These homemade Cosmic Brownies are inspired by the Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies you may have grown up with, only better! This copycat recipe is sure to satisfy your chocolate cravings as these cosmic brownies are super fudgy and topped with smooth chocolate ganache & chocolatey rainbow crunch sprinkles. Once you try this cosmic brownie recipe you won't ever want to go back to the original cosmic brownies again!
The only thing better than a fudgy brownie is a fudgy brownie covered in a rich chocolate ganache frosting. Cosmic Brownies were a huge 90s childhood favorite of mine so it's no surprise that with the rise of 90s nostalgia, in the internet's quest for the Cosmic Brownies Recipe TikTok has made them popular again!
This Cosmic Brownies Recipe is far more delicious than the version you'll find in the grocery store, and if you love it you might also love these Banana Brownies or these Peanut Butter Cup Brownies, too!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It will satisfy your chocolate cravings. Because these brownies are made with unsweetened cocoa powder, milk chocolate chips and a smooth chocolate ganache, they are packed with chocolate flavor and are the ultimate treat for satisfying even the biggest of cravings!
- It's a trip down memory lane. I remember cosmic brownies being popular when I was in elementary school. They always seemed to make their way into every kid's lunchbox; everyone was eating cosmic brownies! If these remind you of the 90s too then you'll have a blast tapping in to that nostalgia as you make them.
- They're delicious! Since these are homemade brownies, they're guaranteed to be more delicious than the packaged version, which makes it well worth the time it takes to bake them.
Cosmic Brownies Recipe Ingredients & Tested Substitutions
- Gluten Free 1:1 Flour – I prefer to use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1:1 Flour as it acts exactly like traditional all purpose flour. You can absolutely use All Purpose Flour if you are not gluten free.
- Cocoa Powder – I prefer to use unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder, either one will work.
- Salt
- Espresso Powder – Enhances the intensity of the chocolate flavors. If you do not have this, it's ok to leave it out but I highly encourage you to add it to any brownie recipe!
- Large Eggs
- Unsalted Butter
- Milk - I use milk in the chocolate ganache because it's lighter, but you can use heavy cream as well
- Vanilla
- Chocolate Chips – You can use milk chocolate or dark chocolate
- Monk Fruit Sweetener – I love to use monk fruit sweetener, which is an unrefined sugar replacement for white sugar. It is a 1:1 replacement so if you only have white sugar available, it will work just as well.
- Coconut Sugar – Just like monk fruit, coconut sugar is an unrefined sugar replacement for brown sugar. If you only have brown sugar or just prefer to use it it will work just as well.
- Rainbow Chips - These are what give Cosmic Brownies their iconic look! You can use rainbow chip sprinkles or even mini m&m 's.
Cosmic Brownies Recipe Step by Step Instructions
- Pre-heat oven and prepare the brownie pan. Pre-heat your oven to 350F. Grease an 8×8 brownie pan and then line it with parchment paper. I like to cut a sheet of parchment in half and line the pan as shown below.
2. Mix dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sifted flour, sifted cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt. Mix together with a fork or whisk to fully incorporate.
3. Heat butter & chocolate chips. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter + chocolate chips stirring gently with a silicone spatula. As the butter starts melting, turn the heat to low and continue to stir until the chocolate is melted, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. Be sure not to let the mixture boil or burn.
4. Beat in vanilla, eggs & sugars. In the same large mixing bowl you just added the butter and chocolate mixture, add the vanilla extract, then the monk fruit sugar and the coconut sugar, whisking to combine. Then add each egg one by one, whisking lightly between each egg then whisking one last time a bit more vigorously once all eggs have been added to fully incorporate, about 30 more seconds.
5. Mix the batter. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients, folding in gently using a rubber spatula until all dry ingredients are fully combined and no clumps or traces of flour remain.
6. Bake the brownies & make the ganache. Bake the brownies at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once the brownies are baked, allow them to cool and mix up the chocolate ganache. Add chocolate chips & additional butter cut into 1 tablespoon slices to a heat proof mixing bowl. Heat up the milk or heavy cream and pour over the chocolate & butter, whisking slowly until chocolate and butter are fully melted and no clumps remain.
7. Top the brownies. Add ganache topping to the cooled brownies. Sprinkle with rainbow chips and refrigerate for at least one hour to set.
Cosmic Brownies Recipe FAQs
Is This Cosmic Brownies Recipe TikTok Viral?
Well, maybe not THIS specific Cosmic Brownies Recipe but right now cosmic brownies are trending heavily on TikTok! It's one of the many delicious TikTok food trends out there.
Can I use heavy cream instead of milk in the ganache?
Yes you can. Traditionally ganache is made using heavy cream, but personally I like to keep things a little bit lighter, which is why I used milk.
Will I have leftover ganache?
You will likely have some leftover chocolate ganache and that's ok. You can save it in the fridge and use it to top ice cream or swirl into chocolate chip cookies!
How do I make super fudgy brownies?
The key to making the fudgiest brownies possible is in the eggs. The more eggs you use, the more you will achieve cake-like chewy brownies. I typically use 2-3 eggs for fudgy brownies. You can also use extra egg yolk; two yolks is equal to one whole egg and will really kick the fudginess up!
What if my eggs aren't room temperature?
Using room temperature eggs is preferable because they incorporate more smoothly into the batter. If you forgot to take your eggs out of the fridge ahead of time, one of my favorite ways to hack this is to simply fill a bowl with warm water & add the eggs to the bowl. You will have room temperature eggs in less than 10 minutes.
Is it necessary to use espresso powder or vanilla extract?
If you want to enhance the chocolate flavor in brownies, using ingredients like espresso powder and vanilla extract is the best way to take regular brownies up a few notches!
What kind of butter should I use?
There’s a debate in the baking world whether or not you should use salted or unsalted butter. Personally, I use unsalted butter because you can control the saltiness of a recipe better, but if you love salt then go for salted butter!
Do I have to chill the Cosmic Brownies?
One of my favorite ways to make brownies easier to slice is to chill them after baking. You can either let them come to room temperature before chilling or place them immediately in the fridge for a cleaner slice. You can chill anywhere from 30 minutes to overnight. If chilling overnight, allow the brownies to come to room temp before slicing with a sharp knife as the chocolate will have solidified in the fridge and they will be difficult to cut.
How do I store Cosmic Brownies?
Due to the nature of the ganache, you should not store the cosmic brownies at room temp. You should store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze your brownies if you don’t want to be tempted to eat them all at once! Make sure to wrap the brownies in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or freezer bag. They will keep up to one month.
If You Enjoyed This Recipe You Might Also Enjoy:
- Funfetti Birthday Cake Cupcakes
- Cosmic Brownie Cookies
- Walnut Banana Brownies
- Matcha Brownies
- How To Make Box Brownies Taste Homemade
Did you have a chance to make this recipe? If so, please leave me a rating and review below. I always love and appreciate hearing from you!
Cosmic Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cup chocolate chips
- 150 g flour gluten free or all purpose baking flour, sifted
- 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 cup monk fruit sweetener or white sugar
- 1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 1 ½ cups chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup whole milk
- Rainbow chips for garnish
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven and prepare the brownie pan. Pre-heat your oven to 350F. Grease an 8×8 brownie pan and then line it with parchment paper. I like to cut a sheet of parchment in half and line the pan as shown below.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sifted flour, sifted cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt. Mix together with a fork or whisk to fully incorporate.
- Heat butter & chocolate chips. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter + chocolate chips stirring gently with a silicone spatula. As the butter starts melting, turn the heat to low and continue to stir until the chocolate is melted, then transfer to a large mixing bowl. Be sure not to let the mixture boil or burn.
- Beat in vanilla, eggs & sugars. In the same large mixing bowl you just added the butter and chocolate mixture, add the vanilla extract, then the monk fruit sugar and the coconut sugar, whisking to combine. Then add each egg one by one, whisking lightly between each egg then whisking one last time a bit more vigorously once all eggs have been added to fully incorporate, about 30 more seconds.
- Mix the batter. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients, folding in gently using a rubber spatula until all dry ingredients are fully combined and no clumps or traces of flour remain.
- Bake the brownies & make the ganache. Bake the brownies at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Once the brownies are baked, allow them to cool and mix up the chocolate ganache. Add chocolate chips & additional butter cut into 1 tablespoon slices to a heat proof mixing bowl. Heat up the milk or heavy cream and pour over the chocolate & butter, whisking slowly until chocolate and butter are fully melted and no clumps remain.
- Top the brownies. Add ganache topping to the cooled brownies. Sprinkle with rainbow chips and refrigerate for at least one hour to set.
Leave a Reply