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Homemade Fudgy Cosmic Brownies with Shiny Top

A close-up of a moist, fudgy square of cosmic brownies topped with chocolate frosting and colorful candy-coated chocolates.
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Make the best homemade Cosmic Brownies, featuring a dense, fudgy texture and a rich chocolate glaze topped with colorful candy chips. This copycat recipe brings back nostalgic school lunch treats.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup rainbow chip candy coating (or similar chocolate candy coated sprinkles)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until combined.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 3/4 cup cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
  7. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out with moist crumbs attached, not wet batter. This helps achieve the dense texture.
  8. While the brownies cool completely on a wire rack, prepare the fudge frosting.
  9. In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually beat in the 1/2 cup cocoa powder.
  10. Alternate adding the powdered sugar and milk, beating until the frosting is smooth and spreadable. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  11. Once the brownies are completely cool, spread the fudge frosting evenly over the top.
  12. Immediately sprinkle the rainbow chip candy coating over the frosting before it sets.
  13. Let the frosting set for about 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

Notes

  • For the shiniest top layer on your brownies, slightly underbake them by about 2 minutes. The residual heat helps set the top surface.
  • If you cannot find the specific rainbow chip candy coating, use standard rainbow nonpareils or small candy-coated chocolate pieces as a substitute for the galaxy dessert look.
  • To get a very thick fudge topping, reduce the milk in the frosting recipe by one tablespoon.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/cosmic-brownies-fudgy-brownie-recipe/