Cosmic Brownie Cheesecake
Transform your favorite brownie into an out-of-this-world dessert with this Cosmic Brownie Cheesecake, featuring a rich brownie crust topped with velvety chocolate cheesecake and a layer of chocolate ganache. Finished with iconic rainbow sprinkles, this easy yet decadent creation is like enjoying your favorite brownie in a whole new cheesecake form.
If you have ever wanted to make copycat Cosmic brownies, now is your chance! This ultra-rich cheesecake might be made with basic ingredients, but the flavor is unbelievable. It tastes just like Little Debbie Cosmic brownies but has the texture of a rich and velvety cheesecake.
This cheesecake is the best thing to serve to anyone who is a chocolate addict or a huge fan of creative brownie recipes. Serve this delicious dessert at a family dinner, or make it for yourself and enjoy the best midnight snack! The chocolate ganache frosting and sprinkles make it look like Little Debbie Brownies. This will quickly become your favorite cheesecake recipe of all time.
Why You’ll Love Cosmic Brownie Cheesecake
- Semi-Homemade. You’ll use a combination of boxed mix and baking, so it feels like you’re making it from scratch.
- Easy crust. Using a boxed mix means you don’t have to measure vanilla extract or cocoa powder.
- Rich Flavor. Thanks to the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk (along with the brownie crust), it has a rich chocolate flavor that gets your attention.
- Shows Off. The crust is made with chewy brownies and is topped with rainbow sprinkles – you can’t get better!
- Freezer-friendly. The cheesecake freezes really well.
- Tastes like the iconic snack. This cheesecake tastes just like homemade cosmic brownies.
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
This cheesecake cosmic brownie recipe uses ingredients that are easy to find at the grocery store. Here’s what you’ll need before you begin.
- Boxed Brownie Mix – Use your favorite mix to make fudgy brownies as the cheesecake’s crust.
- Eggs – Follow the back of the boxed mix and use as many eggs as it calls for.
- Oil – Most boxed brownie mixes will call for vegetable oil.
- Cream Cheese – This is for the cheesecake layer, so use full-fat cream cheese.
- Sugar – Use white granulated sugar for the cheesecake layer.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bars – You’ll use them to make the cheesecake taste like chocolate.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter to prevent it from tasting too salty.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk – This is for the ganache.
- Chocolate Chips – Use semi-sweet chocolate chips for the perfect flavor.
- Rainbow Chips or Sprinkles – These are essential if you want the cheesecake to look like a homemade Cosmic Brownies recipe.
How to Make Cosmic Brownie Cheesecake
- Step One: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare your brownie mix according to the box directions.
- Step Two: Pour the brownie batter into a 9-inch springform pan. Bake the brownie crust for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Step Three: Meanwhile, prepare your filling. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate bars until smooth and melted, set aside to cool slightly.
- Step Four: Using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy in a large mixing bowl.
- Step Five: Add in the eggs.
- Step Six: Mix in the melted chocolate.
- Step Seven: Pour the cheesecake batter onto the brownie layer and place it back into the oven for 45 minutes until the center is slightly jiggly. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
- Step Eight: Meanwhile, prepare your ganache. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, sweetened condensed milk, and chocolate chips. Whisk over medium to low heat until everything is melted and smooth.
- Step Nine: Pour the ganache over the cheesecake and sprinkle with the rainbow chips.
- Step Ten: Place in the refrigerator to chill for 4 hours. Slice and serve!
Equipment Needed
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What to Serve with Cosmic Brownie Cheesecake
This rich chocolate cheesecake steals all the attention away from any dessert you serve it with. But it still fits perfectly on the dessert table with lighter desserts, like some of the following ideas.
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Orange Creamsicle Cookies
- Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes
- Lime Cheesecake Parfait
Variations and Substitutions
- Use hot fudge sundae topping instead of making homemade chocolate ganache.
- Make cheesecake bars. Bake everything in a rectangular dish and slice them into bars.
- Make dark chocolate ganache. Melt dark chocolate candy bars instead of semi-sweet baking bars.
- If you can’t find rainbow sprinkles, use mini M&M candies.
- Use homemade brownies for the crust. Make sure they have a chewy texture.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover cheesecake in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to four days. If you want to freeze it, wrap the freezer-safe container in plastic wrap and keep it in the freezer for up to six months.
Cosmic Brownie Cheesecake Tips and Tricks
- Remember to preheat the oven. The cheesecake will bake quicker if you place it in a hot oven.
- Ensure the brownie layer is completely cooled to room temperature before adding the cheesecake filling. The cooled brownies make the perfect crust.
- Don’t overcook the cheesecake. It should still jiggle slightly when you take it out of the oven.
- Whisk constantly when you’re melting the chocolate for the ganache. Don’t let it burn.
- As it chills in the refrigerator, keep it covered. This will prevent the odors in the fridge from seeping into your cheesecake.
- Line the cheesecake with parchment paper to prevent it from sticking to the pan.
FAQ
Instead of ganache, use either fudge frosting, chocolate frosting, or even fudge sundae sauce. Happy baking!
I don’t recommend swapping them out. Heavy cream isn’t as sweet or thick as condensed milk so that it will change the recipe too much.
This recipe makes about 16 slices, depending on how big you slice them.
Cheesecake Recipes
Want to make more out-of-this-world cheesecakes? Here are some of my favorites:
- Reese Cheesecake
- Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Maple Syrup Cheesecake
- Brownie Bottom Cheesecake
- No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
- Twix Cheesecake
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Cosmic Brownie Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix 18oz box, plus the eggs, water, and oil listed on the box
- 3 packages cream cheese 8oz packages, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 semi-sweet chocolate baking bars 4oz bars
- 3 large eggs
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- rainbow chips for topping
Instructions
Brownie Crust
- Preheat your oven to 325℉. Prepare your brownie mix according to the box directions. Pour the brownie mix into a 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake the brownie crust for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Filling
- In a microwave-safe bowl melt the chocolate bars until smooth and melted, set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer combine the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.
- Add in eggs.
- Mix in the melted chocolate.
- Pour the cheesecake batter onto the brownie layer and place back into the oven to cook for 45 minutes until center is slightly jiggly. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
Ganache
- In a small saucepan combine the butter, sweetened condensed milk, and chocolate chips. Whisk over medium to low heat until everything is melted and smooth.
- Pour the ganache over the cheesecake and sprinkle with the rainbow chips.
- Place in the refrigerator to chill for 4 hours. Slice and serve!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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This was amazing! Super easy to make and my family really enjoyed it, thank you for the recipe ๐
Brownie didnโt bake. It was raw & gross when it was all said & done.