I love brownies, but let’s be honest—boxed brownie mix can be a little… underwhelming. Boxed brownies are convenient, but sometimes they taste plain, overly sweet or just “boxed”—missing that deep, fudgy, homemade richness. I don’t want to bake a whole pan just to end up with something dry, cakey or one-note when I was craving decadent, chocolatey goodness. There’s also that artificial aftertaste some brownies have, which totally takes away from the indulgence.
I know there are ways to doctor up boxed brownies, but I don’t want to go overboard or make them too complicated. I just want an easy upgrade that takes them from “meh” to “OMG, these are amazing!” Luckily, I ran across a great post on Reddit with lots of wonderful tips to dress up those boxed mixes and I can’t wait to try more than a few of these!
Related: The Surprising Ingredient That Makes Boxed Brownies So Much Better
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Start With Some Creative Swap-Ins
Instead of oil, I always use melted butter in my boxed mixes, but one person suggested taking the swap a step further and using coffee creamer in place of water. “It gives such an amazing texture and just a hint of flavor from the creamer,” they said, adding that they personally enjoy “hazelnut or peppermint mocha. People ask for my recipe ALL the time and this is what I use.”
Another person said they “heard a great substitution the other day—replace half the water with a canned or bottled cold coffee or mocha! Makes it like a coffee brownie.”That does sound incredible! “Use Jack Daniels Honey whiskey in place of water to give it a sweeter taste!” someone added and we love an adults-only brownie!
Related: How to Make French Toast 10x Better, According to Reddit
Consider Some Mix-Ins
One person suggested making rocky road brownies by adding in mini marshmallows, chopped nuts or a marshmallow fluff swirl. While this will add more sugar, it will also give those brownies a whole new life.
You can also break up some Oreos and mix them into the batter before baking for a cookies-and-cream vibe. Someone else suggested dipping whole Oreos in the brownie batter and putting them in a cupcake tin to cook for 20 minutes at 350°. We’re drooling over the thought of these!
Another Redditor shared a family recipe that we are intrigued by. Kids would love this one! “My uncle makes ‘stadium floor brownies,’ where he scatters M&Ms, pretzels, popcorn, broken KitKats, potato chips or whatever else might be found on the floor of a stadium on top before baking. They’re good!”
If you like mint-flavored chocolate, someone commented that you can add in peppermint chips before baking, or when the brownies come out of the oven, top them with Andes mints. “Let them melt and spread evenly. Chill in the fridge and you get this thin, minty, chocolatey frosting-like layer on top. Oh so amazing!!”
Related: The Asian Way to Make Boxed Cake Mix 10x Better
Think Outside the Pan
Of course, there are only so many times you can dress up a brownie—so why not think outside the pan?
“Cook brownie waffles if you have a waffle maker,” someone said on Reddit. That sounds almost too good to be true, but we are willing to give it a try! Brownies for breakfast? Sign us up!
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