Cosmic Brownies were introduced by Little Debbie in 1999 so I must admit I’ve never tried them as I’ve been vegan since 1994 but they’ve always intrigued me. I thought I could really never make them vegan as I believed the candies used on top would most certainly contain milk, confectioners glaze or both! I was so happy to stumble upon a vegan version of the candies on Amazon here! I feel like these have been available for years but no one let me in on the secret! Once I had them in my hot little hands I was on my way.
The brownies consist of a brownie layer of course, a layer of frosting then the aforementioned candies sprinkled on top. I do have a delicious brownie recipe on my blog but wanted to make this easy so my better boxed brownies recipe came to the rescue! This is my blog breaking way to make vegan brownies from a boxed mix that don’t dissolve into a puddle of lava. There’s nothing shocking in them but it’s the exact measurements of the ingredients that make all the difference.
I know purists are going to say “that’s too much frosting!” and yes, you’re right but hear me out. This is a delicious layer of easy chocolate ganache that I’ve used before on a few desserts which I’ll list at the end of this recipe. It’s not overly sweet with a ton of confectioners sugar (it’s literally two ingredients) so it goes down easy in larger doses. You can of course halve the amount and use a thinner layer on top. Your choice of course!
How to make them!
- Make my easy better boxed vegan brownies and cool.
- Make my easy two ingredient chocolate ganache which is part of my chocolate banana bread recipe.
- Sprinkle on candies, chill then serve!
Brownie baking tips:
- Use an 8” baking pan for thicker brownies. A metal pan (I used a gold finish nonstick baking pan which I highly recommend) will make the brownies rise better and bake more evenly. The darker the pan though the more likely they might burn at the edges so watch carefully. Glass pans tend to make the brownies denser plus they might take longer to bake.
- I feel these brownies are best sort of cakey and a bit fudgy and not underbaked as they’ll be frosted. The entire pan of brownie batter should rise evenly to indicate that they’re fully baked. Underbake them and they might deflate once removed from the oven.
- I prefer Duncan Hines fudge brownie mix but I’ve also tested some store brands and Dolly Parton’s fabulously fudgy brownie mix (also made by Duncan Hines) and they’ve all worked well. Betty Crocker was the only brand I didn’t feel performed as well as the others.
These are the vegan friendly Bakers Choice rainbow candy chips I used (no confectioners glaze, gelatin or milk but they do contain artificial colors so avoid if concerned). You can find them in my Amazon store here. They are also kosher pareve which is an indicator that no meat or dairy products were used. They could still contain fish or eggs but those are in the top 8 major allergens and would need to be disclosed.
These really are out of this world! Chewy, creamy and crunchy all at once. The candies make them so fun for kids and kids at heart! Don’t have the candies? Try using vegan colored sprinkles! Please rate and review if you try these and happy baking!
Easy Vegan Cosmic Brownies
12
servings15
minutes35
minutessuper easy and delicious vegan brownies that bring back childhood memories!
Ingredients
- Better Boxed Vegan Brownies
Find my brownie recipe here. Make in an 8” pan for thicker brownies.
- Easy Chocolate Ganache
Find my recipe here. It’s used to frost my chocolate banana bread. Use the full recipe for a thick layer or half for a thinner layer.
- Candy Topping
Find the rainbow chips I used here on Amazon or use vegan friendly sprinkles.
Directions
- Make the brownies. I lined an 8×8 metal baking pan (my preferred type of baking pan) with nonstick aluminum foil for ease of removal but you could use parchment or just grease or spray the pan. Metal pans bake more evenly and I prefer gold finish nonstick coated metal bakeware and highly recommend them. If you use a glass or ceramic baking pan it may take longer to bake so be prepared to adjust. I baked the brownies for 36 minutes using convection heat but they could take 40+ minutes in a regular oven and depending on the type of pan you use. You want them a bit more cakey than fudgy so make sure the entire batter rises and crackles. Cool completely then put in the fridge for a few hours before frosting or even chill them overnight.
- Make the ganache then pour on top of the cold brownies and even out the top with a spatula or by rapping the pan on the counter a few times to smooth everything out. Sprinkle with candies on top then put back in the fridge for an hour or so to set the icing.
- Remove the brownies from the pan and cut with a sharp serrated knife or cut in the pan although they will be harder to remove that way and you may cut or scratch your pan. Using a plastic knife will prevent that though if cutting in the pan. Store leftovers in the fridge.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Use your favorite vegan friendly boxed brownie mix. My preferred brand is Duncan Hines. Any nut or seed butter will work but I used peanut butter for these. They lend a slightly peanut flavor which I enjoyed but for a cleaner flavor use almond, cashew or even sunflower seed butter.
- I used a combo of bittersweet and semisweet chocolate chips for the ganache. I think you get the best of both worlds that way. I also used Country Crock plant cream but Califia, Silk and even Trader Joe’s (a seasonal item) all make vegan heavy cream now.
- The rainbow chip candies are the classic topping but you could use vegan hard shell candies (Unreal and Little Secrets both make vegan friendly versions) or even vegan friendly rainbow sprinkles.
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This isn’t a recipe…follow directions from a box…
It most certainly is a recipe for making vegan brownies better than just substituting ingredients from box directions which include eggs. Not sure if you’re vegan but boxed brownies typically don’t work with 1:1 swaps and often are a pile of lava when made. My recipe works perfectly and I don’t appreciate a one star review from someone who hasn’t even made them because they’re not comprehending or reading the actual recipe for my better boxed brownies. My suggestion would be to invest in better reading glasses. Best of luck.
These were Stellar! I have tried vegan substitutions for brownies before and ended up with a delicious, but gooey mess in a square pan. The Box Vegan Brownie recipe has turned out perfectly chewy brownies each time, and I love them!
This is the first time ever I’ve tried making a ganache, and this was so simple, I want to make it every week, now. It took longer than I planned to set up (bad schedule management on my part), but once it set, they were fudgey, gooey, perfect brownie squares!
I didn’t realize this, but the cosmic candy sprinkles are the same as I used to have in my childhood, and are Vegan! They were the perfect addition to these perfect brownies!
Thank you so much for the out of this world review! I agree, ganache seems intimidating because of its name but it’s so easy! I was shook when I found out the candies were vegan friendly and they’re so good. A flood of childhood memories indeed. Thanks again for taking the time, appreciate it!
These are, without a doubt, the best brownies I have ever had!! My daughter baked them for a fundraiser, and shared with me. Creamy, chocolaty, melt-in-your mouth. I can’t wait for the next batch!!
Love that! Really great for a bake sale and I’m so glad they were a hit! Thanks for the kind review.
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