Thick, fudgy brownies smothered in silky smooth chocolate ganache, and topped with M&M candies. These taste even better than the Cosmic brownies you ate as a kid.
Brownies are always a crowd-pleaser. Some of our favorites include oreo brownies, Nutella Brownies , and of course these copycat cosmic brownies.
Cosmic Brownies were created in 1957 by the Little Debbie Snack Company. The same fudge brownie recipe is used in both Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies and the classic Little Debbie Brownies. The only difference is the classic version has a walnut topping.
I always hear adults talking about how busy kids are today. From sports to music lessons, and even karate it seems like they are always headed somewhere. However, I don’t think this is a recent phenomenon. Every Tuesday I had to rush from dance class to soccer. This inevitably resulted in having to eat dinner in the car.
My typical meal was a toaster pizza (an actual pizza made in the toaster). Oh, how I miss those! I also usually grabbed either zebra cakes or a cosmic brownie from the vending machine. It was then all washed down with a fruity drink from the Tropicana vending machine. Seriously what happened to those drinks, I need to know!
No matter how hard I try I can’t ever recreate that toaster pizza. I don’t even want to try! 🙂 But I did create an even more delicious version of Little Debbie’s Cosmic Brownies.
My version is thick and super fudgy. They’re also made with m and ms instead of unidentified candy bits. Always a crowd-pleaser,
They’re great for school lunches, potlucks, and picnics. Wash them down with an ice-cold glass of milk, or if you’re feeling especially decadent a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
Why I Love This Recipe
- One Bowl: Easy to make, and easy to clean up afterward.
- Ganache: I love frosting, but this silky smooth ganache adds an amazing level of flavor/texture.
- Quick: Ready in 35 minutes, perfect when you’re craving chocolate.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Cocoa Powder: Because we’re not using a leavening agent like baking soda you can use regular or dutch process cocoa powder. The one I used in this recipe is Hershey’s natural and unsweetened cocoa.
- Flour: Measure your flour by scooping it into the measuring cup, and then leveling off with a table knife. Never dip your measuring cup into the flour, as this will give you more than is needed.
- M&MS: I’m not a big fan of the unidentifed candies on top of store-bought cosmic brownies so I used rainbow M&Ms. However, if you want an authentic look, Wilton sells Rainbow Crunch Chips that look very similar. Other fun colorful toppings include sprinkles or even chocolate-covered sunflower seeds.
How To Make Cosmic Brownies
- Prep work: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix Batter: Combine butter, eggs, sugars, and vanilla. Then add in cocoa powder and flour.
- Bake: Pour batter into pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Ganache: Heat oven cream. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour over brownies.
- Top with M&Ms.
Storage
1. Store in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. You can use a tupperware dish, or a pan tightly wrapped with aluminum foil. Just be sure to close the lid tightly after going back for seconds thirds!
2. Freeze in a freezer baggie for up to 3 months. When you want to enjoy your frozen brownies simply thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Perfect for that gotta have it NOW chocolate craving.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overmix: Overmixing can lead to tough dense brownies. Mix until the flour is just combined, for moist brownies with a tender crumb.
- Bake in a pan lined with foil for easy cutting and easy cleanup.
- Mom Hack: My Mom taught me always cut brownies with a plastic knife since they are naturally nonstick. Wipe the knife down in between cuts for best results.
-
To stay true to classic cosmic brownies, you should cut them in rectangles, with an indent going through the halfway point. This was in the original design so you could split the brownie and share it.
-
To tell if brownies are done, insert a toothpick in the center. If the toothpick comes out with a few crumbs, your brownies are done. If you still see batter on the toothpick bake for 2-3 more minutes at a time.
More Copycat Desserts I Love
Copycat Maple Butter Applebees Blondie
Cosmic Brownies
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- ¾ Cup Unsalted Butter (1 ½ Sticks) ,Melted
- 2 Eggs
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- ⅔ Cup Light Brown Sugar Tightly Packed
- 2 Tablespoons Milk
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- ¾ cup Un-Sweetened Natural Cocoa Powder
- ¾ cup All-Purpose Flour
For the Topping
- 1 ½ Cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 Cup M&M Minis
Instructions
For the Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x9 inch pan with foil. Spray with non stick spray.
- In a large bowl, melt butter in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
- Whisk in sugars, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Then whisk in cocoa powder until smooth.
- Add flour gradually, until combined.
- Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
For the Ganache
- Heat heavy cream in a medium sauce pan. Add chocolate chips. Stir occasionally until smooth.
- Pour ganache over brownies. Smooth with an offset spatula.
- Sprinkle with M&Ms. Refrigerate until the ganache has set.
Notes
- Flour: Measure your flour by scooping it into the measuring cup, and then leveling off with a table knife. Never dip your measuring cup into the flour, as this will give you more than is needed.
- M&MS: I used rainbow M&Ms. However, if you want an authentic look, Wilton sells Rainbow Crunch Chips that look very similar.
- Don't overmix: Overmixing can lead to tough dense brownies. Mix until the flour is just combined, for moist brownies with a tender crumb.
- Bake in a pan lined with foil for easy cutting and easy cleanup.
- Mom Hack: My Mom taught me always cut brownies with a plastic knife since they are naturally nonstick. Wipe the knife down in between cuts for best results.
- To tell if brownies are done, insert a toothpick in the center. If the toothpick comes out with a few crumbs, your brownies are done. If you still see batter on the toothpick bake for 2-3 more minutes at a time.
Nutrition
Cosmic Brownies Recipe Adapted via: Averie Cooks
Rich and indulgent just like good brownies should be!! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Ooey, gooey, delicious and full of nostalgia! But you’re right. They DO taste better than a cosmic brownie! Forget Little Debbie; I’m a changed woman and am all about these now! Yum, yum, yum!
The brownies turned out very fudgy like the actual Cosmic Brownies but were super rich too. It was hard to eat by itself but tasted good with ice-cream.
I made these for a 90s-themed party and they were a huge hit! They look so much like a cosmic brownie but taste so much better. The brownies are really dark, chocolatey, and fudgy. The ganache on top was so delicious. The only thing I changed was putting Wilton rainbow chips on top instead of mini M&Ms to make it look more authentic. I cut my brownies into rectangles and scored the ganache to replicate the look of the brownies. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!!
Hi Sarah,
Oh my gosh a 90s party, I feel so old. So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Great idea on subbing the rainbow chips.
Thease are to die for! I add an extra egg yolk and they come out soft and fudgy.
Mmm great tip thanks Zee!
What is the purpose of the tinfoil??? Should I take it out after I bake and it cools down or leave it in there and add the fudge???
Hi Ernie,
It helps it lift out the pan easier Ernie. Feel free to leave in the pan or lift out whichever works best for you.
Do you use a glass pan? Or alluminum pan? Thanks!????
I used glass, but a disposable aluminum would be fine if you wanted to take them somewhere!
If I doubled the recipe could I bake it in a 9×13 and bake it for the same amount of time? These look so amazing!!! 🙂
I have only tried the recipe as written. If you use a 9×13 pan you’d probably need to increase baking time. Let us know how it goes! 😀
I just finished frosting these and they look so fun. I can’t wait to cut into them!
Yum! How you enjoyed Erin!! 🙂
These look perfect! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
These were sooooo rich and chocolaty. I made them last night to bring to work for my coworkers, but now I’m considering not sharing. I didn’t change anything about the recipe either, and they turned out perfectly. Mine actually look exactly like your picture too – talk about easy!
Jenn,
So glad you enjoyed them, thanks for letting me know! Don’t blame you for not wanting to share at all! 🙂
They look so yummy!!!! Will try it.
Is there anything to substitute for the heavy cream?
Hey Jen,
Ganache needs to be made with heavy cream no exceptions. That’s what gives it it’s rich flavor and texture!
Heavy Cream is pretty Simple to make. You Mix Butter with Half and Half or Milk. Pinterest has several different Recipes .
Cool kitchen hack, thanks Cindy!
Hi, I love this recipie , tried them out today and they were a hit!! All my kids loved them , will always be making them for sure!!!! Thanks
Yay so glad you and your kids liked them Ranya!
Mmmmmmmmm. Brownies!! I really love this post!
Thanks Nicole! 🙂