The '90s Trend That Led To The Creation Of Little Debbie's Cosmic Brownie

Since 1960, Little Debbie has become one of America's go-to brands for delicious snack cakes. While you may assume that such a high-caliber label makes very serious and calculated decisions regarding each and every bakery product sold, one of Little Debbie's most iconic treats — the Cosmic Brownie, which is the most popular Little Debbie treat in four states (via Chicco) — was actually created in 1999 thanks to a spark of inspiration from a popular bowling trend.

"Cosmic bowling," which is still offered today at many bowling alleys across the country, boomed in popularity in the '90s. Most alleys stay true to the general concept of cosmic bowling, evoking a disco-like feeling with lasers, fog, and lanes lit by blacklights and disco balls. Cosmic bowling also usually offers colorful strobe lights that brighten each dark lane with neon hues. These classic decorations are exactly what influenced Little Debbie treat makers to start selling colorful brownies in the '90s.

Little Debbie's Cosmic Brownie treat features small, colorful chocolate pieces on top of a frosted brownie. These pieces of rainbow candy were used to imitate the vibrant lights that appear in bowling alleys during cosmic bowling nights, and this detail definitely caught the eyes of shoppers across the country. In fact, since the Cosmic Brownie made its grocery store debut, it has become one of the most popular Little Debbie snacks on the market, per Chicco. The brand even collaborated with Kellogg's to make a Cosmic Brownie cereal in 2021, but this has unfortunately been discontinued.

However, since Cosmic Brownies are thankfully still sold in stores — along with another '90s favorite, Dunkaroos, which you can also purchase on Amazon — Little Debbie fans can enjoy these treats to their hearts' content. The treat celebrated its silver birthday in 2024, but a plain Cosmic Brownie might sound a little blasé after 25 long years. Luckily, many Little Debbie treats are the ultimate shortcut for no-bake cakes with the help of some store-bought frosting or cake mix (and why not try upgrading that cake mix easily with a can of sweetened condensed milk?). The Cosmic Brownie's long history is all thanks to a bowling alley's neon-heavy nighttime celebration, and we think both of these cosmic delights are worth celebrating.