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Home || Recipes || Dessert || How To Make Box Brownies Better

How To Make Box Brownies Better

Jan 4, 2023 · Leave a Comment

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If you’re wondering how to make box brownies better, you came to the right place! With just a few little tweaks, you can make boxed brownie mix taste homemade!

Box brownies that taste better cut up on the counter.

Better Boxed Brownies Recipe

Whether you don’t have the time or the ingredients, sometimes homemade brownies just aren’t realistic. And while boxed brownies might work just fine, they’re never even close to as good as homemade brownies. That is, until now! This recipe is perfect for when you already have boxed brownie mix and want to doctor it up just a bit to make your brownies taste homemade!

Brownies in a pan with melted chocolate and cut lines.

Ingredients for How to Make Boxed Brownies Better

  • Boxed Brownie Mix – You can use your favorite brand, just make sure it’s for a 9×13 pan size.
  • Melted Butter – Read the back of your brownie box and use equal parts melted butter in place of oil.
  • Heavy Cream – Read the back of your brownie box and use equal parts heavy cream in place of water. If needed, you could also use milk instead if you’re in a pinch.
  • Egg Yolks – Read the back of your brownie box and double the amount of eggs, but use only the yolks.
  • Chopped Chocolate / Chocolate Chips – You can use chopped chocolate, chocolate chips, Rolos, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, or honestly whatever else you can think of. Have fun and get creative here!
Ingredients on the counter to make box brownies taste better, including the boxed brownie mix, butter, eggs, sugar, and chocolate.

How to Make Boxed Brownie Mix Better

  1. Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  3. In a medium sized bowl, fold together the brownie mix, melted butter, heavy cream, egg yolks, and mix until just combined. Be sure to not over-mix the batter.
  4. Now fold in your chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. I always save a bit of the chocolate here to add to the top of the brownies after baking.
  5. Pour your brownie batter into your prepared baking pan and place in the preheated oven for about 35-45 minutes.
  6. To know if your brownies are done baking, insert a toothpick into the brownies. If the toothpick still has batter on it when removed, the brownies aren’t done yet. If the toothpick comes out completely clean, the brownies are probably over-baked.
  7. For perfectly cooked brownies, take them out of the oven when you can insert a toothpick into the brownies and the toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it. When removing the pan from the oven, the brownies will still be very soft and jiggle slightly – don’t worry, they will finish setting up while cooling.
  8. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate (and a bit of sea salt if you’d like) on top of the warm brownies to make them look even prettier!
  9. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan completely before cutting.
  10. Store your brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Brownie batter made better by adding chocolate chips in it and stirring.

How do you make brownies more moist?

You can make brownies more moist by increasing the fat content. That’s why substituting oil for butter, water for heavy cream, and eggs for just egg yolks, is how to make box brownies better, plus more moist and fudgey! If your brownies are still dry, you most likely over-baked them.

What is the trick to cutting brownies?

The trick to cutting brownies while they’re still warm is using a plastic, disposable knife. I know it’s surprising, but just trust me on this one.

If you want perfectly clean cut lines like in the photos, I let my brownies cool completely, then put them in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. Then I used a large, chef’s knife to cut across the entire pan in one motion.

Is it better to cut brownies hot or cold?

If you want your brownies to look pretty, it’s always better to cut them cold. However, if you just can’t wait to eat them, it’s totally fine to cut them right away, just know they will be super gooey. Perfect to serve with vanilla ice cream!

Brownies on the counter with text that reads "almost homemade brownies; doctor up your brownie mix."

Recipes Similar to Better Box Brownies

  • Brownie Mix Cookies
  • Best Brownie Recipe
  • Blondie Brownies Recipe
Brownies cut up on the counter, with melted chocolate and sea salt on top.

How to make Boxed Brownies Better

If you're wondering how to make box brownies better, you came to the right place! With just a few little tweaks, you can make boxed brownie mix taste homemade!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: amercian
Keyword: how to make boxed brownies better
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 16 brownies
Calories: 236kcal
Author: Karli Bitner

Ingredients

  • 1 box brownie mix
  • 2/3 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 cup chopped chocolate/chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  • Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and set aside.In a medium sized bowl, fold together the brownie mix, melted butter, heavy cream and egg yolks until combined. avoid over mixing.
  • Fold in the chopped chocolate/chocolate chips. Reserve some extra for the top, if desired.
  • Pour the brownie batter into the 9×9 pan and bake at 350° for 35-45 minutes until a toothpick is inserted and a few moist crumbs are left on the toothpick. If the toothpick comes out completely clean, the brownies will be over baked. The brownies will still be very soft and still jiggle slightly when they come out of the oven.
  • Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan prior to cutting and serving.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

All brownie mixes are different, please see the back of your brownie box to confirm ingredient amounts. Substitute melted butter for the oil, and heavy cream for the water. Then double the eggs, but use only the yolks. 
Tried this recipe?Mention @cookingwithkarli or tag #cookingwithkarli!

Nutrition

Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 11mg | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 356IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

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This blog is a little glimpse into my kitchen, family & life. I hope you’ll giggle the days away with me and enjoy the craziness that goes on at my house. There isn’t ever a shortage of crazy. I can promise you that! Buckle up, keep your hand and legs inside at all times and enjoy the ride! Read more...

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This blog is a little glimpse into my kitchen, family & life. I hope you’ll giggle the days away with me and enjoy the craziness that goes on at my house. If you are Cookie obsessed like I am, check out my Sister Site, Cookies for Days.

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