It’s a Brownie Show Down! Here comes Cosmic Brownies Vs Fudgy Brownies!
Cosmic Brownies are taking on a gluten free, sugar free fudgy brownie rendition, and I’m going to evaluate all the aspects of the two tasty brownies.
These two brownies both pack an amazing explosion of flavor, but they couldn’t be more different than night and day.
Copycat Cosmic Brownies have sugar, flour, heavy cream, and everything that must be eaten in moderation. They’re decadent and as good as their commercialized namesake.
Fudgy Brownies are No Bake, Gluten Free, and Sugar Free. The chocolate flavor is not compromised by using dates, almond flour, almond butter, and maple syrup, for the main ingredients.
Interestingly, despite the huge variance in ingredients, these two brownies are nearly identical in calorie count. However, we do see some noticeable differences in fat, cholesterol, sugars, and potassium content.
Copycat Cosmic Brownie Evaluation
This baked brownie with chocolate ganache topping is showcased here where you can find the recipe. The intent is to mimic the Little Debbie Cosmic Brownie, and I think it does that well.
Appearance – Cosmic Brownies look a little better because they are thicker and smoother. As long as you’re patient enough to allow these to chill, they both cut into clean squares. Such nice desserts to share with someone.
Texture – These are cakey with a bit of a crumb, but moist enough that the particles squish against a fork or in your mouth. They’re borderline fudgy. Just right with the ganache on top!
Taste – Cosmic Brownies have an amazing chocolatey taste that is enhanced by the ganache on top. Signature rainbow candies add a satisfying crunch.
Frosting – The chocolate ganache is an amazing touch of decadence on this brownie, and all I can say is that it really could use a thicker spread of it. Just make sure to chill it well before cutting.
Nutrition – Surprisingly, the calorie count is pretty close. But fat, cholesterol, sodium, and fiber numbers all are strikes against this copycat treat. Cosmic Brownies are not health food.
Fudgy Brownies Evaluation
This no-bake fruit and nut brownie surprisingly packs a powerful chocolate punch. The satisfying chocolatiness is what drew me to do a comparison between this and Cosmic Brownies.
These were spread into a 8×8 pan, covered with chocolate-almond butter frosting, and sprinkled with rainbow chocolate candies. Again, they’re NO BAKE. Perfect for a quick fix, perfect for hot days when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
During the taste test, we agreed that they don’t taste like a fruit and nut brownie. The taste is nearly identical to the Cosmic Brownie. There is possibly a bit of an almond flour after taste (1 out of 3 tasters felt this way).
Appearance – the no-bake feature makes them somewhat glossy and less visually appealing. However, they do cut into perfect, clean squares. To achieve the beautiful squares, be sure to chill them for several hours prior to cutting.
Texture – somewhat fibrous. I used noor dates from Costco, which seem a little drier than the medjool dates I usually get. This might be the problem, and I would consider using medjool the next time. The brownies are very fudgy and I wouldn’t have guessed that they are not baked.
Taste – These taste chocolatey and are completely a “brownie” — again, they don’t seem to be No Bake.
Frosting – Most would never know there is almond butter in it. The frosting is not as “ganache-y” as the Cosmic Brownie frosting, but it is still extremely chocolatey and satisfying. The almond butter and maple syrup flavors are completely masked by the cocoa.
Nutrition – While these are made with dates and almonds, they still have a significant calorie count plus sugar and carbohydrate content. Their redeeming qualities include high fiber and potassium and low sodium.
Fudgy Brownie - Gluten Free and Sugar Free!
Ingredients
Brownie Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup dates
- 1 c almond flour
- 6 T cocoa powder
- 1 t vanilla
- 1/4 t salt
Frosting Ingredients
- 3 T cocoa powder
- 3 T maple syrup
- 2 T almond butter
- 1 t canola oil (or melted coconut oil)
- 1-2 T rainbow chocolate candies
Instructions
- In a food processor, chop the dates.
- Add the almond flour and cocoa powder a little bit at a time until the mixture comes together.
- Add the vanilla and salt and continue processing until smooth and spreadable.
- Spread into an 8x8 pan and press with a spatula until the mixture is level.
- Place into the refrigerator.
- Prepare frosting: combine cocoa powder, maple syrup, almond butter, and canola oil until thoroughly combined.
- Spread onto chilled brownie mixture and top with rainbow chocolate candies.
- Cut into 16 pieces.
Cosmic Brownies Versus Fudgy Brownies
Both have an amazing chocolatey taste that is really very similar. This is surprising since Cosmic Brownies are made with flour and sugar, while Fudgy Brownies are made with dates and almond flour! Such a difference in their make up, yet both really hit the mark with satisfying a chocolate craving. I’ll make them both again, but here is the winner of each category:
Make a batch, and tell me what YOU think about Cosmic Brownies Versus Fudgy Brownies!
Leave a Reply