Copycat Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies TRUE IDENTICAL COPYCAT!
I have always loved cosmic brownies. I love homemade brownies, too, but the taste, flavor, and texture are extremely different between the two. There's something extremely magical about cosmic brownies from the stores.
When I was 12, me, my siblings, and my cousins would walk to Smith's and cosmic brownies were our favorite to buy! There never seemed to be enough. When I got into baking, I thought what if there was a recipe online to make them! Sure enough, there were SO MANY, how could I choose? They all looked super realistic, and the comments truly convinced me they made identical copies. So I followed a recipe and was SO excited. My bubble got burst very soon after. They looked similar to cosmic brownies but they tasted like traditional normal homemade brownies, not at all like store bought! The texture wasn't right either. Sure it was fudgy and dense, but it wasn't fudgy enough. You can take a cosmic brownie and scoop a piece of the bottom with your finger and it acts like dough, despite being fully cooked. My homemade "copycats" did not do that. And the frosting on top was ganache. It set firm like the stuff on top of cosmic brownies and looked promising, but it wasn't moldable and stretchy/plastic like at all. It was more chalky and also tasted so bitter and nothing like little Debbie's treats. I since tried many other copycats and was sorely disappointed as well.
So I set off to make my own! A true version with no differences at all! I understand now the goal of the other recipes wasn't exactness, but a similar treat with the nastolgic feel but "better" tasting, like a traditional homemade brownie. My version is not better than little Debbie's version, however. Because if it was it wouldn't be identical. If you want a more "adult" better version, this one isn't for you. This recipe is for the kids or kids at heart like me who want to make them at home and them be as if they bought them from the stores. The pictures don't do it justice! When you bite into these you'll immediately recognize them as little Debbie's cosmic brownies! Too bad you can't show flavor in pictures!
And by the way, store-bought cosmic brownies have 41 ingredients not including the sprinkles. My version has 7 not including the sprinkles. It also has no preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, processed oils, modified starches, and no titanium dioxide, unlike store-bought.
INGREDIENTS: Note: Please use the weight measurements if possible. Using a kitchen scale is helpful for this recipe. The measurements won't be quite as accurate using volume. YIELDS 20 LARGE BROWNIES.
FOR THE BROWNIES:
75 Grams Melted Butter (About 1/3 cup)
375 Grams Light Corn Syrup. (Around 1 cup + 2 TBSP.) *this recipe replaces sugar with corn syrup, so this is the sugar source. This is essential for the iconic texture. Corn syrup is no worse for you than regular sugar. (Corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup are not the same.)
3.5 TBSP. + half a teaspoon Vanilla extract. *do not add less. It seems like a ridiculous amount but its the secret to the flavor!
338 grams all purpose flour (Around 2 1/2 cups, but measure correctly: Put a spoon or knife and mix the flour to get it airy, then scoop the flour into your measuring cup, and don't pack it in or shake it down. Level it off with a knife.)
18 grams cocoa powder. (About 2 TBSP. + 1 tsp. Cocoa Powder)
Half a tsp. Salt
FOR THE FUDGE FROSTING THAT SETS:
160 Grams milk chocolate chips (Around 1/2 cup Plus 3 TBSP. Normal sized chocolate chips. Keep in mind if you use smaller or larger than regular sized chocolate chips this measurement is not correct and you'll need to go off of weight.)
67 grams Corn Syrup (Around 3 TBSP. + 1/2 tsp.)
11 grams Vanilla extract (2 1/2 tsp. Vanilla)
Colorful sprinkles. You can buy the same sprinkles as the real thing, I used Wilton rainbow chip crunch sprinkles, they are the same!
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Melt butter. Combine with corn syrup and vanilla. In a separate bowl, add flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix. Combine wet and dry, and mix until incorporated.
3. Grease pan and spread dough evenly in a 13 by 9 inch pan. The pan is important because if the brownies are too thick the ratio of brownie to frosting will be off. I use a glass pan, cooking times are based off of glass pans. It will take longer in a metal pan. Bake for around 17 minutes.
4. Let brownies cool while you make the frosting. Have chocolate chips and vanilla ready. In a small saucepan, heat corn syrup on high while stirring until it begins to boil. This will not take long at all. Immediately take off heat and add in chocolate chips. Stir until melted, putting it back on the heat briefly to help them melt. Take off heat and stir in vanilla until smooth.
5. Spread over brownies immediately as thin of a layer as possible without holes. It will seem too thin but it is not. It doesn't need to go to any of the ends because your trimming the edges. Sprinkle sprinkles on top.
6. Let the brownies and fudge frosting cool and set for hours or overnight. Once it sets the texture is spot on, but it needs some time to set. Then trim the edges and dig in! Also cover after a few hours to not let them dry out.
TIPS/NOTES:
* The frosting and the brownie compliment each other, so I think it's not too wise to use this recipe and not make the frosting, you really need both.
*regarding cooking time, metal pans take longer to cook, and I don't know how much longer. Because of the chewiness of these brownies, they are not good if undercooked. The toothpick test is useful so make sure the toothpick is clean or there's barely any residue. If using glass as instructed, the edges may be slightly overdone but you cut them off anyway so no worries.
Let me know how they turn out if you try them!!!
