Sourdough Cosmic Brownies

These sourdough cosmic brownies are truly special. If you grew up loving the little individual packaged treat, you're really going to love this sourdough version. With the same fudgy, chewy texture, loaded with chocolate, and topped with that thick, glossy icing, and the perfect amount of crunch from the candy topping, these brownies will be a hit with everyone who takes a bite!

The ganache I created for these is out of this world good, seriously it's a race to lick the bowl in this house (mom wins lol).

This version of the classic treat gives you the same texture and flavor as the original, but the sourdough deepens the flavors. It adds a subtle tang and really brings out the chocolate flavor.

And if you're a fan of recreating Little Debbie classics, you definitely want to try these sourdough oatmeal cream pies.

If you love sourdough desserts, this sourdough discard mug cake is ready in 7 minutes and perfect for settling a sweet tooth! Or ferment this sourdough chocolate cake overnight and serve it at your next celebration.

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

Fudgy and Chewy - these brownies have an unforgettable chewy and fudgy texture that's topped off with a gooey, delicious chocolatey frosting that makes an extra special treat.

Loaded with Chocolate - a chocolate brownie with chocolate chips, rich chocolate ganache frosting and candy coated chocolate chips on top make a nostalgic treat that's rich and the perfect comfort food.

Simple to Make - you don't need any fancy equipment to make these brownies, and the batter can be mixed together in less than 10 minutes. Plus I have an easy method to make the ganache that doesn't require a double boiler.

Ingredients

• All Purpose Flour
• White Sugar
• Cocoa Powder - mixed into the batter to give the brownies their first layer of chocolate deliciousness.
• Salt
• Baking Powder
• Butter - I always use salted butter in my recipes, but you can use unsalted if you prefer. You'll want your butter melted for this one.
• Eggs - large eggs are best. My eggs were 70g each. If you only have small eggs, use 3 instead of 2.
• Vanilla Extract
• Sourdough Starter - starter or discard will work in this recipe - whichever you have on hand.
• Heavy Whipping Cream - you'll combine the cream with the chocolate chips for the easy ganache topping.
• Chocolate Chips - I've used Kirkland brand semi-sweet chocolate chips from Costco. Semi-sweet chips will work best. They'll go in the brownies and be used for the ganache topping.
• Mini M&Ms - you can also use candy coated chocolate chips to get the Little Debbie style brownies, I just couldn't find them, so opted for mini M&Ms. Rainbow sprinkles are also a good alternative.

How to Make Sourdough Cosmic Brownies

I created this recipe from my sourdough brownie recipe, which is fudgy and full of chocolate. Then I created the perfect ganache to get the extra chocolate hit we love in cosmic brownies. The right amount of M&Ms adds just a bit of crunch. It's really an experience in a brownie!

Preheat the oven to 160C/320F. Grab a 9" x 9" brownie pan - it's up to you whether you grease the pan with butter or line it with parchment paper.

In a bowl, add the all purpose flour, white sugar, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. Whisk the dry ingredients together until well combined. 

Place the chocolate chips in the bowl and mix until they are all coated in the flour mixture.

In a separate bowl, add the melted butter, 2 eggs, vanilla extract and sourdough starter. Whisk together until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and using a spatula, gently mix all of the wet and dry ingredients together. This is a thick brownie mixture - that’s ok, it’s meant to be like this.

Place the sourdough brownie mixture into your prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes at 160C/320F. Because this is a thick mixture, you might need to push the mixture out to the edges of the pan before placing it in the oven.

Check the sourdough brownies at 35 minutes by inserting a tooth pick - you want it to come out wet still but they should be crackly and baked on top.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for around an hour before preparing the ganache topping.

To make the ganache, place the semi sweet chocolate chips and heavy whipping cream into a microwave proof jug and microwave for around 1 minute and 30 seconds. Carefully remove from the microwave and whisk together until it forms a glossy ganache.

Pour over the sourdough cosmic brownies and top with mini M&Ms or sprinkles. Set in the fridge for 2 hours before slicing.

How to Store + Freeze

You really need to put these in the fridge to set the ganache. They taste even better the day after baking, if you can wait. I recommend letting them sit for a minimum of 10 minutes at room temperature before slicing and serving though.

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week for best flavor and texture. You can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

If you need to freeze them, wrap them tight in plastic wrap or foil and place in an airtight container. They can be frozen for 2-3 months. If you slice them before freezing, it's easier to add to lunchboxes, and grab for quick sweet treats.

Share the sourdough love!