Cosmic brownies

There is something so nostalgic about the look and taste of a cosmic brownie, and I was so excited to recreate it at home! These brownies have a fudgy texture full of chocolate and they're topped with a chocolate ganache and a combination of mini M&Ms and rainbow sprinkles to give them their classic, cosmic look.

For the brownie batter, I used a mixture of powdered and granulated sugar. It gives the brownies the perfect texture reminiscent of fudge. I also chose to use a combination of oil and butter for these brownies which adds to the classic cosmic brownie texture and taste, similar to what you'd get from a high quality boxed brownie.

I was torn when it came to the rainbow topping. Cosmic Brownies that you buy from the store use a unique rainbow candy coated chocolate sprinkle which you can order online, but I felt like it would be a waste to buy them just for this one recipe. I decided instead to go with a combination of rainbow sprinkles and mini M&Ms and to me it gave the perfect look and taste.

Because of their fudgy texture, these brownies will stay fresh in the fridge for a while and also freeze incredibly well. I do think they taste best at room temperature, but they'll taste delicious cold too! They also make a great bake ahead treat if you want to bake them a day or two ahead of sharing with friends and family so that you have them ready to go.

This recipe doesn't require any special equipment and uses mostly ingredients a home baker will have on hand, which makes it easy to bake in a pinch. I had to buy heavy cream and mini M&Ms but otherwise the rest of the ingredients were ones I tend to keep stocked!

Ingredients:

Brownie batter:

• 3/4 stick unsalted butter (6 tablespoons) 85g

• 4 oz (2/3 cup) chopped semisweet chocolate

• 1/4 cup oil

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar 40g

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 144g

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder 27g

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour 60g

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:

• 4 oz (2/3 cup) chopped semisweet chocolate

• 1/3 cup heavy cream

• 4 tablespoons mini M&Ms

• 2 tablespoons rainbow sprinkles

Total time: About three hours

Prep time: Less than 30 minutes

Bake time: 20-23 minutes

Cool time: About two hours in total

Servings: 16 brownies

Equipment:

• 9x9 square pan (or 8x8)

• Parchment paper

• Whisk and spatula (or large spoon)

Cooking instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Make your brownies. In a large bowl, add your chopped semisweet chocolate and melt in the microwave in 15-20 second intervals stirring each time. Once your chocolate is partially melted, cube your butter and add it in. Continue to microwave in 15-20 second intervals, stirring each time until completely smooth.

Into your bowl, add in your oil and stir until combined.

Next, add in both sugars and use a spoon or whisk to stir until your sugars are completely combined into your mixture.

Add your eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk your mixture together for a minute or two with speed.

Finally, sprinkle in your cocoa powder, flour and salt. If your cocoa powder is clumpy at all, I recommend sifting it in. Use a spoon or spatula to fold your dry ingredients into your mixture until a batter has formed, being sure not to overmix.

Line a 9x9in square pan (or you can use an 8x8 pan and increase the cook time a bit) with parchment paper and then dollop in your mixture. You can use any flat tool, or even a spoon, to lightly spread your mixture so that it's even across your pan reaching into the corners.

Place your brownies into the oven and bake for 20-23 minutes.You'll know they're done when you wiggle the pan and the center doesn't move (or barely does) showing you that your brownies have set.

Remove your pan from the oven and allow your brownies to cool, about an hour at room temperature.

Next, make your topping and finish your brownies. In a medium bowl, add your remaining chopped chocolate (4 oz).

In a separate small bowl, add your heavy cream and place into the microwave for 10-15 seconds. It should be hot to the touch, and if not you can place it back in for 5-10 seconds, being careful not to burn it.

Pour your heavy cream over your chopped chocolate and leave it for about 30 seconds. Stir until smooth, and if you are still seeing clumps of chocolate put the mixture into the microwave for 15-20 seconds and then stir until no clumps are left and you have a smooth ganache.

Pour your ganache onto your cooled brownies and use a flat tool, like an offset spatula or even a spoon will work, and spread evenly. Sprinkle your mini M&Ms and rainbow sprinkles across the top.

Let your topping set before slicing - I recommend putting your topped brownies into the fridge for about an hour prior to slicing to ensure they are fully set!

You can store your brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days. You can also freeze your brownies to keep them for longer. Brownies are one of those desserts that do truly freeze well once baked so don't be afraid to pop some into the freezer if you don't think you'll finish the batch within a few days.

Carb and serving info:

Carbs per serving (1 of 16): 27

Carbs for full recipe: 439

Carbs from chocolate in brownies: 66

Carbs from chocolate in topping: 66

Carbs from M&Ms: 36

Carbs from sprinkles: 20

Note: Carb information is calculated based on the specific ingredients I used to cook with to help guide my own insulin to carb ratio when dosing before I eat my home cooked recipes.