Homemade Cosmic Brownies

5 from 3 votes

These Homemade Cosmic Brownies are just like the original Little Debbie version, only even better. There's more chocolate flavor in these fudgy, rich brownies that get treated with a fudge frosting and sprinkled with candy coated chocolate sprinkles for an out-of-this-world treat.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Cooling Time2

Total Time2 40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: brownies

Calories: 275kcal

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

Brownies

1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
¾ cup light brown sugar (150g)
¾ cup salted butter, melted (12 Tablespoons)
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour, scooped & leveled (141g)
¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt

Fudge Frosting & Decorating

1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
½ cup salted butter, cubed
½ cup milk
¼ cup corn syrup
⅓ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (6 Tablespoons)
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Rainbow coated chocolate chips, for decorating

Instructions

Brownies

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with a parchment paper sling or spray with baking spray.
In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter together until light, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla, then beat or whisk well.
Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, using a spatula to spread it into an even layer.
Bake for 18-22 minutes just until done, but do not overbake. Remove and cool in the pan.

Fudge Frosting

While the brownies are cooling, prepare the fudge icing by combining the sugar, butter, milk, corn syrup, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Cook and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, then remove from the heat and beat in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
Immediately pour the hot frosting over the brownies. Tilt the pan while the frosting is still hot to cover the edges. Sprinkle with the rainbow coated chocolate chips while the icing is still soft before it has a chance to set up.
Let the brownies cool completely, at least 2-3 hours, before cutting into squares so the frosting can set up completely.

Notes

Storage: You can keep these brownies on the counter in an airtight container for 4-5 days or in the fridge for about a week.
Freezing: These freeze great for 2-3 months. I recommend slicing and separating the brownies, then freezing them on a baking sheet for an hour before transferring to an airtight freezer-safe container for longer term storage. Thaw on the counter for a couple of hours before enjoying.
Rainbow coated chocolate chip options: These sprinkles are pretty easy to find at most craft stores like Jo-Ann Fabric & Crafts, Michaels, or Hobby Lobby in their baking/cake decorating section. Wilton makes the brand that I used called "rainbow chip crunch". I have even seen them at my regular grocery store in the baking aisle, but you can also order online. Or use mini M&Ms (the closest substitute flavor and texture-wise), regular sprinkles, or even chocolate covered sunflower seeds instead.
Ganache option: Instead of the pourable fudge frosting, you can heat ½ cup heavy cream in the microwave for 60 seconds until very hot. Pour over 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and ½ cup milk chocolate chips with a pinch of salt in a bowl and let this sit for 3 minutes without stirring. After 3 minutes, whisk or stir until the chocolate is all melted and smooth. Pour and spread over the brownies in place of the fudge frosting.
Pan size: You could make these in a smaller pan like a 9x9 for thicker brownies, but you will need to adjust the baking time to be a little longer, probably more like 26-30 minutes.

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