The Ultimate Homemade Fudgy Cosmic Brownies: A Copycat Recipe That’s Out of This World!
Prepare to take a delightful trip down memory lane with these incredible homemade Cosmic Brownies! If you cherish the classic Little Debbie’s treat but crave a fresher, richer, and even more decadent version, then you’ve found your new favorite recipe. These brownies are the epitome of fudgy perfection, boasting an intensely chocolatey base topped with a smooth, luscious chocolate ganache-style frosting, and, of course, the iconic rainbow crunch sprinkles that make them instantly recognizable. Forget the packaged versions – these fresh-from-the-oven copycat cosmic brownies are guaranteed to be even better, delivering an unparalleled taste and texture experience that will delight both kids and adults alike.
Making these cosmic brownies from scratch is not only a rewarding culinary adventure but also incredibly fun! As a professional baker, I find immense joy in deconstructing beloved, often nostalgic, recipes and recreating them with my own delicious spin. It’s a fantastic challenge to capture the essence of a classic while elevating its flavor and texture, and I’m thrilled to share that I’ve cracked the code for the perfect Cosmic Brownie. My passion for this iconic dessert even inspired me to transform this beloved concept into equally delightful Cosmic Brownie Cookies, proving just how versatile and loved these flavors are!
The beauty of homemade treats lies in the control you have over the ingredients and, ultimately, the superior flavor profile. While Little Debbie’s Cosmic Brownies hold a special place in our hearts, there’s something undeniably magical about biting into a warm, freshly baked brownie. Today, we’re skipping the store run and crafting these delightful squares right in our own kitchens, ensuring every bite is packed with maximum fudginess and authentic chocolatey goodness.
What truly elevates these copycat cosmic brownies to an extraordinary level is the meticulous balance of their components. It all begins with a thick, wonderfully dense, and intensely chocolatey brownie layer that serves as the perfect foundation. This rich base is then generously crowned with a smooth, decadent chocolate brownie frosting, which sets just enough to create a delightful contrast. The final, essential touch? A generous sprinkle of those vibrant rainbow chips, providing the signature crunch and playful visual appeal that makes these brownies so iconic. The brownie itself is so incredibly moist and flavorful that I’ve even incorporated it as the foundational layer in my popular chocolate mousse cake, a testament to its exceptional quality.
You know a brownie is truly magnificent when your teeth leave a distinct impression with every bite – that’s the kind of dense, fudgy perfection we’re aiming for here. Whether you prefer to enjoy them at room temperature, where they’re soft and yielding, or straight from the fridge for a firmer, chewier experience, these brownies are absolutely divine either way. Prepare for a “chef’s kiss” moment with every single square!
Why Bake Your Own Cosmic Brownies?
There are countless reasons to swap the store-bought box for a homemade batch. Firstly, freshness is paramount. A brownie baked from scratch just hours ago, or even minutes, will always outshine its pre-packaged counterpart. You control every ingredient, meaning you can opt for higher quality chocolate, real butter, and fresh eggs, resulting in a depth of flavor and texture that’s simply unmatched. Beyond the ingredients, there’s the sheer joy and satisfaction that comes from baking. Recreating a beloved childhood treat in your own kitchen is a nostalgic and rewarding experience that connects you to those cherished memories. Plus, you get to customize them! Want extra sprinkles? A thicker frosting layer? The power is in your hands to make these cosmic brownies uniquely yours.
Ingredients for Your Out-of-This-World Brownies
Crafting the perfect copycat cosmic brownie starts with selecting the right ingredients. Each component plays a vital role in achieving that signature fudgy texture, rich chocolate flavor, and delightful crunch. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need:
The Fudgy Brownie Base:
- Unsalted Butter: Essential for richness and moisture. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall salt content of your brownies.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: This is where the deep chocolate flavor truly comes from. Opt for a good quality chocolate bar or chips; it makes a noticeable difference. Melting it with butter creates that signature fudgy texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Not just for sweetness, sugar also contributes to the brownies’ moistness and chewy edges.
- Large Eggs: Eggs are crucial for binding the ingredients, adding richness, and contributing to the dense, fudgy crumb.
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla enhances and complements the chocolate flavor, making it even more pronounced and complex.
- All-Purpose Flour: Just enough to provide structure without making the brownies cakey. We want fudgy, not fluffy!
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: For an extra layer of intense chocolate flavor and a beautiful dark color. Dutch-processed cocoa powder can yield an even darker brownie.
- Kosher Salt: A pinch of salt is vital for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors.
The Signature Topping:
- Chocolate Brownie Frosting: This recipe uses a special chocolate brownie frosting (linked in the instructions) that is designed to set beautifully, mimicking the texture of the original. It’s smooth, intensely chocolatey, and the perfect complement to the fudgy base.
- Rainbow Chip Sprinkles (Brownie Crunch): Ah, the quest for these! These are the iconic sprinkles that give Cosmic Brownies their unique visual appeal and delightful crunch. Originally known as “Rainbow Chip Sprinkles” or “Brownie Crunch” made by Wilton, they can be surprisingly hard to find because Wilton no longer sells them as a standalone product on their main site.
BUT don’t despair! You can often find them within a larger Wilton sprinkle mix (they rarely come in a stand-alone jar anymore). Other potential sources include specialty baking supply stores, online retailers like Nuts.com, or even some larger Walmart stores, so keep an eye out! If you simply cannot track down the exact rainbow chip sprinkles, don’t worry. You can achieve a similar effect with mini M&M’s, which offer a great crunch and pop of color, or any other kind of colorful rainbow sprinkles you prefer. However, for that truly authentic, exact copycat Cosmic Brownie experience, those distinctive rainbow chips are key for their specific texture and look.
Hot tip – This is super important! Immediately after frosting your brownies, generously top them with the rainbow sprinkles. The frosting sets up surprisingly fast, and you want those sprinkles to adhere perfectly before it hardens!
How to Make Your Own Cosmic Brownies
Creating these fudgy, chocolatey delights is simpler than you might think. Follow these step-by-step instructions to bake a batch of homemade cosmic brownies that will rival any store-bought version.
First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare an 8×8 inch baking pan. Lining it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides, is highly recommended as it makes lifting the baked brownies out incredibly easy. Alternatively, you can generously spray the pan with baking spray.
Next, in a medium, microwave-safe bowl, combine your unsalted butter and semi-sweet chocolate. Melt these together in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring well after each interval, until the mixture is completely smooth and glossy. Be patient and avoid overheating the chocolate.
Once your chocolate-butter mixture is ready, add the granulated sugar, large eggs, and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer on low to medium speed, or a whisk if mixing by hand, combine these ingredients thoroughly until they are well incorporated. Avoid over-beating, as we want to maintain that dense, fudgy texture. Then, gently fold in the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and kosher salt. Mix only until just combined, being careful not to overwork the batter. Overmixing can develop gluten, leading to tougher, more cake-like brownies, and we’re aiming for maximum fudginess!
Pour the thick, luscious batter into your prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Bake for approximately 28-30 minutes, or until the edges of the brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. A wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Remember, it’s better to slightly underbake than overbake for ultimate fudginess. Once baked, let the brownies cool completely in the pan before proceeding. While they cool, prepare the easy brownie frosting. Once the brownies are cool, spread a generous layer of this rich chocolate frosting over them. Don’t forget the crucial hot tip: immediately after frosting, shower them with those delightful rainbow crunch sprinkles or mini M&M’s, as the frosting will start to set quickly!
How to Cut Brownies Cleanly for Perfect Squares
Achieving perfectly neat and tidy brownie squares can be a challenge, but with a few simple tricks, you’ll be cutting like a pro. These steps ensure your cosmic brownies look as good as they taste:
- Chill Them Out: This is the most important step for clean cuts. Refrigerate your baked and frosted brownies for at least 2 hours, or even longer, until they are firm and thoroughly chilled. Cold brownies are far less likely to crumble or stick to your knife.
- Heat Your Blade: Before each cut, dip a large, sharp chef’s knife into a tall glass of very warm (almost hot) water for about 5 seconds. The warmth on the blade helps to melt the chocolate ever so slightly, creating a smooth path through the dense brownie and frosting.
- Wipe After Each Cut: Immediately after warming, wipe the knife completely clean and dry with a paper towel. This removes any melted chocolate or frosting residue that could drag across your next cut, ensuring a pristine edge every time.
- Strategic Cutting: Start by making one straight cut down the middle of the brownie pan. Then, cut each half into thirds, rotating the pan as needed. Repeat this process in the other direction to create uniform squares or rectangles. Remember to re-warm and wipe your knife before each and every cut!
Serving Suggestions and Variations
These homemade cosmic brownies are delicious simply as they are, but there are many ways to enjoy them or even put your own spin on them. Serve them chilled for a firm, chewy bite, or let them come to room temperature for a softer, melt-in-your-mouth experience. They pair wonderfully with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for an extra indulgent dessert. For special occasions, arrange them on a dessert platter alongside other treats.
If you’re feeling adventurous, consider a few variations: While the rainbow crunch sprinkles are iconic, you could experiment with other colorful sprinkles, chocolate chips, or even chopped nuts for a different texture. You can also add a handful of chocolate chips or chopped walnuts directly into the brownie batter before baking for added texture and flavor. The possibilities are endless when you’re baking from scratch!
Fudgy Homemade Cosmic Brownies (copycat)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted
- 6 oz semi sweet chocolate, about a heaping 1 cup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs, large
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup all purpose flour
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 batch chocolate brownie frosting, see instructions below
- Rainbow Chip Sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a 8×8 pan with parchment paper or spray with baking spray.
- In a medium size microwavable safe bowl, melt the 1/2 cup butter and 6 oz chocolate together, 30 seconds at a time until fully melted.
- Add in the 1 cup sugar, 3 eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix on low to medium speed with a hand mixer or whisk by hand.
- Add in the 2/3rd cup flour, 3 tbsp cocoa, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 28-30 mins until the edges of the pan start to break away. Cool.
- For the frosting make this easy brownie frosting and top with rainbow crunch sprinkles or mini m&ms immediately after, or the frosting will harden.
Notes
STORAGE AND FREEZING
Storing- Once cooled, you can store the brownies in an airtight container on your counter for 2-3 days or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Freezing- To freeze, make sure they are cooled and then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Place in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Let them thaw on the counter before enjoying them.There you have it – your guide to baking the most delicious and authentic homemade cosmic brownies. This recipe is more than just a dessert; it’s a journey back to childhood, a testament to the joy of baking, and a treat that will impress everyone who tries it. So gather your ingredients, follow these simple steps, and prepare to indulge in these fudgy, chocolatey, sprinkle-topped masterpieces. Don’t forget to share your creations and leave a review – I’d love to hear how your cosmic brownies turned out!