When I’m looking for a fun treat for the kids, I make chocolate fondue, cake balls, fruit pizza or these bright and colorful homemade Cosmic Brownies. But let’s be real – the adults love these brownies just as much as the kids do. If you love brownie recipes, you’ll also adore my red velvet brownies, cheesecake brownies, Oreo brownies and blondies recipe. I grew up eating Cosmic Brownies from the Little Debbie box, and I wanted to share those awesome little fudgy bites with my kids. I decided to skip the grocery store and instead make a homemade version of these fudgy brownies which is SO much more flavorful than the original.
Cosmic Brownies Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, all purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, milk, semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate, heavy cream and rainbow chip sprinkles.
How Do You Make Cosmic Brownies?
Line a baking pan with parchment paper, and coat it in cooking spray. Melt the butter, then add the sugar and whisk to combine. Next, beat the sugar and butter mixture and add eggs and vanilla to the bowl. Finally, add the dry ingredients of flour, cocoa powder and salt, and mix until the ingredients are just combined. Pour the batter into the pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake the brownies, then let them cool. To make the frosting, heat the heavy cream and add the milk and semisweet chocolate to the cream. Stir the chocolate and cream together until smooth, then add butter. Pour the frosting over the brownies in an even layer. Add the sprinkles on top, then chill the brownies until they are set. Cut into squares, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For Cosmic Brownies
The candy coated chocolate pieces can be purchased online, at grocery stores, or at craft stores. I used Wilton’s Rainbow Chip Crunch which I purchased in the cake decorating aisle of my local craft store. Can’t find the rainbow chips? You can use regular miniature chocolate chips or a different type of rainbow sprinkles instead. It’s best to use chopped bars of chocolate instead of chocolate chips for the fudge topping. Chocolate chips often contain stabilizers and will not melt as smoothly as chopped chocolate. I used Ghirardelli brand chocolate bars which I found in the baking area near the chocolate chips. These brownies are best stored in the fridge in an airtight container. If you make the brownies on a hot day and leave them at room temperature, the frosting can get quite soft.
Flavor Variations
While these brownies are fabulous as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes. Just be aware that while these changes are delicious, they are not traditionally found in a copycat Cosmic Brownie!
Add-Ins: You can stir up to 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or nuts into the batter before the brownies go into the oven. Toppings: Instead of rainbow chips, try regular mini chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, chocolate jimmies, finely diced nuts, mini M&M’s or toffee bits.
These brownies are definitely not just for the kids. They’re a great addition to any dessert table along with options such as gooey butter cookies, chocolate lasagna, chocolate chip cupcakes and Oreo cookies and cream bars. You’re sure to get rave reviews!
