Gourmet Cosmic Brownies Bars (Printer-Friendly)

Fudgy brownie bars with glossy chocolate ganache and rainbow candy-coated chips — nostalgic, indulgent bar for sharing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Brownie Base

01 - 6 oz unsalted butter, melted
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
06 - ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
07 - ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
08 - ½ tsp fine sea salt

→ Chocolate Ganache

09 - 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
10 - ½ cup heavy cream
11 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter

→ Topping

12 - ⅓ cup rainbow candy-coated chocolate chips (or mini M&M's)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar until smooth and glossy.
03 - Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture, whisking vigorously until well blended and the mixture lightens slightly in color.
04 - Sift the cocoa powder, flour, and sea salt directly into the batter. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined — avoid overmixing to keep the brownies tender.
05 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly. Bake for 23–25 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still looks slightly underbaked.
06 - Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the brownie base cool completely in the pan.
07 - Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to steam, then pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes.
08 - Stir the chocolate-cream mixture gently until silky smooth and glossy. Spread the ganache evenly over the cooled brownie base.
09 - Scatter the rainbow candy-coated chocolate chips evenly over the ganache surface. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until the ganache is firmly set.
10 - Use the parchment overhang to lift the brownie slab out of the pan. Slice into 12 even bars with a sharp knife and serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The ganache topping sets into a glossy shell that cracks perfectly when you bite into it, just like the original but infinitely better.
  • You probably have every ingredient in your kitchen right now, no specialty shopping required.
02 -
  • Underbaking the brownie base by just a minute or two is the entire secret to that dense fudgy texture that makes these bars unforgettable.
  • Never let the cream come to a full boil because scalded cream causes the ganache to seize into a grainy, broken mess.
03 -
  • Use a hot sharp knife to slice the bars by dipping the blade in hot water and wiping it dry between each cut for perfectly clean edges.
  • Let the ganache sit for the full two minutes before stirring because this resting time is what creates that effortless velvety texture.

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