Cosmic brownies are a popular snack food, known for their fudgy texture and fun rainbow sprinkles. But with their rich chocolatey taste, you may wonder just how many calories are packed into one cosmic brownie. In this article, we’ll take a close look at the calorie count and nutrition information for cosmic brownies.
What Are Cosmic Brownies?
Cosmic brownies are a type of pre-packaged brownie created by Little Debbie. They feature a fudgy brownie base mixed with rainbow sprinkles throughout. The sprinkles often melt into the brownie batter during baking, creating colorful swirls when cut. Cosmic brownies were first invented in the early 1980s and have remained a popular snack food ever since.
In addition to the fun rainbow sprinkles, cosmic brownies feature a very soft, fudgy texture. They are made to be an ultra-moist, rich brownie. Cosmic brownies often have a shiny glazed frosting on top as well. Their taste is very chocolatey and sweet.
You can find cosmic brownies in the snack cake aisle of most grocery stores and convenience shops. They are produced by the McKee Foods Corporation under their Little Debbie brand. Cosmic brownies remain one of Little Debbie’s most popular snack cakes even decades after being introduced.
Cosmic Brownie Ingredients
The ingredients used to make cosmic brownies include:
- Enriched bleached flour – this provides structure to the brownie base.
- Sugar – this adds sweetness.
- Palm oil – this adds moisture and richness.
- Cocoa – cocoa powder provides the chocolate flavor.
- High fructose corn syrup – helps sweeten and bind ingredients.
- Rainbow sprinkles – for decoration and visual appeal.
- Cornstarch – thickens the glaze frosting.
- Artificial flavors – heightens the chocolate taste.
- Salt
- Soybean oil
- Leavening agents like baking soda
As you can see, the main ingredients in cosmic brownies are typical of other boxed brownie mixes. Things like sugar, flour, and cocoa provide the base brownie while hydrogenated oils and corn syrup give it a rich, fudgy texture. The sprinkles mixed in throughout set cosmic brownies apart from other snack cakes.
Nutrition Facts for Cosmic Brownies
Now let’s take a look at the nutrition facts and calorie count for cosmic brownies. We’ll examine the key macronutrients as well as vitamins and minerals.
Serving Size
The standard serving size for a cosmic brownie is 1 package (51g). So all nutrition information is based on eating one entire brownie.
Calories
Each 51g cosmic brownie contains:
- Total Calories: 220 calories
- Calories From Fat: 90
As you can see, one cosmic brownie packs a whopping 220 calories. And about 40% of those calories (90 calories) comes from fat.
Macronutrients
Here is the full macronutrient breakdown for a 51g cosmic brownie:
| Macronutrient | Amount | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5g | 18% |
| Trans Fat | 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 190mg | 8% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 30g | 10% |
| Dietary Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Total Sugars | 18g | N/A |
| Added Sugars | 16g | 32% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
As you can see from the macronutrient breakdown, the carb and sugar content are quite high, making up the majority of the brownie’s calories. Protein and fiber content are low. It also contains a high percentage of your daily recommended added and saturated fats.
Micronutrients
Cosmic brownies contain small amounts of certain vitamins and minerals, including:
- Calcium – 2% DV
- Iron – 6% DV
- Vitamin A – 0% DV
- Vitamin C – 0% DV
However, cosmic brownies are lacking in most vitamins and minerals. There are no significant sources of anything like vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, or iron.
High Calories and Fat
Based on the nutrition information, it is clear that cosmic brownies are very high in calories, fat, and added sugar. Just one 51g brownie packs 220 total calories, 18g of sugar, and 10g of fat.
The USDA recommends that the average moderately active adult consume about 2,000 – 2,500 calories per day. So just one cosmic brownie provides around 9-11% of your total daily calories.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar intake to no more than 25g per day for women and 36g per day for men. The 16g of added sugar in a cosmic brownie makes up over half of the recommended limit for women and almost 50% for men.
For total fat, the USDA recommends keeping fat intake between 25-35% of your total daily calories. If we take a 2,000 calorie diet as an example, that would equal about 55-78g of fat per day. The 10g of fat in a cosmic brownie thus provides around 13-18% of your total daily fat in just one small snack!
It’s clear that cosmic brownies are very high in calories, added sugar, and fat compared to dietary recommendations. Just one brownie goes overboard on these nutrients.
Low Micronutrient Value
In addition to being high in fat, sugar, and calories, cosmic brownies lack beneficial micronutrients. As we saw earlier, they contain virtually no vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, iron, or other vitamins and minerals.
Instead, the brownies are made up of refined flour and added sugar – ingredients with very minimal nutritional value. So not only are you getting excess calories, fat, and sugar, but you are missing out on more nutritious food choices packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Role in a Balanced Diet
Considering their high calorie and sugar content, cosmic brownies should be eaten in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet. They can be enjoyed as an occasional treat, but not something you want to indulge in too often.
Health experts recommend limiting processed foods high in added sugar, like cosmic brownies. These foods can promote weight gain and adversely affect blood sugar levels when consumed in excess.
For a more nutritious snack around 220 calories, you could have options like:
- Apple with 1 tbsp peanut butter
- Greek yogurt with granola and berries
- Baby carrots with 2 tbsp hummus
- 1 oz nuts (about 1/4 cup)
These provide more fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein compared to a processed cosmic brownie. But an occasional cosmic brownie, when enjoyed mindfully in moderation, can be part of a balanced diet.
Ways to Make Cosmic Brownies Healthier
If you want to keep enjoying cosmic brownies but reduce the sugar, fat, and calories, there are some simple tweaks you can make at home. Here are some ideas for lightening up cosmic brownies:
Use Whole Wheat Flour
Substitute half of the regular flour called for in brownie recipes with whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour contains more fiber, making the brownies slightly “healthier”.
Replace Oil with Applesauce
Substitute half the oil in a brownie recipe with an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce. This removes some fat.
Reduce Added Sugar
Cut back on the amount of sugar called for in brownie recipes by 1/4 to 1/3. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar use 2/3 cup instead.
Boost Fiber and Protein with Nuts
Mix in 1/4 cup of walnuts or pecans to add fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
Use Dark Chocolate
Replace regular cocoa powder with dark cocoa powder for a richer chocolate taste with less sugar. Or, use dark chocolate chips instead of regular.
Easy Portion Control
Cut brownies into smaller squares to make it easy to limit yourself to one portion.
Healthy Snack Alternatives
When a sweet craving strikes, there are many tasty, more nutritious alternatives you can reach for instead of a cosmic brownie.
Fresh Fruit
Fruit like berries, bananas, apples, and oranges make for sweet, fiber-filled snacks. Enjoy a fruit salad or smoothie for a naturally sweet treat.
Dried Fruit and Nuts
Pair dried fruits like apricots, cranberries, or raisins with nuts like almonds, cashews, or pistachios for a nutritious combo high in antioxidants.
Low-Fat Yogurt with Toppings
Non-fat Greek yogurt topped with fruit, granola, seeds, or a drizzle of honey makes for a protein-rich, creamy snack.
Trail Mix
Make your own trail mix with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, toasted oats, and dark chocolate chips.
Popcorn
Air-popped popcorn is naturally low in calories. Sprinkle nutritional yeast and chili powder for a sweet and spicy flavor.
Energy Balls
Whip up homemade energy balls from ingredients like oats, nut butter, raisins, chia seeds, or cocoa powder.
Kale Chips
For a salty, crunchy snack bake up some kale chips seasoned with spices.
The Bottom Line
Cosmic brownies are a sweet occasional treat best enjoyed in moderation. With 220 calories and 16g of added sugar in a single brownie, they are quite high in calories, fat, and sugar compared to other snacks.
For a more nutrition-packed snack around 220 calories, enjoy things like fruit, yogurt, popcorn, or nuts instead of processed cosmic brownies. And be sure to limit yourself to just one brownie serving to keep your overall diet balanced.