I didn’t grow up with American snacks or candy, but learned about them from the internet.
The moment I saw Little Debbie’s Cosmic Brownie on the gram, the brownie lover in my was intrigued to say the least.
These are fudge brownies with a chocolate frosting and big colorful sprinkles.
I brought a 500+ cal sugar laden one home to try and it tasted of sugar and chemicals. I also found it way too dense and chewy, more like eating a chocolate bar instead of a melt in your mouth brownie.
That’s what you get if you try childhood staple snacks as an adult I’m afraid. I’m sure the kid version of me would have been all over these sugar bombs.
I don’t know what I expected but the mini-batch one I recreated at home (by first ordering a tub of these very specific sprinkles, LOL, but please go ahead and sprinkle them with whatever sprinkles you have on hand) totally hit the spot, while still being somewhat nutritious and not full of chemicals.
In that sense I would even say they’re better?
Here’s the recipe, give it a try and let me know how it compares to the OG.
Mini-batch Cosmic Brownie
Equipment
- Ramekin or small baking dish
Ingredients
Brownie layer
- 1 tbsp (plant) butter melted (15 g) sub nut/seed butter or coconut oil
- 1 tbsp (nut) milk (15 g) I use unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (42 g)
- 3 tbsp flour (21 g) gf all purpose if desired
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder (12 g)
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- drop of vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Topping layer
- 1 tbsp chocolate chips (15 g)
- 1 tbsp nut/seed butter (16 g) sub more (plant) butter or coconut oil
- 2 tsp sprinkles (8 g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease a small ramekin or baking dish.
- In a small bowl melt butter/oil, milk, syrup, vanilla (I used microwave 30 sec at a time) and stir to combine.
- Add cocoa and stir until no clumps remain. Add flour, baking powder, salt and whisk until smooth. Do not overmix. The batter should be pourable like brownie butter, if too dry add 1 tsp water at a time and mix. If too wet, add a pinch flour at a time and mix.
- Pour into sprayed skillet/ramekin, bake for 15 minutes and no more for fudgy bronwies.
- While the brownie base is cooling, add your chocolate and nut butter in a small bowl and microwave 30 sec at a time to melt and blend the chocolate. This is your ganache layer. Spread it over the brownie and add the sprinkles.
- Either enjoy warm with a spoon or let it cool completely (even overnight if you can wait) in the fridge, slice and eat like regular brownies. Enjoy!
Notes
- Brownies are sturdier with butter or melted coconut oil, but other oils should work.
- Here’s a link to the ramekins I used.
I really want to make this recipe. what size pan do you need. I have ramekins that are very small (6 ounce) I would hope this is bigger than that.. but just need an idea like 8 inch round etc…
Hi Mary – there’s a link to the ramekins in the recipe notes! i believe your ramekin will work great. let me know how it goes! <3