A well-known fact about me is that I have a sweet tooth, and a second and related fact is that frequently, that sweet tooth is satiated by the same food I ate in 3rd grade. Chips Ahoy, Oreos, E.L. Fudge cookies, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, that kind of thing. And of course…Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies!
I loved eating them when I was a kid, and they’re still a delight. People (coworkers, roommates, boyfriend, fellow bus passengers) side-eye me when they see me eating them, but then they have one and immediately are transported to a simpler time when snacks didn’t make anyone mad.
Imagine my surprise, delight, and curiosity when I was innocently scrolling Twitter (RIP) and saw this recipe from Tasty for homemade Cosmic (“Galactic”) Brownies.
I made these to bring to a Friendsgiving attended by the folks I grew up with – middle and high school friends that all sat at the same lunch table and indulged in the same junk food. The brownies were a huge hit and I liked them too, but they are head-cavingly chocolatey and very dense, and as a result not entirely for me.
I love the fact that Cosmic Brownies are kinda fluffy on the inside with a slightly thicker outer layer, and it’s teetering somewhere between semi-sweet and dark chocolate. The frosting in this recipe is very thick, and the dark chocolate tastes overpowering to my unsophisticated palate.
Maybe I made them incorrectly. Maybe I’m a basic bitch with simple tastes. LIFE IS FULL OF MYSTERIES! But I would recommend these for a true chocolate lover and if I make them again, I would probably substitute some (but not all!) of the dark chocolate for semisweet just to selfishly suit my own preferences. That’s the advantage of cooking: you can make it however the fuck you want!
Homemade Cosmic Brownies
Level up an absolute banger of a childhood snack by making it at home!
Ingredients
Brownies
- Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter
- 3 oz dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 ¼ C granulated sugar
- 2 TBSP light brown sugar
- 1 ½ TSP kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 TSP vanilla extract
- ¾ C dutch processed cocoa powder
- ½ C all purpose flour
- 1 TSP instant espresso powder, optional
Frosting
- 2 oz dark chocolate, chopped
- 5 oz milk chocolate, chopped
- ½ C heavy cream
- 1 TBSP unsalted butter
- ¼ C rainbow chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet or pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides. Grease the parchment with more nonstick spray.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and bring to a boil, stirring frequently with a heat-safe rubber spatula. As the water begins to boil out of the butter, the milk solids in the butter will separate, sink to the bottom, and begin to toast and brown.
- Stir constantly until the butter turns nutty brown, about 10 minutes total.
- Turn off the heat, add the chocolate, and stir to melt and combine with the browned butter. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the granulated and brown sugars, salt, and the butter-chocolate mixture. Mix with an electric mixer on medium speed until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs and continue mixing until smooth, about 3 minutes more.
- Add the vanilla and mix just to combine.
- Sift in the cocoa powder, flour and espresso powder, if using. Mix on medium-low speed until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to spread evenly.
- Bake the brownies until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
Make the frosting while the brownies are baking:
- Add the dark and milk chocolate to a medium heat-proof bowl.
- Add the heavy cream and butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted completely, pour the mixture over the chocolate and let sit for 1 minute.
- Stir together until smooth and creamy.
- While the brownies are still hot, pour the frosting over the top. Use an offset spatula to spread evenly, covering the brownies completely.
- Sprinkle the rainbow chips evenly across the frosting, pressing them lightly into the frosting if you think they’re not stuck on sufficiently.
- Let the brownies cool at room temperature for 2 hours to set the frosting and the brownie crumb. Transfer the brownies to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to chill completely for the ultimate fudgy texture.
- Cut the chilled brownies into 12 pieces and enjoy!
Notes
If you think the high dark chocolate content is too much, swap some of it out with semi-sweet!
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