This Copycat Cosmic Brownie Recipe Is Out of This World

There's nothing more exciting than revisiting an old childhood favorite. When the recipe is even better than the original or includes a delicious upgrade (think Rice Krispie treats made with brown butter), your tastebuds will indeed thank you.

TikTokers are taking to their kitchens to bake up homemade Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies thanks to copycat recipes for the '90s treat that are popping up online. And of course we had to try it out and see how it compared to the original. Read on for the recipe and the pros and cons of DIYing this nostalgic treat.

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Related: This Video Will Make You Rethink Everything You Thought You Knew About Cosmic Brownies

What Are Cosmic Brownies?

Cosmic Brownies were introduced in September 1999, the year of the spaghetti strap top, Crystal Pepsi and the Backstreet Boys. (Fun fact: The little rectangles of fudgy goodness were inspired by the cosmic bowling trend.) The brownies come in a few different variations: the six-pack, the 12-pack and the individual packs (which says it actually serves three, but we all know that's incorrect). They’re dense, rectangle-shaped brownies coated with a fudge frosting and sprinkled with mini candy-coated chocolate chips.

Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies, 12 in Box, 2 Box Pack by Little Debbie

Copycat Cosmic Brownies Recipe

There are many dupe recipes out there for Cosmic Brownies, but creator Jordan Howlett lists out a partial recipe at the end of his viral TikTok where he talks about the taste of Cosmic Brownies and also sets the record straight on the mysterious line that appears on some of the brownies. In his video, he claims that the current Cosmic Brownies versus the ones sold 20 years ago taste different because of the omission of honey. However, a call to Little Debbie's product development team revealed that there was actually no honey in the original recipe.

I traced the Copycat Cosmic Brownie recipe back to creator Sarah Crawford of Broma Bakery. It’s an easy recipe for brownies (which does include honey) topped with a silky ganache and the signature sprinkles, of course. Speaking of sprinkles, TikTokers have been trading tips on where to get the cute, multi-colored candies to put on top (one says Hobby Lobby and another says they found them on Amazon).

How To Make Copycat Cosmic Brownies

Crawford took followers through the simple recipe on her TikTok channel. You'll notice that she was able to score some cute sprinkles and cuts the brownies into authentic rectangles, but doesn't add the line. Interesting...

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Tips for Making Copycat Cosmic Brownies

This is an easy, (almost) one-bowl recipe that comes together in no time. The fudgy, dense little squares can be on your plate in less than an hour and can be customized with as many fun sprinkles as you want. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Don't skip the sifting. It will help break up any lumps in your dry ingredients, which will help the batter come together smoothly and easily.

• Don't overmix the batter, which can make your brownies tough.

• For thick, glossy ganache be sure to follow the directions for making, pouring and setting the frosting exactly. It's not a difficult process, but if does require a little extra attention to detail. If the ganache breaks, you'll have a greasy, liquidy mess. 

How Do Copycat Cosmic Brownies Compare to Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies?

In a side-by-side comparison, the homemade version wins. There’s just something superior about a from-scratch, just-from-the-oven brownie. These brownies had the perfect moist chocolate crumb, a layer of smooth dark chocolate ganache and the cutest little neon star sprinkles. There was a decent frosting-to-brownie ratio (always important) and the entire recipe took me under 30 minutes.

The store-bought Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie is a little more reckless. It has a simple, no-nonsense kinda feel. Toss it in your bag, eat it whenever and split it (or don’t). The choice is yours. It has a manufactured chocolate taste and texture—you either love it or you hate it—but it does have the classic smell of after-school. It hits you as soon as you open the package and it took me right back. And even though the homemade version is the winner in my book, I will always have a soft spot for the Little Debbie original.

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