Enjoy this mouth-watering, homemade cosmic brownies recipe, topped with a creamy ultra-rich chocolate ganache and crunchy rainbow chip sprinkles for a surprise crunch.
These chewy brownies bring back all of my favorite childhood memories (so nostalgic) and are always a huge hit with my family! Skip heading to the grocery store and make these copycat cosmic brownies at home!
For more brownie recipes, try my Cookie Dough Brownies and Oreo Brownies!
Ok, remember those cosmic brownies from Little Debbie's?! I used to eat them all of the time as a kid! My mom would pack them in my lunch box as a special treat. I always remember being so excited when I saw them in my lunchbox.
Well, fast forward some 20 years later and I have a food blog. I made these brownies, from scratch, in my own kitchen and they are the REAL DEAL. My cosmic brownies recipe yields a dense and chewy brownie that's VERY fudgy and perfectly chocolatey. Then you add that chocolate icing on top, it's pure joy.
They taste just like the chewy little debbie cosmic brownies. Who doesn't love a good copycat recipe?
These brownies are perfect with a glass of milk or even a big scoop of ice cream (a la mode). This homemade childhood favorite will have you completely forgetting about the store bought stuff! Happy baking!
What are cosmic brownies?
They're the brownies that are reminiscent of my childhood. lol Cosmic brownies are super fudgy brownies with a chocolatey icing with crunchy rainbow sprinkles. They're named after the cosmic bowling trend, it's a style of bowling where basically you're bowling in a disco.
I've never been to cosmic bowling but it sounds awesome. The overhead lights are off and there are spotlights and neon lights etc. Sounds groovy. Anywho, the brownies are named after this style of bowling! Pretty cool right?
Ingredients
For the dense brownie base, you'll need:
Eggs and Egg Yolk - the whole eggs are so that extra egg yolk is what helps give these brownies their chewy texture.
White Sugar and Brown Sugar - granulated sugar for sweetness and brown sugar for moisture and most importantly - flavor!
Vegetable Oil - oil helps make these give these fudgy treats their fudgy texture and keep them gooey and moist!
Salted butter - I prefer salted butter because it has a bit more flavor and the salt is great with the chocolate - but if you'd like to use unsalted butter you absolutely can!
Vanilla Extract - because vanilla balances out the strong chocolate flavor with a smooth richness.
Sour Cream - my secret ingredient in brownies is sour cream (don't tell anyone). If you want dense brownies, you need fats and sour cream bring it! Thank me later!
Dry ingredients - all purpose flour, cocoa powder, and kosher salt - these ingredients are the what give the brownie structure and chocolatey flavor!
For the delicious fudge icing, you'll need only three ingredients! Dark Chocolate chips, Semi-Sweet chocolate chips, and heavy cream. I like to add a mix of semi-sweet and dark chocolate to balance out the sweetness and give the thick chocolate frosting that rich chocolate taste.
Dont forget the sprinkles! I used these rainbow crunch sprinkles! They're essentially candy coated chocolate chips - need I say more?!
Tips
- You must use parchment paper for this recipe when prepping the baking pan!! After baking and allowing the brownies to cool, you have to add the chocolate ganache on top and then cool in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. If you don't have parchment paper, the brownies will stick to the baking pan. Trust me, I found this out the hard way.
- If you don't have the rainbow chocolate chips sprinkles, You can substitute in crushed m&ms or use mini m&ms, although bright colors look the best!
- If you don't have toothpick to check if the brownies are done, jiggle the pan a little bit after the recommended baking time. If it jiggles, bake for another 2-3 minutes. Remember be careful to not overbake the brownies - It is better to underbake then to overbake! Overbaked brownies will not be fudgy.
- If you want to add mix-ins to the brownies, I recommend adding nuts, chocolate chips, or even M&Ms. You'll only need about 1 cup.
Substitutions
Gluten Free Option: I recommend using 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour in the exact ratios provided in the recipe card.
Vegan/Dairy Free/Eggless Option: sub out eggs for applesauce (or your favorite egg substitute). Add ¾ cup of applesauce as opposed to 2 eggs and 1 egg yolk. Also, sub out butter and sour cream for vegan butter and sour cream for the brownies. For the ganache, you can use coconut cream as opposed to heavy cream in the same amounts. Note: results will not be exactly the same but they will still taste stellar.
How to make Homemade Cosmic Brownies
Are you ready to make the most amazing brownies? These simple recipe instructions are no fuss and make the best homemade cosmic brownies you'll ever have. Let's do it!
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and egg yolk, sugar, brown sugar, oil, and melted butter for 2-3 minutes, until lighter in a color/pale yellow. Then add vanilla extract and sour cream and continue to whisk until combined and smooth.
- Add kosher salt, cocoa powder, and flour and fold together until a thick batter forms and all flour is incorporated.
- Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, then pour the brownie batter to the prepared pan. Smooth batter to create an even layer and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are crisp and the center is slightly jiggly. (NOTE - it critical to use parchment paper so that you can lift the brownies out of the pan once they are finished cooking. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!)
- Cool in the baking pan for 10 minutes and then add to a cooling rack or baking sheet to cool completely.
- Make the chocolate ganache by heating heavy cream and chocolate chips in a small saucepan and whisking until a silky smooth liquid forms!
- Add the chocolate ganache on top of the cooled brownies and add the rainbow chips on top (as many as you would like!). Refrigerate the pan of brownies for 1-2 hours.
Here's Video on How to Make Cosmic Brownies
How to cut Cosmic Brownies
To get the perfect brownie cut, you'll want to follow these tips:
- Use a sharp knife! A dull knife won't give you a nice clean cut.
- Spray your knife with cooking spray! Spray the knife with cooking spray on both sides of the blade so that the blade glides straight through the brownie.
- Cut them cold! It is best to cut the brownies when they're chilled. This prevents the blade from sinking into the brownies as opposed to cutting them.
- Cut in one motion! Press the knife into the brownies and pull the knife out. Do not saw the brownies or they'll fall apart.
Storing Chocolate Brownies
These brownies are best stored in an airtight container for three days at room temperature. To keep the brownies for longer, put them in the refrigerator for a week.
... but because they are one of our favorite desserts - they’ve never lasted longer than a day or two at my house! I recommend keeping them in the fridge as the ganache will soften at room temperature.
FAQs
You can! I recommend wrapping the brownies completely in plastic or freezer wrap. Then put them in a freezer bag - I like these.
You can store frozen brownies for up to two months in the freezer! When you're ready to eat, let the brownies defrost on the counter to room temperature and enjoy!
You can check the brownies by sticking a toothpick into the center of the brownies. If the toothpick comes out clean, your brownies are done. If the toothpick has a couple of crumbs on it, it's ok! So long as there isn't wet batter, the brownies will continue to cook until they're fulled cooled.
They made their debut in September 1999. It was Little Debbie's ode to the Cosmic Bowling Trend.
Yes! Use your favorite 1-to-1 gluten free flour in place of all purpose flour in the exact amounts provided in the recipe card.
More Brownies Recipes!
- Red Velvet Brownies
- Fudgy Cadbury Egg Brownies
- S'mores Brownies
- Espresso Brownies
- Olive Oil and Seat Salt Truffle Brownies
- Fudgy Homemade Brownies
- Peppermint Bark Brownies
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Let's stay connected on social media and continue to cook together! Also, if you decide to make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and leave a comment below! Tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can see your creations! I hope that you love this recipe as much as we do!
Homemade Cosmic Brownies Recipe
Equipment
- 1 8x8 Baking Pan
- 1 small saucepan
- rainbow coated chocolate sprinkles
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsps vegetable oil
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsps sour cream
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup Rainbow Crunch Sprinkles
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, brown sugar, oil, and melted butter for 2-3 minutes. Then add vanilla extract and sour cream and continue to whisk until combined and smooth.
- Add kosher salt, cocoa powder, and flour and fold together until a thick batter forms and all flour is incorporated.
- Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and add batter. (Must use parchment paper in order to be able to lift the brownies out of the pan after the chocolate ganache is poured on top. If not, the brownies will stick to the pan. Do not skip this step!) Smooth batter to create an even layer and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges are crisp and the center is slightly jiggly.
- Cool in the baking pan for 10 minutes and then add to a cooling rack or baking sheet to cool completely.
- For the chocolate ganache, heat heavy cream in the microwave for one minute, then add chocolate chips and whisk together until smooth until all chocolate has melted into the heavy cream (chocolate may break apart at first but will come together as your whisk). If chocolate has not melted completely, add to the microwave for an additional 15 seconds and continue to whisk.
- Pour ganache on top of brownies and add sprinkles on top (as many as you would like!). Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
Watch The Video
Notes
- (NOTE - it critical to use parchment paper so that you can lift the brownies out of the pan once they are finished cooking. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!)
A-MAZ-ING!! I don’t usually like brownies, but with that ganache frosting, I had to try these. So so so good!
Thank you so much, these are my favorite brownies!
These were unbelievably good! So fancy and gooey. So glad that I made this!
Thank you so so much!!
Okay THIS is THE brownie recipe of all recipes! Thank you for sharing!!
Thank you so much!!
I made this recipe a few weeks ago and then I made them again today - they're just so delicious. They are better than the Little Debbies brownies. Eating this took me back to my childhood but it's even better because they're homemade and taste amazing.
I am officially never buying the store version again. These are perfect and so easy to create in my own kitchen! Thank you!
These brownies brought me right back to the elementary school lunchroom, except they're WAY better! Thick and fudgy and chewy and everything you want in a brownie. Loved them.
This took me on a trip back to my childhood! I loved remaking these thick, fudgy brownies. They were the ultimate treat!
When i tell you these were the BEST browniesi have ever made, believe me!!!! Unforgettable fudginess and beautifully indulgeand tasty too!
Cosmic indeed! The name is so fitting because these brownies had everyone coming back for more. I had to make a second batch because they disappeared so quickly.
Absolutely loved following along on IG for all the brownie recipes. Happy to say I tried almost all of them and the cosmic brownies were definitely a family favorite. Absolutely chewy and gooey and downright moist. Will absolutely make this again!
I love to hear this, thank you so much!