Learn How to Make Box Brownies Taste Better – actually just like homemade – with only a few changes and additions to the ingredients. These tips will take your brownies from good to GREAT!
Brownies from a boxed mix are a quick and tasty treat, but they are never quite as good as homemade – UNTIL NOW!
By simply making a few changes to the instructions on the box and adding a few extra ingredients, our tips for how to make box brownies taste homemade will make them go from good to GREAT!!
If you’re wondering how to make box brownies taste better, simple changes like replacing oil with butter, replacing water with milk and adding increasing the amounts of the ingredients really go a long way.
All of the changes will take you less than an extra minute or two in the preparation process, and those will be two minutes very well spent. Let me know if you agree once you see the results!
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Brownie mixes are an awesome shortcut for baking. They contain most of the ingredients that you need to make your pan of brownies with only a few additions.
To make the process as easy as possible, boxed brownie mixes call for ingredients you would most like have on hand AND that are inexpensive. Replacing them with “more expensive” ingredients really doesn’t cost a lot more, but it does make a BIG improvement in the taste.
The next time you’re bringing brownies to a party, family dinner, bake sale or barbecue, use these tips and see the reactions of people raving over your delicious homemade brownies!
If you want to go beyond “regular” brownies, we have more fun recipes at the bottom of this post that are all made with a boxed brownie mix.
If you like your brownies with frosting on top, use our Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe. The recipe is surprisingly easy to make from scratch and it’s SO GOOD!
How to Make Box Brownies Taste Homemade
Your finished brownies will taste awesome and they will be ready for a school bake sale, an everyday after dinner treat, or even as the basis for a decadent ice cream and hot fudge topped sundae to impress your guests the next time you entertain.
I think I have to head to the kitchen right NOW to whip up a batch. Just thinking about them again is making me hungry!
How to Make Box Brownies Better:
Follow these simple tips to learn how to make box brownies taste homemade. While you don’t have to use every suggestion, the more you use the better your brownies will be.
Ingredients Needed
1 Box brownie mix
All ingredients listed on box, BUT make these changes:
- add 1 extra egg
- use melted butter in place of oil
- add extra 2 TBS butter
- use milk in place of water
- add extra 4 TBS milk
Note: Adding the extra egg will make the brownies more cake-like. If you prefer a more dense/chewy brownie, then leave out that extra egg.
OPTIONAL: One other option I like to make brownies even BETTER is to add in chocolate chips. Semi sweet are the best and you can use either regular sized chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips.
Or, if you want something different you can use white chocolate chips, but I think it kind of dilutes the chocolatiness.
OPTIONAL: Add nuts! Both walnuts and pecans make a great addition to brownies. To make, after you have mixed together the rest of your brownie ingredients, simply fold the nuts into the batter.
How to Make Homemade Tasting Box Brownies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl add brownie mix, egg(s), melted butter and milk. Mix.
Do not over mix. There should be some small clumps in the batter.
Bake for length of time indicated on the box. (Make sure you follow the correct timing for the size/type of pan you use!)
Brownie Toppings
Once your brownies are cooled, you can top them with a dusting of powdered sugar. To do that, place confectioners sugar in a small sieve or sifter and sprinkle over the top.
OR you can use the Easy Chocolate Frosting Recipe we mentioned above to make a nice thick layer of frosting on top.
Other delicious toppings for brownies include:
- caramel sauce
- ice cream
- drizzled hot fudge
- whipped cream
- marshmallow fluff
- chocolate shavings
- shredded coconut
You can mix and match any of these toppings – you’re not limited to one! – and all of them will help make box brownies better!
How to Store Brownies
Brownies can be stored tightly covered at room temperature. To extend the life even longer you can keep them in the refrigerator, but you need to make sure they are well-sealed and then bring them back to room temperature before serving.
To keep them extra tightly sealed you can wrap them in plastic wrap. It is less convenient if you’re taking a brownie here and there, but works well if you’re saving them all for later.
To keep your brownies more fresh, it’s better not to cut them until you’re ready to eat.
Recipes Using Boxed Brownie Mix
There are so many different ways to use brownie mix! Here are a few of our favorite brownie mix recipes:
- Reese’s Brownies Cups
- M&M’s Popcorn Brownies (perfect for movie night)
- Snickers Brownies,
- White Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
- Rocky Road Brownies
- Brownies with Peanut Butter
How to Make Box Brownies Taste Homemade
Ingredients
- 1 Box Brownie Mix
- add 1 extra egg
- use melted butter in place of oil
- add extra 2 TBS butter
- use milk in place of water
- add extra 4 TBS milk
Instructions
- Prepare brownie mix as directed on box with the exception of adding/substituting all the ingredients listed above.
Nicole says
I made 1/2 a box and used 2 eggs instead of 1.5, (exactly 1/2 of the original amount of eggs required for a full box) thinking slightly “cakey” brownies might be yummy. They weren’t really “cakey” but more like spongey, and not great. I don’t recommend the extra egg!
Gabrielle says
They were basically a cake! No brownies 😭
Jacqueline Banks says
When making a double batch, how long would you bake them for?
Chrysa says
Per Betty Crocker, in a 9×13″ pan bake 51 to 53 minutes for shiny metal or glass pan and 45 to 47 minutes for dark nonstick pan.
Lisa says
If you left out the additional egg, would it be more fudge like than cake like?
Chrysa says
Yes, it would be. The eggs set up more of a “structure” in the brownies.
Sowji says
These came out more like chocolate cake than brownies.
Vanessa White says
I’m going to be not very happy if they come out like cake.
Harriet says
By adding these extra ingredients, are they a chewy brownie…rather than cake like?? I love using box mixes….so much easier …especially making them for a large group.
sarah says
I have made them with coconut cooking solid cooking oil and it gives them just a hint of coconut.
Terri says
Should these take longer to bake?. I baked them at 350 degrees for 25 minutes as instructed on the box and the center was very jiggly. I had to bake them for 40 minutes.
Chrysa says
For us it works as the same time as indicated on the box. There are often different times listed whether you’re using a metal vs. a glass pan. You can usually tell that they are done because the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Hope that helps!!
Mary Beth Elderton says
This sounds delicious!!!
Adrian Windsor says
How about adding toasted pecan halves to this?
tammileetips says
I love to find ways to spruce up box brownies, they are so convenient! I love the changes that you made, I have added in chocolate chunks and even peanut butter to mixes before.
valmg @ From Val's Kitchen says
I love using box brownies, they’re so convenient. I like to add chocolate chips when I make them.
Ellen Christian says
My husband loves brownies. They’re one of his favorite snacks! I need to try these tips next time.
LaVonne says
Brownies are my love language. So it’s extra butter, extra milk, and an extra egg? That’s pretty easy. I’ll give it a try. And yes, I love buying this brand at my local Costco!
Myrah - Coupon Mamacita says
Those look amazing! I’m not surprised, though. Ghirardelli is the best chocolate in the world.
Chrysa says
Thanks! It actually works with ANY brand of brownies though!
Madlutk says
It is cake like and doesn’t look like brownies anymore….😵
Kathryn J Hutchinson says
Ive made these brownies 3 times and usually using 2 boxes of brownie mix. They came out perfect every time so easy. I bake for a crowd usually 3 times a week. Box mix brownies are so easy and now they are even better. I would rather use butter than oil. I was using coconut oil and that was getting expensive!