
- Cool. Remove the baked brownies from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan.
Make the Frosting
- Prepare chocolate chips. Place 1½ cups of chocolate chips into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Melt. In a microwave-safe measuring cup (like Pyrex), heat ½ cup of cream for 1 minute. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and allow them to sit for 3 minutes before stirring until smooth.
- Frost the brownies. Pour the chocolate over the cooled brownies and use a spoon or silicone spatula to smooth out the top. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of decorating sprinkles (or other mini, colorful candy) over the top of the brownies.
- Chill. Place the pan into the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or until the frosting has set before slicing and serving.
These delicious cosmic brownies can easily be enjoyed just by themselves! Take a look at my collection of fun copycat recipes for even more ideas to try! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Different brands of cocoa powder may produce slightly different results. I recommend using Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder, but feel free to use your favorite brand.
- The brand of chocolate chips you use will affect how firm your frosting is (but all brands will taste the same). Nestle Toll House will produce the firmest frosting.
- Using heavy cream (as opposed to milk) is what will make your frosting remain firm at room temperature.
🥡 Storing
Keep your brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
If desired, you can freeze your cosmic brownies for up to 2 months. I recommend freezing them on a baking sheet before moving them into a zip-top bag or airtight container to avoid smearing the frosting.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Yep! These sweet brownies actually freeze really well. Place your brownies onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze them for 2 hours before transferring them to an airtight container (this keeps the frosting from smudging). Enjoy them thawed or straight from the freezer within 2 months.
Actual cosmic brownies have tiny candies called rainbow chip sprinkles on top of them. You can order these online at Amazon if desired. However, you can also use any kind of sprinkles or mini M&Ms!
Since this ganache is made with chocolate chips and heavy cream, the frosting will firm up beautifully! If you used milk, the frosting would remain much softer.
🍪 More Tasty Treats
- Nutter Butter Snowmen - This fun and festive treat is perfect for celebrating wintertime with the kids!
- No Bake Pumpkin Cookies - These cookies don't require an oven and are exceptionally delicious!
- Pumpkin Roll - Pumpkin cake and a sweet filling are rolled together for this impressive dessert!
- Chocolate Frosted Baked Donuts - Making your donuts in the oven is a mess-free way to enjoy this popular treat!
- Blackberry Pie Bars - These delicious pie bars are great for serving a group!
- Chocolate Frosting Fudge - This rich and decadent fudge only requires 2 ingredients!
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe Card
Cosmic Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- 10 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar (packed)
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (+2 tablespoons, sifted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg yolk
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
Frosting
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoon rainbow candy-coated chocolate chips (or Wilton's rainbow chip crunch sprinkles, decorating sprinkles, mini M&Ms, or other colorful mini candy)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Make the Brownies
- To begin, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish (or line it with parchment paper).
- Add your butter to a large mixing bowl and melt it in the microwave. Stir in the sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder. (If still hot, allow the mixture to cool slightly before continuing).
- Next, add in the vanilla, eggs, cornstarch, corn syrup, and salt. Mix until well combined. Add in the egg yolk and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Then, add in your flour and stir until just combined, do not over-mix. Your batter will be thick.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean. *There is usually some fudgy cling on a toothpick, you just don't want wet batter.
- Remove the baked brownies from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan.
Make the Frosting
- Place your chocolate chips into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- In a microwave-safe measuring cup (like Pyrex), heat your cream for 1 minute. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips and allow them to sit for 3 minutes before stirring until smooth.
- Pour the chocolate over the cooled brownies and use a spoon or silicone spatula to smooth out the top. Sprinkle your decorating sprinkles (or other mini, colorful candy) over the top of the brownies.
- Place the pan into the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or until the frosting has set before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Different brands of cocoa powder may produce slightly different results. I recommend using Hershey's unsweetened cocoa powder, but feel free to use your favorite brand.
- The brand of chocolate chips you use will affect how firm your frosting is (but all brands will taste the same). Nestle Toll House will produce the firmest frosting.
- Using heavy cream (as opposed to milk) is what will make your frosting remain firm at room temperature.
- To store: Keep your brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To freeze: Place your brownies onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze them for 2 hours before transferring them to an airtight container (this keeps the frosting from smudging). Enjoy them thawed or straight from the freezer within 2 months.
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