Name: Cosmic Brownies
Yield: 20

This Cosmic Brownies Recipe makes thick, fudgy brownies topped with rich chocolate ganache and rainbow candies for a little crunch.

Cosmic Brownies Recipe held up with a large bite taken out of one brownie.

Author’s Notes

A Childhood Favorite, Made Even Better!

When I was little, the treat I got most excited about was Cosmic Brownies. I’ve always been a chocolate and brownie girl, but something about that thick, fudgy base with the rich chocolate topping and those little rainbow candies on top…omg, there is nothing better.

It probably helped that my mom didn’t buy them often, so when I did get one, it felt like a big deal.

Now they’re still nostalgic, but if I’m honest, they’re not quite as good as I remember. So I made my own version and this is IT!

This Cosmic Brownies Recipe yields bars that are dense, super rich and chocolatey, and really close to the original, just better. Real chocolate, a simple ganache on top, and you can finish them with rainbow chips or mini M&M’s. They’re so dang good!

All the wet ingredients for this recipe whisked together in a large bowl.

Ingredients In This Cosmic Brownies Recipe

Ingredient	Let’s Chat About It
Butter & sugars	Use melted butter for a dense, fudgy texture. Brown sugar adds extra moisture and depth. Use soft, fresh brown sugar.
Eggs & vanilla	Whisk until smooth for a glossy, crackly top. Room temp eggs give the best texture.
Flour, cocoa powder & salt	Use Dutch-process cocoa for a deeper chocolate flavor. Spoon and level to avoid dry brownies.
Chocolate chips (in batter & topping)	Divide as directed so you get melty pockets inside and on top in this Cosmic Brownies Recipe.
Heavy cream & rainbow candy chips	Warm cream fully for a smooth ganache. Add candies after spreading so they stick nicely.

Dry ingredients added to wet ingredients, mixed together, and poured into a pan for this Cosmic Brownies Recipe.

How To Make My Cosmic Brownies Recipe

Prep pan & oven: Heat oven to 350°F, grease and line an 8 x 8-inch pan.
Mix wet ingredients: Whisk until smooth and creamy.
Add dry ingredients: Stir until just combined, then fold in most of the chocolate chips.
Fill pan: Spread batter evenly and sprinkle remaining chips on top. Bake.
Cool & top: Cool completely, then make and spread ganache. Add candies on top.

The signature chocolate ganache spread being made and spread on the dessert.

the cook’s Top Tip

Don’t Over-Bake

A really good pan helps ensure this Cosmic Brownies Recipe bakes evenly.

Pull the brownies out when the center still looks slightly underdone. They’ll set as they cool and stay soft and fudgy instead of ending up dry and hard.

Storage

Store leftovers from this Cosmic Brownies Recipe in an airtight container up to 4 days. Keep in a single layer or separate with parchment to protect the topping. Freeze by wrapping individual squares up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp.