This post may contain affiliate links.
Cosmic Brownie Cookies take everything you love about the classic Little Debbie treat and turn it into a chewy, fudgy cookie crowned with glossy ganache and rainbow candy chips. They start with a boxed brownie mix, so they are secretly easy, and Lizzie squeals every time she spots the rainbow chips. If you are a fan of our monster cookie bars, these nostalgic cookies are about to join your regular rotation.
They look like a bakery splurge but come together with pantry shortcuts and a big dose of fun.
Cosmic Brownie Cookies Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 11 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour
- 🍽️ Serving: 15 cookies
- ⚡ Calories: 275kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich, fudgy chocolate with a sweet ganache shell and candy crunch
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our Oreo fudge brownies
Quick Answer
Mix a boxed brownie mix with oil and an egg into a thick dough, roll it into balls, and chill for 30 minutes. Bake the cookies, let them cool, then dip the tops in a simple chocolate ganache made from hot cream and chopped chocolate. Finish each one with rainbow candy chips before the ganache sets.
Jump to:
- Cosmic Brownie Cookies Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Cosmic Brownie Cookies
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Cosmic Brownie Cookies FAQs
- Other Recommended Cookie and Brownie Recipes
- Cosmic Brownie Cookies
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Boxed brownie mix is the shortcut. Starting with a fudge brownie mix gives you that dense, chewy brownie texture in cookie form with almost no measuring.
- Chilling stops the spread. A 30 minute chill firms up the dough so the cookies bake up thick and round instead of flat.
- Ganache beats frosting. A two ingredient chocolate ganache sets into the signature glossy shell that frosting just cannot match.
- Rainbow chips are the signature. Those candy coated chips are what make these instantly recognizable as cosmic, and they add a fun little crunch.
- They are make ahead friendly. Bake the cookies a day ahead, then dip and decorate when you are ready to serve.
- No mixer required. Everything comes together with a bowl and a spoon, which makes cleanup as easy as the baking.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They taste just like the Little Debbie original but bigger, fresher, and homemade.
- A boxed brownie mix base means they are genuinely beginner friendly.
- Kids love helping sprinkle on the rainbow chips, just like with our pop tart sugar cookies.
- The glossy ganache and colorful chips make them a showstopper on any cookie tray.
Key Ingredients
Here is the short list that makes these fudgy cosmic brownie cookies happen.
- Fudge brownie mix: An 18 ounce box is the foolproof base for that dense, chewy chocolate cookie.
- Vegetable oil and egg: These bind the brownie mix into a thick, scoopable cookie dough.
- Semi-sweet baking chocolate: Chopped and melted with cream, it becomes the glossy ganache topping.
- Heavy cream: Heated and poured over the chocolate, it makes a smooth, pourable ganache that sets to a shine.
- Rainbow candy chips: The colorful candy coated chips that give cosmic brownie cookies their signature look.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These cookies are easy to riff on. Here are a few favorites from our kitchen.
- Use a dark chocolate brownie mix for an even richer, more intense cookie.
- Swap the rainbow chips for crushed peppermint at the holidays or pastel chips in spring.
- Press a few extra chocolate chunks into the dough for a double chocolate hit like our double chocolate zucchini bars.
- Add a half teaspoon of espresso powder to the dough to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Make them mini by rolling smaller dough balls and shaving a couple minutes off the bake time.
How to Make Cosmic Brownie Cookies
- In a large bowl, mix the brownie mix, oil, and egg until combined. The dough will be thick.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough, roll it into a ball, and place it on a parchment lined sheet pan. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes, until the tops are no longer glossy, then let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack.
- Finely chop the baking chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl. Bring the heavy cream just to a simmer, then pour it over the chocolate and let it sit 5 minutes before whisking smooth.
- Dip the top of each cooled cookie into the ganache and set it back on the rack, ganache side up.
- Immediately top each cookie with rainbow candy chips so they stick, then let the ganache set before serving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not skip the chill. Cold dough holds its shape so the cookies stay thick and round.
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized dough balls that bake at the same rate.
- Watch the bake closely. Pull the cookies when the tops just lose their gloss so they stay fudgy.
- Cool the cookies completely before dipping, or the ganache will slide right off.
- Add the candy chips right away while the ganache is still wet so they stick.
- Store in a single layer in an airtight container so the ganache tops do not smudge.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Pile these cosmic brownie cookies on a tray for a birthday party or a school bake sale, where the rainbow tops always disappear first. They are a fun pick next to a batch of our monster cookie bars on a dessert table.
Serve them with a tall glass of cold milk for the full nostalgic snack, or sandwich a scoop of ice cream between two for a treat like our brownie ice cream sandwiches.
Building a chocolate lover’s spread? Add our chocolate earthquake cake and a plate of Reeses sandwich cookies for a table no one will walk away from.
Cosmic Brownie Cookies FAQs
Yes. A fudge brownie mix is the base, which is what makes these so easy and gives them that dense, chewy brownie texture. You add oil and an egg, then chill, bake, and top with ganache.
They are candy coated chocolate chips, sometimes sold as rainbow chips or candy chips. They are the signature topping that makes these cookies look just like the classic cosmic brownie.
Flat cookies usually mean the dough was not chilled long enough or the oven was too hot. Chill the dough balls for the full 30 minutes and make sure your oven is at 350 degrees before baking.
Store them in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Keeping them in one layer protects the ganache tops and candy chips.
Yes. Bake the cookies up to a day ahead and store them undipped, then make the ganache and decorate the day you plan to serve so the tops stay fresh and glossy.
Freeze the baked, undipped cookies in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature, then dip in fresh ganache and add the candy chips before serving.
Craving more fudgy chocolate? Try our Oreo fudge brownies next.
Bake a pan of our chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars next.
For another chocolate fix, bake our baked chocolate chip donuts.
For another fun treat, whip up our birthday cake pudding shots.
For more peanut butter and chocolate, our peanut butter chocolate chip cookie bars hit the same craving.
For a soft, fudgy cookie, try our cosmic brownie cookies.
For a crinkly, fudgy cookie loaded with Oreos, try our brownie cookies.
For a fruity bakery style cookie, our white chocolate raspberry cookies are soft, chewy, and gorgeous.
Cosmic Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
- 18 ounces box brownie mix
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 4 ounces semi-sweet baking bar
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- rainbow candy chip sprinkles
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set it aside. Mix together the brown mix, oil, and egg until combined in a large bowl. The mixture will be thick.
- Taking about 2 tablespoons of the brownie cookie dough and roll it into a ball with your hands. Place the cookie dough ball on the sheet pan, and repeat with the remaining dough.
- Place the sheet tray with the cookie dough balls into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Place the cookie dough balls about 2-3 inches apart on the sheet pans. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until the tops of the cookies do no longer appear glossy. Be careful not to overbake.
- Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the sheet pans and then transfer them to a wire rack to completely cool.
- Make the chocolate ganache when the cookies have completely cooled. Finely chop the baking bar. Place it into a heatproof bowl.
- Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepot and bring it just to a simmer, as soon as you see the first bubbles, it’s ready. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 5 minutes and then whisk it until smooth.
- One by one, take the cookies and dip the tops into the ganache. Place it back on the wire rack ganache side up and immediately top it with the rainbow candy chip sprinkles. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Notes
- This makes 15 cookies, but you can easily double it to make more.
- Lots of custom options, see my tips above on that.
- Homemade brownie cookies can be used in place of the box mix.
- Can be frozen, see above for how to store.
- Find the specific rainbow chip sprinkles on Amazon or your local grocer.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
