Homemade Cosmic Brownies — These homemade Cosmic Brownies are dark, dense, and rich. The edges are just a bit chewy, with a moist and ultra-fudgy interior.
Homemade Cosmic Brownies Recipe
Growing up, I loved Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies and Cosmic Brownies so much. Show me a box of either, and I could show you a pile of cellophane wrappers minutes later.
Although it’s been years since I’ve had a store-bought Cosmic Brownie, I had a craving for them and decided to try my hand at a homemade version. This isn’t the first Little Debbie snack I’ve recreated. A few months ago I made Homemade Little Debbie Star Crunch and recently posted a collection of 25 Copycat Recipes. Apparently I like trying to re-invent the wheel.
In terms of authenticity, I give these homemade Cosmic Brownies an 8 out of 10, with easy tweaks noted below to bring that score higher.
In terms of being a fabulous brownie overall, I give them a 10 out of 10. This brownie base is likely to become my new go-to. I loved everything about these frosted fudge brownies.
I created this fudge brownie base by adapting my two favorite brownie bases, Fudgy Nutella Brownies and The Ultimate Fudgy Caramel Brownies. I’d like to make all three at once and do side-by-side comparisons, and I’ll get to that right after I budget in money for a new pants wardrobe.
Both of my previous brownie bases use melted butter and a whisk, so they come together in minutes in one bowl, without needing a mixer. From there, I took my favorite things from each recipe — such as a 9×9-inch pan and using both brown and granulated sugars from Fudgy Nutella; and two eggs, cocoa powder, and espresso powder from The Ultimate.
These Little Debbie brownies are dark, dense, rich, the edges are just a bit chewy, with a moist and ultra fudgy interior. There’s zero traces of cakiness and the fudge factor reigns supreme.
As the ganache sets up, it remains soft and firms up just enough to not make a total mess when slicing the brownies. I hate it when the top layer of chocolate cracks, and this isn’t that kind of chocolate.
Upon biting into a dense yet chewy brownie, soft ganache squishes and almost squirts between your teeth. And there’s chewy, ganache-softened M&M’s. It’s the best texture party ever. Ever.
I may be biased, but these are way better than regular Cosmic Brownies. And quite possibly, they’re the best brownies I’ve ever had.
What’s in Cosmic Brownies?
To make these frosted fudge brownies, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Brewed coffee
- Vanilla extract
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Instant espresso granules
- All-purpose flour
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Half and half
- Mini M&M’s
How to Make Cosmic Brownies
To make these homemade Cosmic Brownies, you’ll first need to melt the butter. Then, stir in the wet ingredients, followed by the dry.
Turn the batter into a greased 9×9-inch pan and bake until the top has just set, isn’t jiggly in the center, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few fudgy moist crumbs, but no batter.
Let the brownies cool completely, then make the chocolate ganache frosting. Smooth the ganache over the brownies, then sprinkle with M&M’s.
You’ll need to pop these Little Debbie brownies into the fridge to set before you can slice and serve them.
Can I Omit the Coffee?
The coffee and instant espresso don’t make these Cosmic Brownies taste at all like coffee. They just enhance the rich chocolate flavor and make these brownies even better. But if you don’t have coffee or instant espresso granules on hand, you can just add water.
Can I Make These in an 8×8-Inch Pan?
Yes, but since the brownies will be even thicker you’ll need to bake them for longer (I’m not sure how much longer, but likely at least 5 minutes more).
Can I Add Mix-Ins to These Brownies?
You probably can, although then you wouldn’t be making authentic Cosmic Brownies. But I imagine chocolate chips, chopped candy bars, or chopped nuts would work in these fudge brownies.
Can I Use Regular Sized M&M’s?
Technically, yes, but I think those would be tough to bite down on. Get your hands on mini M&M’s, if possible.
Can I Omit the Frosting?
If you prefer regular fudge brownies, sure! But if you want real Cosmic Brownies, the frosting is a must.
Do I Have to Use Half and Half in the Frosting?
Yes, half and half or heavy cream is a must. If you use regular milk, the ganache will be far too runny and won’t set.
How to Store Cosmic Brownies
Brownies will keep airtight for 1 week at room temperature, for 2 weeks in the refrigerator, and for up to 6 months in the freezer. I highly recommend storing them in the refrigerator because having a slight chill to brownies this rich and fudgy is almost imperative.
Tips for Making Cosmic Brownies
I love this Cosmic Brownies recipe and don’t want to change a thing, but in order to make them more authentic, use natural unsweetened cocoa powder rather than Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder, and increase the flour by about 1/4 cup. Cosmic Brownies aren’t as dark and are slightly more cakey, but I prefer darker and fudgier brownies to lighter and cakier.
Baking them in a 9×9-inch pan was my preference, but if you want brownies closer to the real deal, use a 9×13 pan. I don’t like brownies that are on the thin side.
The ganache layer is a bit thicker and when it comes to chocolate, thicker and more is better in my book, but use less if you wish.
I used more M&M’s minis than you’d find on Cosmic Brownies because skimpy isn’t an option. Note that when using M&M’s, they fade. The same thing happened when I made this Frozen Chocolate Pudding and Wafer Cake. The color starts leeching out as they sit on top of chocolate or post-refrigeration when coming back up to room temp. Not a huge deal, but something to mention.
The benefit is that as they sit on the ganache, they soften a bit and become chewy rather than crunchy. The texture of chewy M&M’s is just fabulous and is like nothing I’ve ever had, which more than makes up for their slightly muted color.
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Homemade Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies
These homemade Cosmic Brownies are dark, dense, and rich. The edges are just a bit chewy, with a moist and ultra-fudgy interior.
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons coffee or water (coffee leftover from the morning brew is fine)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder or dark cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark)
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso granules (make sure it’s instant so it dissolves), optional but recommended
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
For the Ganache
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup half-and-half or cream (I used half-and-half)
- 1 cup M&M minis (they’re sold in small tubes and I used 1 1/2 tubes; regular size M&Ms may be substituted)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large, microwave safe bowl, melt the butter, about 90 seconds on high power.
- Add the eggs, sugars, coffee, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Add the cocoa powder, instant espresso, and whisk until incorporated, free from lumps, and smooth. It could take a few minutes if your cocoa powder is lumpy.
- Add the flour and stir until it’s just incorporated; don’t overmix.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Bake for 25 to 29 minutes, or until top has just set, isn’t jiggly in the center, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few fudgy moist crumbs, but no batter. I baked mine for 26 minutes.
- Allow brownies to cool completely in pan. While brownies cool, make the ganache.
- Add chocolate chips to a medium, microwave-safe bowl and heat on high power for 1 minute to soften chips. They won’t be melted, this is okay. Don’t stir; set bowl aside.
- Heat cream in a glass measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl until it begins to bubble and show signs of just beginning to boiling, about 1 minute on high power.
- Pour cream over chocolate chips and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
- With a whisk, beat mixture until silky, smooth, and combined. If your mixture isn’t smoothing out, heat in 15-second bursts in the microwaves until it can be stirred smooth.
- Pour ganache over mostly cooled brownies (after about 30 minutes is fine; they don’t have to be completely cooled). Smooth ganache lightly with a spatula or offset knife.
- Evenly sprinkle with M&Ms.
- Cover pan with a sheet of foil to prevent fridge smells, and place pan in refrigerator until ganache sets up before slicing and serving, at least 2 hours. Do not slice into them until the ganache has set; feel free to make these in advance and store them in the fridge; they get better with time.
Make the Brownies
Make the Ganache
Notes
- Brownies will keep airtight for 1 week at room temperature, for 2 weeks in the refrigerator, and for up to 6 months in the freezer. I highly recommend storing them in the refrigerator because having a slight chill to brownies this rich and fudgy is almost imperative.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 640Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 50mgCarbohydrates: 84gFiber: 4gSugar: 67gProtein: 7g
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Just amazing, rich and luscious, though very “mocha” in flavor if you use both of the coffees. Next time I will use only one. This is a keeper!
Glad you will make them again!
I first made these a few years ago and shared them with coworkers to rave reviews! I have made them once or twice since, each time with great success. I am planning to make them again this weekend. This is one of those “can’t get it out of my head” recipes that I come back to time and again. I even have some of those candy covered chocolate chips that make them even more like the Little Debbie brownies. I’ve made them as written with M&M’s as well. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad these have been a hit and that you can’t get the recipe out of your head! I have those too, trust me :)
I have made these to rave reviews. (The rave reviews have been as much from myself as from others who have tried them.) Always looking for a reason to make them again. Perfect, fudgy brownies with a smooth and delicious frosting. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that these get rave reviews!
I totally remember having these as a kid but not very often. It’s been years since I had one. I’m going to have to give this recipe a try.
They are definitely so good and I hope you enjoy them!
Another amazing recipe! These were so good and only got better with time in the fridge. I have struggled with brownie recipes before but these were perfect and I can’t wait to make them again!
Thanks for the five star review and glad they got better with time in the fridge! I find that with this recipe and some of my other brownies recipes, too!
These are so so yummy! Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
I made the mistake of making these when I was on maternity leave – since I was home alone, I ate the whole pan in just a few sittings ? Now I’m making them to take to Thanksgiving. Move over pumpkin pie, the world’s best brownies are coming through! Thanks for the recipe!
Aww love that you think they’re the world’s best brownies and you’re skipping the pumpkin pie for these!
This recipe is perfect. I omitted the Espresso and used water, but it was still incredible!!! So rich and chocolatey. Also, I’ve seen a few people ask about using an 8×8. I made mine in an 8×8 and they took about 5-10 extra minutes in the oven and are a bit thicker, but very good. I haven’t had a little Debbie in years, but remember loving them as a kid and this homemade version tops those for sure. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad it worked in an 8×8 for you and that they’re perfect!
Tried these for the first time today! I didn’t have any coffee or instant espresso, so I switched out the coffee for water and omitted the instant espresso; I think the flavor is nice and rich as is! I don’t really like frosting on most desserts, even as a kid I scraped the frosting off of the Little Debbie brownies, so I omitted the ganache and just put some fun sprinkles and they were still delicious! I’m excited to see how the flavor changes after being refrigerated overnight. Thanks for another great recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you – even without frosting!
Made these brownies for the third time, and of course, they were the hit of the party! I was cooking for a crowd, so I followed the recipe and doubled the amounts. I baked them in a 9×13 pan, however I think next time I double the recipe I would bake them on a half sheet tray to make them thinner. Doubling the recipe in a 9×13 made for a super thick brownie (not the worst thing in the world!) I baked them for about 35-40 mins and they were beautiful and fudgy. The only change I made; I substituted nestle “bunch a crunch” candies for the m&ms. I would highly recommend this to others as they hold their shape and crunch for days and days, so the added texture is awesome! Just wanted to share for others who are thinking of doubling this scrumptious recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Good tip that if you do double, consider a sheet pan to keep them a little thinner and the bunch a crunch sound great!
Wondering if this batter would work in an 8×8 inch pan or is that pushing it lol
They’d get quite thick which is fine, but traditional Cosmic Brownies are thinner, but I don’t think the recipe would overflow in an 8×8 although I haven’t tried it.
I have made these TWICE this week, one for a birthday treat and one for a BBQ and they are so delicious; a hit with adults and little ones! This will be my go-to brownie recipe from now on! Next time, I’m adding a peanut butter swirl to the ganache. Thanks for a fabulous recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe TWICE this week and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad this is your new go-to recipe!
Hey Averie, these truly look from the cosmos! Absolutely heavenly! One quick question, will the 25% fat cream work for the ganache? Or would it get too runny?
I think that could work but I haven’t tried so not sure. With ganache if it IS too runny, you can often times ‘save it’ by adding more chocolate.
These are definitely the fudgiest brownies I have ever eaten! So moist, thick and chewy, I’m taking them to 2 of my friends who love brownies – I know they will be a hit. Thanks again, Averie, your recipes never disappoint!
Thanks for the compliment on my recipes and that they don’t disappoint! And how nice of you to share with your friends – they’ll have big smiles on their faces I’m sure :)
Hi Averie! Simply delicious! It’s my first time to make some brownies. Used this base with oreos and mallows, next thing was they were asking for the recipe. Thank you so much! More power!
Glad they were a big hit with this base and oreos/mallows…mmmm, I want some :)
Super easy, and omg delish! Followed recipe to a T, wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you!
Thanks for the awesome recipe! I have my go-to brownie recipe, but love trying new ideas. The extra moisture from the brown sugar is great. I may have to change my go-to to this one!
My sister’s birthday was this past week and she used to love cosmic brownies when she was little. So I made up these in a 9×13 for the more authentic look. It was just the right amount of ganache for the top. Then I wrapped up two little square brownies in plastic wrap, ready for the freezer. She can take out a package for her lunch. Also, I tried not to eat all of them, but it was difficult!
So happy that these worked out well for you and that you’re really pleased with the recipe! Thanks for LMK! I bet your little wrapped up squares were a hit :)
Made these the other day and they are delicious! I made them in a glass 9×13 pan, so they’re a little thinner, but still really good. I was unable to find instant espresso at my grocery store. Instant coffee, yes, but espresso, no. Is there a brand you recommend that I can keep an eye out for? They turned out super fudgy. So much so that getting them out of the pan in one piece can be difficult, so I’m going to try adding the additional flour next time. I’m not complaining though. I love fudgy.
I did have one question though. What is the purpose of covering the pan in tin foil? I sprayed it, but it still sticks to the bottom of the brownies, and tears when I pull them out, so I have to be careful not to let bits of foil remain on the brownies. Is it just for clean-up purposes? Can I skip this step if using a glass pan?
Thanks!
Some brands of foil are prone to tearing; I used Reynolds Heavy Duty, it never tears. But if you want to skip the step and you find it more difficult, that’s fine. I never have an issue so cleanup is a breeze with foil for me. G
lad you loved the brownies and all ovens and climates vary so either slightly more flour or baking longer may help, too. I use King Arthur all-purpose, it’s the best IMO and has more gluten than other brands so things set up better.
https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/09/chocolate-peanut-butter-mocha-powerballs.html There’s a picture of the espresso in the background. It’s in the coffee aisle of most groc stores in my area in a small glass jar. Spanish label and brand and sorry that I’m not in front of it so can’t tell you exactly but the jar is unmistakeable with the bold 3-color striping.
I am so happy that I found this recipe on Pinterest, been wanting to try them ever since! My daughters and I will make them over the weekend, so excited! They look so perfect, brownies are not the easiest thing to cut into! I found a trick though, I use a plastic knife :)
Thank you for sharing:)
~Donika
I cannot wait to make these! They look so delicious! Sundays are the only days I can have sweets because of my workout and diet :( But I’m sure these brownies are worth the wait! What brand of coffee did you use by the way?
The kind I get at my regular grocery store. It has a Spanish name and comes in a small glass jar. Use any kind you want. TJs even sells it.
Is it called “Cafe De Bustelo”?
Coffee – yes I use that. But espresso granules, it’s the stuff shown here https://www.averiecooks.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-mocha-powerballs/
These look amazing! I shared with my facebook friends :) https://www.facebook.com/JaseysCrazyDaisy?ref=hl
Hi I would love to make this recipe but I wanted to know if id have to make any alterations if I was to bake it in a 9×13?
You’d probably want to double the recipe but I haven’t tried it so I cannot speak for sure. Enjoy them! :)
it is possible to make these without the coffee? will it have a big impact on the taste of the brownies?
It brings out and rounds out the chocolate flavor and intensity and makes them taste richer but omit if you want to.
I have tried the “store bought”ones too!! If they were TRULLY “Cosmic” brownies then they are missing an important ingredient. I mean this as a joke of course…. Alice B had the original recipe!!!
made these brownies. first time i made homemade brownies that came out fudgy-ly perfect! love the time you took to get the recipe right and the photos (it tempted me into trying :) ) heading to the store after work so i can buy buttermilk for your cinnamon rolls. if you took the hassle out of yeast, you are about to become my favorite baker! thank you again!
So glad that you loved these & they came out perfect for you!
The recipe and the photos – glad you appreciate the effort :)
And yes, buttermilk for cinn rolls, do it! Now, they do have yeast but it’s instant yeast & there’s no downtime! So…it’s as simple as a yeast roll will ever get. LMK what you think!
You can also find mini M&Ms in bags like regular M&Ms. I’ve bought them from Target and Harris Teeter. :) These brownies are adorable!
I’ve had these pinned forever and am preparing to make them for tailgating. Upon intense staring at the heavenly thick, chewy texture, I began to wonder… how on earth did you slice those so pretty?!? They look straight out of a Little Debbie box because the brownie and ganache could have been cut by machine they’re so crisp, straight and smooth. How did you do it?! Did you clean it up for photo shoot ;) ?
It takes over an hour just to slice bars/brownies sometimes for my photo shoots. I have to clean my knife after every cut. It’s a real production :) Thanks for noticing!
Things I baked were turning out hard, but I thought it might’ve been my imagination since I like things soft. But you know what? I may have measured the eggs wrong (that is, not enough). I used an egg substitute. Could that have caused what happened?
YES THAT IS THE PROBLEM!!!! You have to use REAL EGGS. Not substitutes; they are generally not suitable for baking, despite what any packaging may say. Use.real.eggs. Too little egg will make things hard/overly dried out AND on top of it, those fake egg products create a super weird/hard texture. Switch to real eggs and I guarantee that’s the issue.
Okay! :-) Real eggs are a bit of a pain for me because I can’t use them fast enough before they go bad. Also, I hate whisking or beating them. FWIW, I think I only used 1/3 of what I was supposed to. :-(
Since I have more time than I thought I would: the brownies are more like the crunchy stuff in Dairy Queen cakes. My concern with leaving the brownies out of the fridge is that the ganache, which turned out just right, will melt. Thanks again.
Something went wrong when I made these brownies – the batter looked okay but when they were supposed to be done in the oven, they were sizzling and bubbling like I haven’t seen brownies before. I refrigerated them maybe 8 hours, and they were really hard to cut. I know you said refrigerate them; do you think I should leave them out for a while before presenting them? What could I have done wrong? Thanks.
I have no idea what happened during the baking process. Sizzling and bubbling like you’ve never seen does not sound normal for brownies. Do you feel like your oven temp is calibrated properly? Anything that sizzles/bubbles, then turns rock hard – usually means the internal temp got really hot (hotter than it should have) which to me sounds like your oven is running hot. And this is not a dumb question, but are you absolutely sure you measured everything 100% perfectly? Sometimes people will grab the wrong measuring cup, only to realize it LATER. The ganache should set up fine if you just leave them at room temp; the reason I like to store in the fridge is b/c they are supposed to be very, very fudgy so having a chill is nice. But if you already have hockey pucks, I probably wouldnt refrigerate (and probably wouldnt even ‘waste’ the ganache on them; I’d start over after you are sure your oven, etc are all 100%). I think it’s a fluke!
Thanks for taking the time to respond. Hmm..maybe my oven is too hot. But I have no idea how to change that unless I just adjust the temperature for each recipe. I guess I can’t be sure I measured everything correctly, but I think I did. I’ve already put the ganache on the brownies, but I’ll take them out of the fridge and see what they’re like tomorrow. I’m willing to try making these again! Thank you again! :-)
buy an oven thermometer…they’re like 5.99 and there’s your answer. I truly think your oven is way too hot; just by what you wrote. And then if it’s running hot, you can decrease the temp to bring it to ‘normal’. And also maybe re-measure the ingredients and yes take it out of the fridge – yours defi don’t need to be in there. They’re already firm, and then some :) LMK if you try again!
2 things: one, would salted butter work? We don’t have any and I want to make them now!!
and two, would normal instant coffee work instead of the espresso? (we don’t have any of that, either)
Salted butter I’m sure will be okay (just don’t add any of the optional salt) and normal instant coffee will be fine. It’s an optional thing anyway but does bring out the chocolate flavor and enhance it and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the results. Please LMK how they go for you!
This is my new favorite site, I kid you not, I have a serious addiction to sweets, and your recipes are not helping me in my goal to cut back.
Well I am happy to help your sweets addiction!
Wow, what a coincidence! I made this exact same recipe two years ago, right down to the part about lining the pan with foil and spraying it! Just goes to show you how the same ideas keep getting recycled. :) We love Cosmic Brownies here, but only the homemade ones. They’re so much better than store bought!
In case you’re wondering, I have Google alerts set up for some recipes–this is one of them. That’s how I came upon your post. ;) Nice photos.
Hi Elle
I just went to your site to try to find your brownie recipe and I did. Looks like our recipes are indeed similar but yours are baked in a 9×13 pan, mine are baked in a 9×9 and yours use almost double the amount of flour that mine do. And yours use baking powder, whereas I never put leaveners in my brownies. And your recipe for ganache is different than mine, too.
As I said in my post, I came up with them as a hybrid of 2 of my fave brownie recipes, “I created this brownie base by adapting my two favorite brownie bases, Fudgy Nutella Brownies and The Ultimate Fudgy Caramel Brownies.” (and I inserted the links in the post, see above)
I always, always line my pans with foil. 100% of the recipes I make in a pan, I line with foil. See here, all 50+ of these recipes, I start off by lining with foil. It’s such a timesaver. Glad you do it too! https://www.averiecooks.com/category/dessert/bars
Looks like we both like our homemade Cosmic brownies but I wanted to point out the differences in our recipes. Someone just yesterday reprinted my recipe for these on her site so yes, I agree, recipes to get recycled and reprinted and adapted, although I started my recipe off by adapting two of my own previous brownie recipes.
I’ve never heard of a cosmic brownies. Yummy sounding treats don’t exist like that here in the UK but I’m glad you’ve made these little beauties. Those brownies look soo fudgy, I’m drooling at the screen.
These look so good, can’t wait to try out this recipe!
Oh boy! You’ve got my number! Cosmic brownies are my favorite thing EVER. Every time I would donate blood my “reward” to myself was a cosmic brownie that was provided by the Red Cross. (They had baskets of treats…all of your wildest little Debbie desires). Life dream = achieved.
Now that Red Cross had it going on! That’s the way to get people to donate :) If you try these, LMK what you think!
These brownies are amazing. Husband said they were the best he’d ever had and I think I agree! Delicious! Had people over for dinner and they were a big hit there as well :) thanks! Loving this blog more and more with each successful recipe. Thanks!
Wow – you made these, too! So glad you tried them, and the hubs, and your guests – and that they were a big hit! Thanks for trying this recipe and they are the best brownies I’ve ever had, too. LMK if you try other recipes, too…and thanks!
how do you cut these SO perfectly?
A very sharp knife and taking my time.
Hi Averie,
This was the first thing I made off of your blog and they were delicious! I’ll definitely be trying more of your recipes! Thank you!
Yay! Thanks for telling me! So glad you enjoyed them! They’re probably my fave brownie recipe I’ve ever made! LMK if you try other things!
I made these for my fiance this weekend, who normally just groans every time I insist on trying a new brownie recipe (he’s not too thrilled with change in general, lol). No groaning this weekend–his mouth was full and he was smiling! This recipe is truly amazing. The brownies are supremely fudgy and have incredible depth in the chocolate flavor. Thanks so much for sharing it!
Thanks, Suzanne, for LMK you tried them AND that you AND your finance are both so pleased! Love field reports & comments like this! Thanks for making them and coming back to tell me about it!
These are delicious! I love dense fudge-like brownies. They are simple to make and I think everyone has all these ingredients on hand at all times. My new go to brownie recipe!
Thanks for LMK you tried them, Dan! And that they’re your new go-to brownie recipe. Mine too!
Hi! I want to make these but I got a little confused when reading your blog post. You created your favorite brownie by combining those 2 Nutella and ultimate recipes. Is that what is posted above in the recipe for the cosmic? You mentioned to make your brownie more like Little Debbie you added more flour…so is the recipe above that recipe, with more flour? What is the recipe for the hybrid brownie that you describe? Sorry, I probably confused you too! But I want to make your hybrid, before making the Little Debbie one above. Thanks! :)
Yes, you have definitely confused yourself and over-thought things. Just make the recipe in this post that I wrote about. Yes, it’s a hybrid of all the best things I’ve ever done with brownies (that’s more info than people need to know, but I like to explain myself – and apparently that is what confused you). Make it exactly as I wrote it and it shows up in the little recipe box. Don’t change a thing, flour, Nutella, nothing. Just make it like I wrote it. They’re perfect!
Haha! Ok thanks! Making them tonight! :)
LMK how they turn out!
Made these tonight! You weren’t kidding about the “fudgyness” very rich but super good!!! Wishing I had some vanilla ice cream now…
I never kid about fudge factor :) Glad you liked them and thanks for LMK you made them! My current post is…ice cream! :) Make in 10 mins!
When I saw this, I couldn’t figure out for the life of me why anyone would want to duplicate a cosmic brownie. They are awful! After your description though, it makes me want to try the recipe which sounds like a new and improved cosmic brownie.
Well there’s a reason they’ve been around 25+ years – tens of millions of them have been sold and people keep buying them! But the homemade version just blows away the storebought :)
These brownies are so fun! Your pics are just gorgeous Averie :) Thanks so much for sharing at Mom On Timeout!
Gorgeous!! Definitely making these to take to work!!
I didn’t grow up with these individually wrapped cakes – but we always had those gingery windmill cookies that came in the red paper box with clear plastic. I’d love to see a copy-cat recipe for those!
These look amazing!! Can’t wait to give them a try! Thanks for linking up at Time to Sparkle : )
Liz
There must be something truly cosmic about Cosmic Brownies, because I was just searching for a Cosmic Brownies recipe the other day and now THIS arrives. Thank you, thank you!
I was a sucker for Little Debbie Zebra Cakes and Carmel Cookie Bars.
Made these today ~ best brownies I’ve ever made, and I have made A LOT of brownies!
Best brownies you have EVER made …and you make a lot of brownies. Well, that’s just awesome to hear! I happen to agree with you. I have made tons and tons for my blog, cookbook recipe testing, and I am in love with this brownie base. Thanks for LMK you tried them and the results are the best ever!
I loved Cosmic brownies as a kid. I don’t eat them now because they would become a daily occurrence, but now I’m so pumped to try your homemade version. Somehow making them myself would make it ok. (I’ll bring them to work to share.) Thanks for the recipe!
LMK if you try them. I LOVE THEM! You have to bring them to work unless you have great willpower :)
I love Little Debbie treats! These look scrumptious, the mini m & m’s are adorable.
Amazing! Brings me right back to being a kid… something about those primary M&M colors!
I’m totally making these! YUM!!!
I always loved those brownies too–they were definitely my favorite lunchbox treat. I think yours look a LOT better though.
gosh darn i loved these things too..how they came in packs like 2 little brownies you could break in half. the denseness looks so exact. and hello of course yours are better! for sure!!!!!
My BF loves the original! He buys Em by the carton. But, have you noticed, the original “cosmic Brownies®” has those mini candy coated chips, that looks. like little candy coated “kisses”? I bet you substituted “m&m’s minis®” because you. Probably,
couldn’t find those (chips) anywhere.
These look amazing!! I’ve never had the original, but I’m thinking I need to make the copy-cat because hello, look at your pictures!! Yum :) also, congrats on the book coming out today!! Wooo!
Averie, my daughter is sitting next to me while I sit and browse my fave bloggies, and as soon as she saw the photo of these beauties on my feed, she literally screamed, “I WANT THOSE, MOMMY!! I WAAAAAANT!”. Looks like I will be making another one of your amazing recipes. :)
My God, lady. You should get some kind of award for the way you describe food. Every time I read your posts I sit here and salivate and think to myself, “I need that. I NEED to make that right now.”
DROOLING. Can I have a stack of these babies for breakfast?? I freaking LOVE cosmic brownies and it has been WAY too long since I’ve had them. I’ve wanted to recreate them too and you’ve took the recipe work right out for me. I have to try them! The ganache on top of the fudgy brownie… and those M&Ms… yes, quite the texture party. Averie I’m loving these so much and your photos are wonderful! They capture how fudgy they are. I want to grab them through the screen! Fabulous job, pinned!
I saw some at the…gas station :) recently and had a huge craving and decided to make my own. Thanks for the pin and for saying you can see how fudgy they are. You know when you shoot dark things, they can end up just looking…dark. Glad these conveyed the full story!
omg these look BETTER than the little Debbie ones!
they taste even better too :)
I can’t believe how much these look like the ones from Little Debbie…now if you could recreate the Oatmeal creme pie…..you’d be my hero!!!!
These brownies look so fudgy and rich!
Yep I’m one that never tried a cosmic brownie. I was a devoted to only nutty bars or HoHos. My dad would buy the star crunches or the oatmeal cream pies sometimes, and I wouldn’t eat them. Picky kid, eh?
These are so much fun! I might just have to make them for a BBQ I have to attend this week!
I don’t think I’ve ever had a little debbie brownie, but one look at these and I know I’m going to be hooked.
i was an oatmeal creme pie girl all the way! these look amazing!
Cosmic brownies were the best :) this recipe is amazing!
Oh my! Your pictures are gorgeous! Makes me want to make these right now. :)
Every time I eat Little Debbies I feel 5 years old again. What a fun and colorful recipe!
These look super awesome and fudgy! And they must be with all the butter. Not sure I’ve seen a recipe for a 9 inch pan with that much butter.
That’s actually pretty standard with brownies! My fudgy nutella uses the same, and it’s a 9-inch pan; and the Ultimate (which is from Alice Medrich and has literally 1000+ comments on the smittenkitchen post about it, 6000 comments on allrecipes, etc.) it uses 1 1/4 sticks for an 8-inch pan, so the ratios are the same. You could of course bake them as 9×13 but I don’t like thin little wimpy brownies :)
Wow Averie, those brownies look so divine!!
I used to eat these ALL the time in high school (oops). I also really loved the zebra cakes, but they always made me feel sick after. Either way, these look amazing. PINNING. Def one of my favs from you!
Thanks for pinning!
Glad they’re one of your faves from me! And thanks for the pin!
Ahhh!! Nostalgia at its best. Zebra cakes were my ultimate fav Little Debbie treat growing up, but cosmic brownies were right up there near the top as well. These look amazingly dense and fudgy – I’ve been meaning to make a good brownie and will need to mark your recipe because it looks and sounds perfect.
Can’t go wrong with zebra cakes either!
I absolutely adore texture parties–although I have to admit that I’ve never tried a Little Debbie snack before. This looks absolutely delectable–next on my to-make list for sure! Thanks, Averie!
I’m a secret Little Debbie addict – I’m always afraid to buy them in the store, because what if I’m spotted by a blog reader buying a processed food? Horrors! I send my husband for them instead ;) These look even better than LD’s own Averie!
It’s like going to the store for tampons. We all need them. I say own it :) But I know what you mean. It never fails when I go on a butter, 3 kinds of sugar, and processed snack food trip to the groc store and my cart is stacked to the max with fat, sugar, and grease, that’s when I bump into someone I know! Never on the kale runs :)
Hey Averie! I have been so busy with Seraphim’s high school graduation that it has been a while since I have been able to catch up on your blog! These Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies look so delicious! Oooh! I never had a Little Debbie product growing up and apparently I have missed out. I like how fudgy these look. Amazing as always, Averie! :-)
Congrats to you and to him for this huge milestone! I can only imagine how busy you must have been the past few weeks. I was thinking about you, wondering what was up…ahhh, now I know! Major congrats xoxo
Averie, these look killer! I am a total brownie junkie and you have me craving one in a bad way right now! Yum!
Well you have some killer desserts my dear! Seriously – your stuff always looks so tempting!
Can you believe I’ve never had Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies and Cosmic Brownies?! This is what happens when you grow up in a VERY traditional Korean household.
Anyway, that just means that I MUST make the homemade version. And dude, your brownies look like absolute perfection!
Never had an OCP or a Cosmic Brownie! Run to the nearest gas station and get some. Lol :)
Oh my goodness. I can’t believe you recreated Cosmic brownies. I love love LOVE cosmic brownies. I could eat an entire box in one sitting. Seriously, this recipe is a dream come true. And those are the fudgiest brownies I have ever seen in my entire life! You have really outdone yourself Averie!
I could (and used to) be able to take down a box of comsic brownies, OCPies, or Twinkies. Childhood metabolism, gotta love it!
Oh wow – I used to eat Cosmic Brownies a lot as a kid, but these…these look SO much better! I’m definitely bookmarking these to try sometime.
Haven’t tasted debbie cosmic brownies before, but these little fudgey deliciousness is something I need in my life. Now!
I made cosmic brownies a year or so ago – yours look much, much better! Darker and fudgier, yes! :D
Ok I totally missed that post if you blogged about them! If you did, LMK!
Please excuse the horrendous photos! (It took me a long time to grasp the wily intricacies of camera “exposure.”) :P
http://www.unegaminedanslacuisine.com/2012/04/cosmic-brownies.html
Now that’s delicious, the more fudge the better! Also great is all goes in one bowl and no mixer, saves on clean up.
I might eat one at a time, not triple as in the one picture :) I have regular M & M’s so that will do.
One at a time is plenty :) They’re wonderfully rich. And cleanup is a breeze. One bowl! LMK how they turn out for you!
I actually made 2 batches Averie :) both batches I clarified the butter. one batch was same as your recipe, and was very fudgey, so delicious my Son loved them. The second batch I doubled the espresso and added a little extra vanilla extract, a little less sugar and added some honey. Truth be told the original recipe was better, but I like to experiment. Thanks for the recipe, my Son also thanks you :)
I love that within 12 hours of the post going live, you had already made TWO batches of brownies! Glad you found that my original recipe was the winner :) I think that if you want to play around with them, I would increase the ratio brown sugar, using more brown than granulated, rather than add honey; just because I know honey can be tricky to bake with to get the results you want. But I loved them as written so for once, I’m done tweaking! If you fiddle around, LMK what becomes of it! Or if you try my other 2 fave brownie recipes that I linked, LMK!
I’ve never had a Little Debbie product before so I wouldn’t have a point for comparison with these, but I’m sure that your recipe would kick the butt out of any packaged, produced brownie. Gah – these look amazing! I love adding coffee to chocolate recipes – it always intensifies that deep, dark cocoa taste.
it always intensifies that deep, dark cocoa taste = you got that right. And every time I post it, I always get questions about people wondering if the finished product tastes like coffee.
These look absolutely AMAZING! One question though, is there any coffee taste if you use the espresso? or does it bake away?
Every time I post to add coffee or espresso, I get asked this…and no, it does not in any way make the brownies taste like coffee. It intensifies that deep, dark cocoa taste and should not be missed. Enjoy!
These bring back memories of middle school. Well…memories of wishing my mom bought these for my sister and me! Now I can make them for myself! :)
Oh wow, I can’t get over how dark and fudgey these look! I’ve never had cosmic brownies as we don’t get Little Debbie here, but looking at these, I’m feeling left out!
I am ashamed to admit, I have never had a cosmic brownie before. Cakey doesn’t do it for me. This recipe though looks as if it produces a rich and a fudgy brownie more up my ally.
I used to LOVE Cosmic Brownies!
Next, please conquer Zebra Cakes. K?
I’ve never had a cosmic brownie but these are so fun – love the M&M topping!
These are so cute and look identical to Little Debbie’s brownies! I loved those things as a kid, too. I am surprised that my kid-self was not 348628347 pounds based on all of the fast-food, snack cakes and Circus animal cookies I consumed on an almost-daily basis.
We would have been total BFFs :)
These are so pretty!
You mentioned adding 1/4 c. of flour to the recipe. Is that reflected in the ingredient list in the actual recipe “card”? These look totally delicious! Funny, though, that I remember Cosmic Brownies having sprinkles on top, albeit circular brightly colored ones…but not mini chocolate candies. I think I prefer your idea to the tasteless little sprinkles, though!
I mentioned in the body of my post that if someone wants to make them more cakey, they could add 1/4 cup of additional flour. Because I personally don’t want to and don’t recommend that, I didn’t include that in the recipe card. If someone wants to start adapting things, they have to be willing to read my post and then take matters into their own adventurous hands, and read between the lines. I strongly encourage people to make the recipe EXACTLY as written; it’s perfect if I do say so :)
And Cosmic Brownies USED to have round sprinkles but about 10 yrs ago maybe? they changed to mini M&Ms!
Copycat recipes are so fun to make! And pretty much always better than the original thing. :) Can’t wait to take a stroll down the memory lane and make these brownies! Pinning!
Thanks for pinning!
I am crying right now Australia does not stock these things! These re so pretty! I want to make this in skillet brownie cake right now and serve it with pop rocks. You are right m&ms should never be used in moderation
Well the ingredients I used are pretty basic – sugar, eggs, cocoa powder and flour. So hopefully you mean they stock those, but not the real Cosmic Brownies.
You are a great cook and I know you can knock this recipe out in your sleep so you don’t even need the storebought version! :)
Oh my goodness those look incredible! Just perfect looking brownies :)
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
I just found your page, so deli!! Looks amazing! Lookimg forward to see more!
Thanks for saying hi!
I’ve never had a Little Debbie Cosmic brownie! Judging from the looks of yours, it must be out of this world….sorry about the pun, I couldn’t help it. These look amazing! My kids saw them over my shoulder and went APE!
went APE – Lol. Sometimes my daughter will see someone else’s child on a blog I’m reading and wants to know the life story on the other kid. lol
I’ve been thinking about making a copycat recipe for cosmic brownies so I was really excited to see you post these. They look amazing!
Can you believe I’ve never had a Little Debbie Snack? I think it was because we were a Hostess family. These brownies look SO fudgy, delish and amazing!
wait, WHAT?! You have to try them! Both the real and the homemade. And I loved a Hostess Cherry Pies as a kid, too :)
I used to eat these Little Debbie snacks too. What a fun trip down memory lane! I’m pretty sure I’d eat all the ganache before it made it on top of the brownies though… :)
It was soooo good. I wanted to just start scraping it the other brownies and going to town on it!
You are so right…these do look so dark and dense…and super rich! I can’t wait to make these. My boys pass them all the time at the store begging to buy them…we just keep walking past. (they’d eat the whole box before we drove home from the store if I’d let them! lol) I made a version a while ago for them…and the boys loved them. But I felt they could have been a bit better…and now I have YOUR recipe, Averie! Think I might even have time to make these sweet little delights today!
ps, my “Averies cookbook” arrives tomorrow from Amazon! (It’s what I’ve been telling Justin all weekend.) Can’t wait to sit and read it at the park…and of course use the recipes! (=
That is so cool it arrives tomorrow! Thank you for your support and I am so glad you’re so excited about it, too! :)
I didnt know you tried making Cosmic Brownies. I missed that post if you blogged it. If you try these, I think you’ll be quite happy!
Nope, never blogged it…found it off the web. Don’t even think it was from a blogger. Which we always make things with “love”, right? So, that’s why I KNOW these are going to be a huge hit with the boys! (=
These look amazing! So fudgy and decadent! A MUST try for sure!
I’m super excited about this recipe! I use to eat cosmic brownies quite often when I was a child. I’m so excited to be able to make my own now! :-)
LMK if you try these since you’re a fan of the original!
I loved Little Debbie brownies so much, they were such a cheap box of delight in my opinion. Thanks for the happy memories!
I will have to give these a try, it’s been a long time since I’ve spent some time with Debbie but I’m willing to go back! :)
cheap thrills is what I call them…pretty much any sweet snack food that you can buy in a gas station, i.e. Ding Dongs, Twinkies, and red licorice vines, etc…it all has a place in my heart :)
You make the BEST looking brownies! I’ve actually never had a Little Debbie cosmic brownie, but I’m prepared to go ahead and bypass the packaged one for yours! :)
Bypassing is good :)
So I have never had a cosmic brownie, but I am thinking these homemade ones are a must try! For one, they have those cute little M&M’s on top and two the frosting brownie base look killer! Need these!
And those mini’s are always sold in the weirdest places, like gas station. Not like at 10 of the regular groc stores I tend to frequent!
I still have some strawberry cream cheese coffee cake in my fridge…but I think I’ll get some butter today and make these too. Oops.
Oh between that cake and these brownies, your house is sounding pretty awesome!
The first word that comes to mind when reading this and looking at the pictures is incredible. Just incredible. Absolutely waaay better than Little Debbie’s!
So glad they got an Incredible! Thanks, Colleen!
Cosmic brownies were my stepdaughter’s favorite! I love a fudgy, nearly black brownie over a lighter colored cake-y one, so I’d follow the recipe as written. I think I could sway her to the “dark side” with these now that she is older. Buying Hershey’s special dark can be such a challenge. Wal Mart was completely out and the other grocery that carries it had 3 left (which I nearly swept off the shelf and into my cart)!
After literally 2 years of not being able to find it, I found it at a groc store I don’t usually go into (Albertson’s, part of Kroger) and all other chains have stopped carrying it. Glad you found 3 of them! And yes, sway her over to the dark side :)
Wow! Averie, these are the most decadent and fudgiest looking brownies I’ve ever laid my eyes on! I don’t doubt for a single second that your copycat homemade version is better than the original! xo
Thanks, Stacy! We loved these brownies!
These look amazing Averie! So rich and wonderful.
These look amazing, as expected! I have a really out of left field question. How do you cut your brownies and cakes to make them perfect, without any squishing? My cuts are always so messy!
It’s a learned skill :) First, you have to chill whatever it is you’re cutting in the fridge, no exceptions. You also have to line your pans with foil, and lift out with the foil overhang. You cannot try to do it in the pan, it has to always be transferred to a cutting board. Then, you have to use a super sharp knife and cut down in one fell swoop, no tiny cuts; that compresses things. You need to use like an 8-9 inch knife. And then rotate and cut the other way. So, lots of things to think about, which I’ve learned along the way :)
Thanks! I wish I could pin a comment because all of these tips are gems!
It has me wanting to do mention it in an upcoming post :)
Ooooh those are so dark and fudgy looking. I need more people in my life to cook sweets for because making this all by myself would be trouble!
Well…they freeze well :) Just pretend they’re not in your freezer!