Brownies invite a lot of opinions: Fudgy or cakey? Crispy edge or gooey, chewy center? Naked or topped with ice cream? But if there’s something we can all agree on, it’s that boxed brownies are good. Homemade brownie recipes have their place, but there’s something extra (maybe it’s the nostalgia, or maybe it’s the artificial vanillin) that makes boxed brownies tough to beat.
But you’re an overachiever, aren’t you? Determined to add your own spin to a verifiably perfect product. You are looking to make them even more chocolaty, want added crunch, or are seeking a memorable riff on a classic. These brownie hacks, swaps, and mix-ins take a comforting treat from good to great, without much added prep time.
Make smart swaps in the batter
A box of brownie mix usually calls for the addition of oil, water, and eggs in the brownie batter. That gives you plenty of opportunity to add layers of flavor, richness, and oomph through easy one-to-one swaps.
In your mixing bowl, instead of using canola or vegetable oil, try melted butter or even nutty brown butter if you’ve got the time. Pastry expert and food editor Shilpa Uskokovic recommends swapping in high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for some peppery, fruity nuance.
When the back-of-box instructions call for water, try some instant espresso or strong-brewed coffee for roasty, toasty notes that pair impeccably with chocolate. Or use milk or half-and-half for even more richness. And for cakey instead of fudgy brownies, add an extra egg for more lift and spring.
Scope out your kitchen for add-in ingredients
Boxed brownies can be their own blank slate for just about any snacks, sweets, or baking scraps you’ve got in your pantry or fridge. Add a teaspoon of instant coffee or espresso powder. Throw in a handful of nuts—pecans, walnuts, macadamia, whatever you have on hand. Scoop in a palmful of dried or frozen fruit. Add an extra splash of the top-shelf vanilla extract, or a dab of vanilla paste, or a dash of vanilla powder, to the batter.
Got a lingering collection of chocolate chips from previous baking projects? Stir in semisweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chunks, and shards off the block for a chocolate brownie that’s even more chocolaty. If you have leftover holiday treats, crumble in candy bars, peppermints, chopped candied ginger, or crushed cookies.
Once you pour the brownie batter into a prepared pan, experiment with swirling in a few spoonfuls of peanut butter, Nutella, cream cheese, raspberry jam, or Marshmallow Fluff through the top of the brownies just prior to baking. (If your spread is too thick to swirl, microwave it for 10–20 seconds to loosen it up.) It doesn’t add much to the total time, but is a tasty way to customize to what you’re craving.
Lean into the savoury flavours
Many boxed brownies can lean pretty one-note in sweetness. The best way to beat it: Add salt. You can add kosher salt directly to the brownie batter—Uskokovic suggests adding ½ to 1 tsp.—but it can also be all about the mix-ins. Crushed potato chips, pretzels, and salted nuts stirred in or sprinkled on before baking can add textural interest, plus a little savoriness that can make the rich chocolate flavor more pronounced. A shower of sea salt or flaky salt like Maldon over baked brownies before slicing makes for a dramatic, sparkly finish.
This guide originally appeared on Bon Appetit US.
