This copycat recipe for Cosmic Brownies is ultra rich, fudgy, and chewy just like the kind you buy at the store but oh so much better with no preservatives!
Yield:
16 brownies
Prep Time:15minutes
Cook:25minutes
Tessa's Recipe Rundown...
Taste: These homemade Cosmic Brownies have a much better chocolate flavor than the store-bought ones! No weird artificial flavors here. Texture: Ultra rich, fudgy, and chewy. So good. Ease: Very easy!! Have a batch of these made in just over an hour. Appearance: I think they look pretty darn similar to the store-bought version, if not more mouthwatering. Pros: Super fun copycat recipe that’s so much better when homemade. Cons: Although these are not laden with hydrogenated oils and preservatives like the purchased kind, they still aren’t exactly health food 😉 Would I make this again? Absolutely!
When I was in elementary school anytime I’d bring a sack lunch it was basically the same exact thing every time. I always ate a peanut butter sandwich, I didn’t even like jelly necessarily. There’d usually be some other element in my lunch bag but I’d ALWAYS request my mom add in a Little Debbie brownie.
Before Cosmic Brownies came into existence, it was just the Little Debbie brownies with the nuts on top. I would always pick off all the nuts. In my child mind, nuts shouldn’t be part of any dessert. Gross.
So you could imagine my excitement when I spotted Cosmic Brownies on the shelf at the store. Candy > Nuts any day! I freakin’ loved those Cosmic Brownies.
I knew I had to make my own version from scratch. I got started making the most fudgy, chewy brownies I could, using everything I learned from my Ultimate Brownie Guide.
I even managed to find the exact candies Little Debbie tops the brownies with, they’re Wilton Rainbow Chip Crunch and I found them at Michael’s and I’ve seen them at Joanne’s, but they’re also available by a different brand on Amazon.
I think I managed to create something that will evoke all those childhood memories of snacking on those little plastic-wrapped store-bought brownies. But these babies are SO much better! Real and satisfying chocolate taste with no crazy artificial ingredients.
How to Make FUDGY Brownies
These little brownies are ultra rich and fudgy, almost like candy. I got as close to the texture of the store-bought kind as I possibly could.
Do I have to use cornstarch + corn syrup?
There is a small amount of both cornstarch and corn syrup in this recipe to help make the brownies super chewy and fudgy. Feel free to omit the corn syrup or use golden syrup if you prefer! Your brownies just won’t quite have that same Cosmic texture.
Extra egg yolk = fudgy & chewy!
You’ll notice in most of my brownie recipes I add an extra egg yolk. This adds fat and protein which translates to rich, fudgy, and chewy brownies.
Make sure to measure properly!!!
To get moist, fudgy, and chewy brownies you want to be extra careful to measure your dry ingredients properly. Namely the flour and cocoa powder. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to ensure 100% accuracy. If you don’t have a scale, then use the spoon and level method for both the flour and cocoa powder to ensure you don’t add too much and create dry & crumbly brownies. You can learn more about how to measure properly here.
How to store brownies
These brownies, with the frosting, can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days at room temperature and for 1 week in the fridge. Brownies are best sliced and served chilled for neat squares.
This copycat recipe for Cosmic Brownies is ultra rich, fudgy, and chewy just like the kind you buy at the store but oh so much better with no preservatives!
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-by-8-inch metal baking pan with parchment or foil and spray with cooking spray.
In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter for about 90 seconds on high power. Stir in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder. If still very hot, let cool slightly before adding in the vanilla, eggs and egg yolk, and corn syrup. Stir until very well combined. Add in the flour, cornstarch, and salt and stir until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.
To make the frosting:
Place the cream in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Add in the chocolate chips. Let stand for 3 minutes before stirring until smooth. Pour over the cooled brownies and smooth evenly. Sprinkle with the Rainbow Crunch Chips. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or until the frosting is set, before cutting.
Brownies can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days at room temperature and for 1 week in the fridge. Brownies are best served chilled.
Recipe Video
Course:
Dessert
Cuisine:
American
This recipe was originally published in 2014 and recently updated with recipe improvements and new photos. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)
These sound yummy. In looking at the ‘cons’ for this recipe, I realized that you probably meant to say that these brownies are NOT laden with hydrogenated… etc.
Omg! These look absolutely perfect. I was obsessed with all the different little debbie snacks when I was younger, but I feel like cosmic brownies were always everyone’s favorites. Love that you found the little candies on top too! 🙂
Katie @ The Perfect Brownie — August 18, 2014 at 7:23 am
This reminds of one of my recent brownie experiments- I tried baking the famous “Baked” brownie with a little bit of corn syrup in it just to see what happened. The day after they were baked, they developed a very homogenous, firm, “shelf-stable” kind of texture and taste. Reminded me of commercial packaged brownies (not in a bad way, just a definite resemblance). Does the corn syrup seem to function the same way in this recipe?
Loved Little Debbie growing up but rarely eat them anymore…. But will definitely eat these! I bought a box of Cosmic Brownies just to compare, and your recipe was much more flavorful and “real” tasting. I used a smaller pan, so it took longer and the edges were a little over baked but the middle had that perfect dense, fudgy, chewy texture. I had used Hershey’s cocoa and it was a darker tasting brownie but will experiment with other brands. Thanks for listing weight measurements, very helpful. Will file this as a go-to-recipe, thanks for posting!
I made these brownies tonight but found that using an 8×8 pan resulted in brownies that are approximately 2 miles thick. I think next time I’ll bump it up to 9×12 so I can fit it in my mouth.
Oh my gosh i made these and loved them! I shared them on my blog–I just started a month ago and it’s a lot of fun! Thank you for inspiring me. I tweaked it slightly and made these in a 9 by 13 pan which made them a little thinner. Though thick brownies are always the best! https://ofloveandchocolate.com/2016/05/22/copy-cat-little-debbie-cosmic-brownies/
I just made these and ate one. And it is, by FAR, the best brownie I have ever put in my mouth. EVER. 9 months ago I had my 3rd baby and while I was recovering at the hospital my husband brought me a frosted chocolate brownie with chopped pecans and it was exactly what my tired mama-body needed. Since then I have been trying to recreate this delicious magic. Your brownies 100% fit the bill. I used toasted pecans instead of sprinkles. It is taking all the will power I can muster not to eat the whole pan right now. Thank you!!!
I have made several of your recipes successfully & think your writing & ideas are great! I’m having trouble telling when these brownies are done. At 25 minutes, a toothpick placed into the center came out wet & chocolaty. The sides seem to be done. Should I just take them out of the oven with an underdone appearance in the center? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Hi I LOVE your brownies . Do you think I can use them for a base for a mousse cake? For a 9″ pan should I use half of the batter? How long should I bake it? Any suggestions? Thanks
I was wondering if you measure each tbsp individually which seems like too much work! Using a 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp would be easier if you didn’t have a kitchen scale. I consider homemade brownies to be the ultimate comparison (rather than store bought or box mixes) as that is what I grew up with. These sound yummy. I’ve just discovered your site via a link on brown-Eyed Baker. Your how-to guides look fabulous. I have, until now, limited myself to 2 food blogs but I think I’m going to add you to my list.
I almost always bake brownies in a metal pan – specifically aluminized steel – because it conducts heat more efficiently than glass or ceramic. Hope that helps!
Could I use real maple syrup instead of corn syrup or golden syrup? I use it in other recipes as a substitute as I cannot have corn products. (I would also be substituting arrowroot for the cornstarch)
These were fantastic! I used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa for the brownies and Dark Chocolate Chips for the frosting. Also topped with Reese’s Pieces. Baked in a glass pan with foil. Brownies were perfect at 28 minutes. These were incredibly scrumptious! Will be making these often. A big hit with my boys. Thanks!
I LOVE it. I have never tried a store bought ,since they don’t sell them in Greece but it’s the best brownie EVER. I have a question I want to make a large batch can I double it and bake in a 9*13in pan? What is your advice?
My son and I made these this week and they were amazing! They came out so rich and the texture was spot on. These tasted better then the little debbie ones too. Never put corn syrup in brownie batter before so I’m sure that helped with the texture. This will be my go to recipe, we cut them tiny because they were so decadent.
I love your childhood description of these! I’m pretty sure you described every single 90s kid. I remember pretty much everyone in the cafeteria picking the nuts off the boring kind until the cosmic ones finally came out!! They should have started with that! Can’t wait to make these for the April challenge!! Thanks Tessa!
Super delicious and pretty easy to make! The consistency was so much like the original cosmic brownies but the flavor was SO much better! My roommate and I devoured these. I did find, however, that I had to bake an extra 10 min to get the brownies fully cooked.
This was such a fun recipe to make. Once I got everything ready, it came together so quick — my favorite part was the step to mix in the eggs/egg yolk, vanilla and syrup in — that’s when you know it’s brownies!!! (I only had golden syrup and it was fine.) I found Wilton star sprinkles in the baking aisle – they look so great. These brownies are DANGEROUSLY delicious which makes them perfect for sharing. I will bake these again!
Delicious!! They are super sweet and chocolatey. Easy recipe. I swapped out the corn syrup for honey worked perfectly. Will absolutely make these again.
They are fudgy and yummy. I had no heavy cream and used light and the frosting didn’t set well. Was “forced” to eat this as a chocolate fudgy sundae…it was still devine.
A really nice copycat recipe. Loved the chewy texture. I think my oven is too hot because the bake time in the recipe was a little over. Will make again!
These are so good! They’re the perfect amount of chocolatey and fudgy. They’re also super easy to make. My daughter and I especially love to put the sprinkles on together.
I loved these! They came together in such a short time. If you need a quick recipe for a get together in the future I would suggest using this recipe and just doubling it!
These brownies are so good! They are like the cosmic browines, but so much better! My family loves peanut butter so I used peanut butter chips for the candy on top!
My 10 year old chose this recipe for his birthday cake and it did not disappoint! Turned out perfectly (I used weight rather than cups) and was so yummy. One very happy 10 year old.
My 10 yr old chose this recipe for his birthday cake on April 6th. It was superb!! Delicious, indulgent, fudgey brownies. I used weight rather than cups and they turned out perfectly.
The brownies are outstanding!! I broke out my fancy cocoa (Valrhona) and have no regrets. They’re fudgy and decadent. I didn’t have the rainbow crunchies but plain M&M’s work in a pinch! Will definitely make this again.
Definitely better than the original! I didn’t leave them in the fridge long enough when it came time to cut them…I was just too excited and eager to try them. Definitely would make again!
Yes, made these for my grandson. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it. That is if there are any left …
Rich, dense and delicious! Did I mention easy?
Very easy to follow recipe! Everything Tessa makes is so clear to follow and turns out tasty! These were not my personal cup of tea. They are very fudgy and for some reason a little bitter. The frosting is best the next day after it has really set. I think I’ll try it with milk chocolate chips next time. I’m not sure what to do differently with the brownie recipe.
Notes: 90 seconds was too long for butter in microwave. Mine blew up. 3 min was too long for cream. I took mine out at 2 min before it exploded too. (I learned and watched this time. Lol)
I followed recipe to the T and used Droste dutch cocoa powder. I did not have the candies so substituted with mini m&ms which I actually prefer! The brownies came out picture perfect I even cut them with an oil sprayed knife to get clean slices. The brownie itself was the perfect texture, fudgy, and flavorful. My only problem was the frosting… I used high quality chocolate chips, but it was too bitter and I felt it overpowered the brownies themselves which were quite tasty. I would definitely recommend to use milk chocolate or 50/50 with semi-sweet if you don’t want an overpowering frosting layer. I will try that next time.
The batter was made twice since it was so sticky that the first round resulted in a broken bowl. So glad my daughter roughed it out though and made them again because they were delicious. Definitely rich but nothing a chocolate lover can’t handle .
These are heavenly! I used sprinkles for the top and they look perfect! The ganache was so gooey and delicious, especially eaten when the brownies were still warm! The best brownies I’ve ever made!
Natalie Ramos (Patodulce) — April 13, 2020 at 6:45 am
Loved this recipe. Easy and fun to make! Love how the colors of the sprinkles shine brighter on top of the dark, yummy and shinny layer of chocolate ganache. Hugs from the Dominican Republic!!
This brownies are the BEST brownies I’ve ever had! – I bake brownies all the time and love experimenting new recipies from diferente people, but this ones are definitely out of the world brownies, no wonder why you call them “cosmic” hahaha!
Delicious! Love how easy the recipe is to make and follow and the hardest part was waiting for the top to set in the fridge! Will definitely make again!
These we’re absolutely delicious and simple to make. Although I personally prefer a warm brownie with vanilla ice cream I also wouldn’t say no to making this recipe again. Thanks Tessa!
These brownies are delicious! Extremely fudgy and chocolaty! Using a square pan, I was afraid there wouldn’t be enough, but we cut them into small squares, they were gone in 1 day! Loves these!
I always loved cosmic brownies as a kid and this was a great copycat recipe! The texture is soft like the store bought ones but the flavor is more chocolatey and “real” if you get me. Definitely let these chill before you try to cut them, but I like to let them sit out for a few minutes before I eat them so they’re nice and soft.
I didn’t have any corn syrup, so I substituted honey and they still turned out perfect! I was amazed by how closely they resembled the cosmic brownie’s texture! It’s a great recipe but a bit too rich for me, I personally prefer Tessa’s best ever chewy brownies – those are amazing.
I can see you are definitely a brownie girl. You should meet the British television chef, Lorraine Pascale, who used to do jobs, including ironing to earn pocket money so she could buy brownies as a young girl. You could almost say she loves brownies so much she lives for brownies and she too has multiple versions. My question is, which version of yours would you say is the best to package and ship to friends and family. During these unusual times I’m working on sending goodie boxes and care packages to friends around the country. Which brownie travels the best?
This hit the spot for my brownie craving. I liked the ease of assembling the ingredients too – no need for double boiling to melt chocolate! Very straightforward. It was a tad too sweet for me as I’m more of a dark-chocolate gal, but my friend loved it when she tried it. Also I forgot to let the brownie cool before pouring the frosting over, and somehow the brownies ended up really sticking to the knife and I couldn’t make clean cuts as Tessa managed to do here.
The brownies came out pretty good. I am not a fan of the frosting on this brownie though. I could tell from the ingredienta that it was going to be bitter. I should’ve made adjustments because the frosting does not taste like a cosmis brownie.
These brownies are super chocolatey and fudgy and oh so good! My 10 year old helped with these and it’s an easy enough recipe a kid can make it. These turned out delicious. Will definitely make them again!
This was my first time with this. I had never heard of cosmic brownies nor have I tasted it anywhere. I made it and all of my family loved it. This is definitely one of our favorite recipes to keep. Full five stars!
Never had an actual little debbie cosmic brownie, i’ve been baking since was a child, rarely had store bought treats.. These brownies were dangerously delicious, thank goodness it only made 9.
Sooooo good! The recipe was easy to follow and the results were amazing! The brownies are nice and fudgy and the icing gives it that extra chocolate kicking! I let mine warm up just slightly under room temp when I eat it, but just as good right out of the fridge!
Very yummy and fun to make with my toddler! The brownies were very fudge-y. The ganache was a little darker than I usually care for, so next time I will probably mix the semisweet with some milk chocolate chips. Very fast to make!
SO FUDGEY. SO DELICIOUS! Baked for 28 mins since I was using a glass pan, and they turned out PERFECTLY! I did a half recipe for the icing, since I didn’t have enough cream, and it was JUST RIGHT – so sooo good!
SO FUDGEY. SO DELICIOUS.
Baked for 28 mins since I was using a glass pan and they turned out perfectly! I also only did a half recipe for the icing, only because I didn’t have enough cream but it was JUST RIGHT. I’ll definitely be making these again!
These brownies are delicious! They’re so much tastier than the store-bought Cosmic brownies! I put mini M&Ms on them and sprinkled Maldon sea salt flakes on top; the salt made them even better, so if you like slightly less sweet desserts, still try the recipe and just sprinkle a little salt on top. 🙂
The base is great. I didn’t have cream so I used milk in the frosting. It was so thin I had to add so many extra chocolate chips. I’ll use real cream next time.
These are so good, and just like the boonies I remember, only they aren’t fallling apart like mine used to in lunch. There’s a lot of sugar in then so a little goes a long way. My kids love them
I haven’t even eaten these brownies because they have to chill first but my mouth is watering! You can see the texture in the pan and smell the chocolate! Bonus points they are mostly made in one bowl!
These are a serious chocolate lovers brownie! I loved them cold out of the fridge AND sitting out at room temperature! The cosmic sprinkles made them so fun!! Thanks for the recipe!
I made these for the April baking challenge and made them again before the end of the month – they were that tasty. They also freeze really well (I cut them up and froze them in Tupperware and just take out a piece at a time).
I made these for the April baking challenge and made them again before the end of the month – they were that tasty. They also freeze really well (I cut them up and froze them in Tupperware and just take out a piece at a time).
Because corn syrup isn’t available where I live, I used golden syrup and it seemed to work well (I cannot directly compare to those made with corn syrup, but mine were very tasty and fudgy).
Came out amazing I didn’t have corn starch so I subbed it for all purpose flour, I also swapped the semi sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips, so amazing, I would make again and recommend to a friend and bake with them when all this is over
Amazing simple and delicious brownie recipe! I’ve made this two times, one with cream cheese chocolate frosting and once with the normal frosting. Both turned out great! Definitely keep these brownies in the fridge after you cut them.
Amazing recipe, came out so fudgy/chewy and cakey, can’t get enough of those brownies i loved this months challenge, hopefully the next one is just as good!! Love the recipe Tessa!
Super easy and delicious! I had one of the commercial made brownies not long ago and was disappointed in the processed flavor. These are delicious and rich. A good brownie recipe.
LOVEDDD these cosmic brownies, I’m a huge fan of the ones from the store and was surprised how much they tasted alike. I also forgot to sift the cocoa powder and they still taste amazing! After posting the picture I had 5 people respond and ask for the recipe!! highly recommend
The recipe was very simple and came together quickly. Letting it cool took longer than anything else. The brownies are super delicious, I just had another for breakfast 🙂
LOVE that you revamped this classic baked good! I think almost everyone has had a Cosmic Brownie at least once in life, haha.
OBSESSED. Absolutely must try Tessa!! xo
Totally fun dessert! I love it!
I am so obsessed with cosmic brownies – I always had them growing up and they were my favorite. I can not wait to try this version!! Pinned 🙂
These sound yummy. In looking at the ‘cons’ for this recipe, I realized that you probably meant to say that these brownies are NOT laden with hydrogenated… etc.
Haha oops! Thanks for catching that 🙂
Omg! These look absolutely perfect. I was obsessed with all the different little debbie snacks when I was younger, but I feel like cosmic brownies were always everyone’s favorites. Love that you found the little candies on top too! 🙂
Oh I love these things! I’m so going to be making these soon. Love in my belly.
These were my favorite growing up! I cant wait to make them!
This reminds of one of my recent brownie experiments- I tried baking the famous “Baked” brownie with a little bit of corn syrup in it just to see what happened. The day after they were baked, they developed a very homogenous, firm, “shelf-stable” kind of texture and taste. Reminded me of commercial packaged brownies (not in a bad way, just a definite resemblance). Does the corn syrup seem to function the same way in this recipe?
Yes it does in a way! It gives the brownies more of a chewy, fudgy texture that remains for days that is very similar to the packaged brownies.
Interesting! It’s always neat to see how a particular ingredient functions in a recipe. I guess I’m kind of a science geek that way.
PS- Started Following on Twitter! 🙂
Tessa!!! These are amazing!!! And those photos! <3 <3 <3
Oh my gosh i made these and loved them!
Thank you so much for these amazing recipe
your photos are like a professional amazing
Tessa can I use light corn syrup instead of corn syrup? 🙂
That’s what is meant to be used in the recipe!
Loved Little Debbie growing up but rarely eat them anymore…. But will definitely eat these! I bought a box of Cosmic Brownies just to compare, and your recipe was much more flavorful and “real” tasting. I used a smaller pan, so it took longer and the edges were a little over baked but the middle had that perfect dense, fudgy, chewy texture. I had used Hershey’s cocoa and it was a darker tasting brownie but will experiment with other brands. Thanks for listing weight measurements, very helpful. Will file this as a go-to-recipe, thanks for posting!
I made these brownies tonight but found that using an 8×8 pan resulted in brownies that are approximately 2 miles thick. I think next time I’ll bump it up to 9×12 so I can fit it in my mouth.
My oh my, watching this cosmic brownies could kill all sweet tooth out there, including me. This is irresistible!
Do you have a suggestion as to what to switch the corn syrup for? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in the supermarkets. These look awesome btw!
Craving many of these brownies to devour right now! They are just so wicked & delicious.. and how I like my brownies – rich, chocolat-y and fudgy.
Oh my, these are spot on! They are like the way richer and cooler cousin that you really want to enjoy.
HI. I really try to avoid using butter or shortening. How bad is it if I make these with oil?
I specifically tested this recipe with butter to get the best taste and texture, so I can’t recommend anything else with confidence.
Hi! Would it be possible to double the recipie and use a 9×13 pan? I’m trying to make a lot for a bake sale
Oh my gosh i made these and loved them! I shared them on my blog–I just started a month ago and it’s a lot of fun! Thank you for inspiring me. I tweaked it slightly and made these in a 9 by 13 pan which made them a little thinner. Though thick brownies are always the best!
https://ofloveandchocolate.com/2016/05/22/copy-cat-little-debbie-cosmic-brownies/
Can I use any oil instead of corn oil?
Corn oil?
What can I use instead of eggs ? Pls suggest.
Having bake sale this wkend don’t mind me using yr recipe ya! Thanks
Can I use vegetable or olive oil instead of corn syrup? Also, can I substitute the cornstarch for All purpose flour?
what would you think about using apple sauce instead of corn syrup?
That would make for very cakey brownies.
how do you make them?
I just made these and ate one. And it is, by FAR, the best brownie I have ever put in my mouth. EVER. 9 months ago I had my 3rd baby and while I was recovering at the hospital my husband brought me a frosted chocolate brownie with chopped pecans and it was exactly what my tired mama-body needed. Since then I have been trying to recreate this delicious magic. Your brownies 100% fit the bill. I used toasted pecans instead of sprinkles. It is taking all the will power I can muster not to eat the whole pan right now. Thank you!!!
I would love to make these!! Wish I could think up a way to sub out the eggs. Avocado maybe?? I’m thinking lol. Thanks for sharing. They look perfect!
I have made several of your recipes successfully & think your writing & ideas are great! I’m having trouble telling when these brownies are done. At 25 minutes, a toothpick placed into the center came out wet & chocolaty. The sides seem to be done. Should I just take them out of the oven with an underdone appearance in the center? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
I have the same question!
Oh my gosh, these behind me way, way back! Used to bring the packages ones to snack time in elementary. The memories Can’t wait to try, pinned!
Hi I LOVE your brownies . Do you think I can use them for a base for a mousse cake? For a 9″ pan should I use half of the batter? How long should I bake it? Any suggestions? Thanks
I baked these for a party and they went down a treat! The icing really makes it thank you!
At 33 minutes the toothpick still came out wet….would u bake longer, or are they supposed to still be wet?
I was wondering if you measure each tbsp individually which seems like too much work! Using a 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp would be easier if you didn’t have a kitchen scale. I consider homemade brownies to be the ultimate comparison (rather than store bought or box mixes) as that is what I grew up with. These sound yummy. I’ve just discovered your site via a link on brown-Eyed Baker. Your how-to guides look fabulous. I have, until now, limited myself to 2 food blogs but I think I’m going to add you to my list.
Super yummy and a huge hit!!
Your topic is very great and useful for us…thank you
What kind of baking pan do you use for these? I have just about every material known to man and I try to follow recipes exactly.
I almost always bake brownies in a metal pan – specifically aluminized steel – because it conducts heat more efficiently than glass or ceramic. Hope that helps!
Could I use real maple syrup instead of corn syrup or golden syrup? I use it in other recipes as a substitute as I cannot have corn products. (I would also be substituting arrowroot for the cornstarch)
I haven’t tried! Let us know how it goes if you do 🙂
This is really gorgeous for everyone
These were fantastic! I used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa for the brownies and Dark Chocolate Chips for the frosting. Also topped with Reese’s Pieces. Baked in a glass pan with foil. Brownies were perfect at 28 minutes. These were incredibly scrumptious! Will be making these often. A big hit with my boys. Thanks!
These look so good! They would be so fun to make with kids!
This is my first recipe of Tessa’s that I’ve made. I baked them 28 minutes and they turned out gooey , moist and perfect. Thanks Tessa!
To me this recipe did not taste like cosmos brownies at all. I was super excited but was just not pleased with it.
I LOVE it. I have never tried a store bought ,since they don’t sell them in Greece but it’s the best brownie EVER. I have a question I want to make a large batch can I double it and bake in a 9*13in pan? What is your advice?
Can I use dark corn syrup? Or another replacement for the light corn syrup? Thanks!
My son and I made these this week and they were amazing! They came out so rich and the texture was spot on. These tasted better then the little debbie ones too. Never put corn syrup in brownie batter before so I’m sure that helped with the texture. This will be my go to recipe, we cut them tiny because they were so decadent.
Should I change the temperature of the oven if I’m using a glass dish?
I didn’t and mine turned out perfect!
Will it be okay if i omit the corn syrup from the recipe?
I love your childhood description of these! I’m pretty sure you described every single 90s kid. I remember pretty much everyone in the cafeteria picking the nuts off the boring kind until the cosmic ones finally came out!! They should have started with that! Can’t wait to make these for the April challenge!! Thanks Tessa!
These are the chocolatiest brownie recipe ever. Deep, dark and rich.
Will these still turn out okay if I halve the amount of frosting? That is A LOT for me.
Hi Tessa! Can’t wait to try these and eat too many in one sitting! Is there anything extra I need to do if I’m using gluten-free flour?!
These were so easy and so much fun to make. My grandkids will love them! Thanks for another great challenge!
Super delicious
So easy, so chocolatey! I think I am in heaven!
This recipe is amazing! Simple and nostalgic and perfect for stay home baking.
Hi Tessa! There is something I can add instead corn syrup? I can’t find here where I live.
Thank you!
We thought it was terrific! I didn’t have any heavy cream so I made a different chocolate frosting.
These are really yummy but almost too sweet with the icing. My husband doesn’t seem to have any problems taking them off my hands though!
Love these! They are so easy to make. Definitely one of my go tos!
Super delicious and pretty easy to make! The consistency was so much like the original cosmic brownies but the flavor was SO much better! My roommate and I devoured these. I did find, however, that I had to bake an extra 10 min to get the brownies fully cooked.
Love it!
This recipe was great!
Ummm….so rich and chocolaty!! We loved these.
These were so fudgy and perfect!
This was such a fun recipe to make. Once I got everything ready, it came together so quick — my favorite part was the step to mix in the eggs/egg yolk, vanilla and syrup in — that’s when you know it’s brownies!!! (I only had golden syrup and it was fine.) I found Wilton star sprinkles in the baking aisle – they look so great. These brownies are DANGEROUSLY delicious which makes them perfect for sharing. I will bake these again!
OMG these are SO. GOOD. So if you like truly fudge brownies, you need to make these. My new favorite brownie recipe!
So fudgy and rich. Serve cool with a cup of coffee or glass of milk. Really easy to make.
Easy to make and pretty. Final product is super crazy fudgy and dense, not a very traditional brownie texture.
Great recipe & everyone loved it!
These are way better than cosmic brownies! Great recipe 🙂
It is a dense brownie with a lot of frosting – but if you like those things (and my family does) then it is great!
Very chocolaty and fudgey
These brownies were so yummy! They are so chewy, rich, and chocolaty. I will definatley make this recipe again!
These brownies are so chewy and rich. So much better than the store bought ones. I will definitely make these again!
Delicious!! They are super sweet and chocolatey. Easy recipe. I swapped out the corn syrup for honey worked perfectly. Will absolutely make these again.
A truly decadent Brownie. Super easy to make.
It nailed the texture, but was far too rich for my taste.
Delicious! And easy to make as well. Make sure to let them get nice and cold in the fridge. They taste absolutely amazing once they set in the fridge.
These are delicious! So much better than store bought!
Delicious! Make sure to let them set in the fridge! They taste amazing once they’re all set. Fun thing to do with the kids
This recipe takes me right back to my childhood! I didn’t have corn syrup so I had to omit it but these brownies came out wonderful.
These brownies take me right back to my childhood! I didn’t have corn syrup but they still came out perfect. Will definitely be making these again!
So fudge-y and delicious! Super easy to make, as well!
Very pretty! The ganache frosting is a bit too “dark” for me. May try it with milk chocolate chips next time.
They are fudgy and yummy. I had no heavy cream and used light and the frosting didn’t set well. Was “forced” to eat this as a chocolate fudgy sundae…it was still devine.
Simply the best brownie I’ve ever eaten or made!!
Next time I will only use half the frosting/Ganache- but that’s not changing my rating!!!
A really nice copycat recipe. Loved the chewy texture. I think my oven is too hot because the bake time in the recipe was a little over. Will make again!
These are so good! They’re the perfect amount of chocolatey and fudgy. They’re also super easy to make. My daughter and I especially love to put the sprinkles on together.
These are so delicious and rich!!! If you love chocolate these are the brownies for you!!
I loved these! They came together in such a short time. If you need a quick recipe for a get together in the future I would suggest using this recipe and just doubling it!
These brownies are so good! They are like the cosmic browines, but so much better! My family loves peanut butter so I used peanut butter chips for the candy on top!
Brings back memories of eating these brownies as a kid. Except these are so much better and less chemical tasting! Delicious!
My 10 year old chose this recipe for his birthday cake and it did not disappoint! Turned out perfectly (I used weight rather than cups) and was so yummy. One very happy 10 year old.
My 10 yr old chose this recipe for his birthday cake on April 6th. It was superb!! Delicious, indulgent, fudgey brownies. I used weight rather than cups and they turned out perfectly.
My kids loved these!
The brownies are outstanding!! I broke out my fancy cocoa (Valrhona) and have no regrets. They’re fudgy and decadent. I didn’t have the rainbow crunchies but plain M&M’s work in a pinch! Will definitely make this again.
Soooo good! Will definitely be making these again. Easy and delicious
So yummy…out of this world!!
Definitely better than the original! I didn’t leave them in the fridge long enough when it came time to cut them…I was just too excited and eager to try them. Definitely would make again!
Yes, made these for my grandson. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it. That is if there are any left …
Rich, dense and delicious! Did I mention easy?
So rich and decadent!
Delicious! Very creamy and fudge. I ran out of cocoa so made a caramel icing which was amazing.
Yummy! The only disappointment is having to wait so long to eat them.
Very easy to follow recipe! Everything Tessa makes is so clear to follow and turns out tasty! These were not my personal cup of tea. They are very fudgy and for some reason a little bitter. The frosting is best the next day after it has really set. I think I’ll try it with milk chocolate chips next time. I’m not sure what to do differently with the brownie recipe.
Notes: 90 seconds was too long for butter in microwave. Mine blew up. 3 min was too long for cream. I took mine out at 2 min before it exploded too. (I learned and watched this time. Lol)
I followed recipe to the T and used Droste dutch cocoa powder. I did not have the candies so substituted with mini m&ms which I actually prefer! The brownies came out picture perfect I even cut them with an oil sprayed knife to get clean slices. The brownie itself was the perfect texture, fudgy, and flavorful. My only problem was the frosting… I used high quality chocolate chips, but it was too bitter and I felt it overpowered the brownies themselves which were quite tasty. I would definitely recommend to use milk chocolate or 50/50 with semi-sweet if you don’t want an overpowering frosting layer. I will try that next time.
The batter was made twice since it was so sticky that the first round resulted in a broken bowl. So glad my daughter roughed it out though and made them again because they were delicious. Definitely rich but nothing a chocolate lover can’t handle .
My whole family and I loved these!!! Will definitely be making again.
These are heavenly! I used sprinkles for the top and they look perfect! The ganache was so gooey and delicious, especially eaten when the brownies were still warm! The best brownies I’ve ever made!
These are a more sophisticated version of a childhood favorite! It makes a nice, dark brownie with a lovely ganache topping.
These are pretty fudgy! I’m so glad I made them.
I used chocolate chips instead of the rainbow chips but they still came out pretty well for a first time. Would recommend.
These were fun to make and brought back some nostalgia! Super easy and quick – and tasty (especially if you like a chewy brownie)!
Super fudge and nostalgic
These are dangerously delicious! Definitely a recipe to keep!
so delicious! My roommates and I are going to eat the entire tray in 2 days, I have no doubts.
Great recipe, but the frosting amounts seem to be off. I ended up using twice the cream amount for half the chocolate
I’m really considering halving the frosting recipe if I make them. Everyone is saying it’s so sweet, and I’m not a huge frosting fan.
Great chocolate flavor and the texture is spot on!
Loved this recipe. Easy and fun to make! Love how the colors of the sprinkles shine brighter on top of the dark, yummy and shinny layer of chocolate ganache. Hugs from the Dominican Republic!!
Q: don’t have heavy whipping cream… can I use (less) milk for frosting?
So yummy! So rich and creamy,
Great recipe! Pretty dang close to the original.
These are wonderful! The texture was rich & chewy & just what I was craving!
Wow! That’s all that comes to mind! It’s very rich and a little goes a long way. Make sure you have milk on hand!
So easy and soooo yummy
These brownies are delicious! Very rich and fudgy and easy to make. 🙂
I am making these tonight! I have Dutch process unsweetened cocoa and natural unsweetened cocoa. Which should I use? Thanks!
These did NOT disappoint!!
This brownies are the BEST brownies I’ve ever had! – I bake brownies all the time and love experimenting new recipies from diferente people, but this ones are definitely out of the world brownies, no wonder why you call them “cosmic” hahaha!
Delicious! Love how easy the recipe is to make and follow and the hardest part was waiting for the top to set in the fridge! Will definitely make again!
These we’re absolutely delicious and simple to make. Although I personally prefer a warm brownie with vanilla ice cream I also wouldn’t say no to making this recipe again. Thanks Tessa!
I made these today. My first try at brownies. Turned out amazing
These brownies are delicious! Extremely fudgy and chocolaty! Using a square pan, I was afraid there wouldn’t be enough, but we cut them into small squares, they were gone in 1 day! Loves these!
This is my first try at brownies. Turned out amazing
I always loved cosmic brownies as a kid and this was a great copycat recipe! The texture is soft like the store bought ones but the flavor is more chocolatey and “real” if you get me. Definitely let these chill before you try to cut them, but I like to let them sit out for a few minutes before I eat them so they’re nice and soft.
Love this recipe. Nice chew and chocolatey taste. My son loves these. A fav of our family.
I didn’t have any corn syrup, so I substituted honey and they still turned out perfect! I was amazed by how closely they resembled the cosmic brownie’s texture! It’s a great recipe but a bit too rich for me, I personally prefer Tessa’s best ever chewy brownies – those are amazing.
These are delicious! So much better than store bought!
These are so good and fudgy. I never had little Little Debbie’s, but my wife says these are much better.
This recipe is really easy and fun to make!
These brownies were so easy to make, and so much better than the store-bought kind. I will definitely make these again!
Delicious! I love how fudge the brownies are.
I can see you are definitely a brownie girl. You should meet the British television chef, Lorraine Pascale, who used to do jobs, including ironing to earn pocket money so she could buy brownies as a young girl. You could almost say she loves brownies so much she lives for brownies and she too has multiple versions. My question is, which version of yours would you say is the best to package and ship to friends and family. During these unusual times I’m working on sending goodie boxes and care packages to friends around the country. Which brownie travels the best?
Moist and scrumptious
These were very good! They were very sweet and rich though! Will make again!
So delicious!!
This hit the spot for my brownie craving. I liked the ease of assembling the ingredients too – no need for double boiling to melt chocolate! Very straightforward. It was a tad too sweet for me as I’m more of a dark-chocolate gal, but my friend loved it when she tried it. Also I forgot to let the brownie cool before pouring the frosting over, and somehow the brownies ended up really sticking to the knife and I couldn’t make clean cuts as Tessa managed to do here.
I love cosmic brownies, even before I knew their name ahaha
Alas I now realize these brownies must stay in the fridge for their whole life as my climate is way too hot for countertop stay 🙁
But otherwise, they taste heavenly! So thick and chewy and the topping is a perfect balance for the base brownie
Very easy to make and tastes divine. Something you’d get from chocolate heaven
The brownies came out pretty good. I am not a fan of the frosting on this brownie though. I could tell from the ingredienta that it was going to be bitter. I should’ve made adjustments because the frosting does not taste like a cosmis brownie.
Other than that, its a good recipes thats quick.
So delicious. Brought back memories of eating these as a kid. Love love love
So delicious, Tessa. Brings back memories of eating these as a kid. Love!
These brownies are super chocolatey and fudgy and oh so good! My 10 year old helped with these and it’s an easy enough recipe a kid can make it. These turned out delicious. Will definitely make them again!
This was my first time with this. I had never heard of cosmic brownies nor have I tasted it anywhere. I made it and all of my family loved it. This is definitely one of our favorite recipes to keep. Full five stars!
This was an easy recipe to make, and turned out SO YUMMY! Way better than store bought or boxed mix brownies.
As most of the recipes here, came out perfectly just as described. Super rich brownies and fudgy, fun change up on the chewy ones I normally go to.
These were amazing! Did not last long in my household!!! Brownies and I don’t typically get along, but these turned out fantastic!!!
Never had an actual little debbie cosmic brownie, i’ve been baking since was a child, rarely had store bought treats.. These brownies were dangerously delicious, thank goodness it only made 9.
My husband loved them.
Awesome. Easy to make
Can we use chopped chocolate instead of chocolate chips?
They look delicious! But i wanted to know if it’s ok to use chopped chocolate instead of chocolate chips
Sooooo good! The recipe was easy to follow and the results were amazing! The brownies are nice and fudgy and the icing gives it that extra chocolate kicking! I let mine warm up just slightly under room temp when I eat it, but just as good right out of the fridge!
Very rich and delicious… so rich we can only take very small bites at a time! Just like cosmic brownie recipe!
Very yummy and fun to make with my toddler! The brownies were very fudge-y. The ganache was a little darker than I usually care for, so next time I will probably mix the semisweet with some milk chocolate chips. Very fast to make!
My husband is a man a major fan brownies, and these were perfect for him! They are so fussy a and delicious.
SO FUDGEY. SO DELICIOUS! Baked for 28 mins since I was using a glass pan, and they turned out PERFECTLY! I did a half recipe for the icing, since I didn’t have enough cream, and it was JUST RIGHT – so sooo good!
SO FUDGEY. SO DELICIOUS.
Baked for 28 mins since I was using a glass pan and they turned out perfectly! I also only did a half recipe for the icing, only because I didn’t have enough cream but it was JUST RIGHT. I’ll definitely be making these again!
These were ridiculously easy to make and had amazing texture and flavor!
Definite keeper!! We all loved these. Intense chocolate taste, super fudgy, ganache was amazing.
These brownies are delicious! They’re so much tastier than the store-bought Cosmic brownies! I put mini M&Ms on them and sprinkled Maldon sea salt flakes on top; the salt made them even better, so if you like slightly less sweet desserts, still try the recipe and just sprinkle a little salt on top. 🙂
The kids loved it!
I can’t find my metal 8 x 8, will using a glass pan make a difference?
The base is great. I didn’t have cream so I used milk in the frosting. It was so thin I had to add so many extra chocolate chips. I’ll use real cream next time.
These brownies are so fudgy and delicious. I made them for dessert last night and everyone loved them.
These are so good, and just like the boonies I remember, only they aren’t fallling apart like mine used to in lunch. There’s a lot of sugar in then so a little goes a long way. My kids love them
These are delicious and amazing. I would highly recommend you make these ASAP.
Yummy!
So good!!! Shame I couldn’t get colorful candies!! Maybe when people stop hoarding the goodies…..
Absolutely delicious! Fudgy, moist and much needed during this quaratine. You can never go wrong with brownies.
Tried this and it turned out AMAZINGGG!
I haven’t even eaten these brownies because they have to chill first but my mouth is watering! You can see the texture in the pan and smell the chocolate! Bonus points they are mostly made in one bowl!
These are so delicious!! Even better than the store bought ones!
These are a serious chocolate lovers brownie! I loved them cold out of the fridge AND sitting out at room temperature! The cosmic sprinkles made them so fun!! Thanks for the recipe!
These are so delicious! Even better than the store-bought ones!
I made these for the April baking challenge and made them again before the end of the month – they were that tasty. They also freeze really well (I cut them up and froze them in Tupperware and just take out a piece at a time).
I made these for the April baking challenge and made them again before the end of the month – they were that tasty. They also freeze really well (I cut them up and froze them in Tupperware and just take out a piece at a time).
Because corn syrup isn’t available where I live, I used golden syrup and it seemed to work well (I cannot directly compare to those made with corn syrup, but mine were very tasty and fudgy).
Came out amazing I didn’t have corn starch so I subbed it for all purpose flour, I also swapped the semi sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips, so amazing, I would make again and recommend to a friend and bake with them when all this is over
Easy to make and taste amazing!!
Thank you Tessa for the recipe. They are rich, fudgy and chew brownies. Everyone at home loved it.
Amazing simple and delicious brownie recipe! I’ve made this two times, one with cream cheese chocolate frosting and once with the normal frosting. Both turned out great! Definitely keep these brownies in the fridge after you cut them.
These brownies were rich and delicious! The recipe was easy to follow and they turned out great.
These are delicious and so easy to make!
Amazing recipe, came out so fudgy/chewy and cakey, can’t get enough of those brownies i loved this months challenge, hopefully the next one is just as good!! Love the recipe Tessa!
Super easy and delicious! I had one of the commercial made brownies not long ago and was disappointed in the processed flavor. These are delicious and rich. A good brownie recipe.
Delicious easy to follow recipe. Great copycat but taste so much better!
My kids loved this, and I love how yummy they are without all the preservatives
Super yummy and rich!!
SO delicious! Puts store bought to shame!
My family LOVES these brownies. They’re so chocolate-y and I love it
Super good. Really easy to make. I love how chocolate-y the brownies are
Very easy, and tasty! My husband doesn’t usually eat dessert, and he asked for seconds!
I could only take a bite of one because they are not gluten free, they are delicious and rich! Definitely making them again but gluten free!
Rich, fudgy, and delicious! Super easy recipe.
I am only 11 years old and making these brownies was a great experience. the recipe was pretty easy. THANK YOU TESSA.
So easy to make and tastes 100x better than store bought!!
LOVEDDD these cosmic brownies, I’m a huge fan of the ones from the store and was surprised how much they tasted alike. I also forgot to sift the cocoa powder and they still taste amazing! After posting the picture I had 5 people respond and ask for the recipe!! highly recommend
Very yummy brownie. Personally I would like less of the ganache on them, but that is a personal preference. My husband loved them!!
Love the recipe, it was amazing!! Thank you Tessa!!! Definitely making again some time
These brownies are great. Very rich so I halved the amount of ganache on top 🙂
The recipe was very simple and came together quickly. Letting it cool took longer than anything else. The brownies are super delicious, I just had another for breakfast 🙂