• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
I Heart Eating
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
      • Work with Me
    • Rules and Disclosures
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Press
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Desserts » Better Than Box Mix Brownie Recipe

    Better Than Box Mix Brownie Recipe

    Published: Jun 21, 2019 · Modified: Jan 2, 2020 by Kate · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Best box mix brownie recipe! These easy one-bowl cocoa powder brownies are as easy as boxed mix brownies, but they taste so much better!
    Stack of four cocoa powder browniesBrownie mixes are the star of the box mix section. As an aside, I had no idea people had such strong feelings about mixes! Turns out, a lot of people really love or really hate them.

    There are some great cakes that begin with a box cake mix, but it isn't difficult to make amazing cakes from scratch. Brownies, though, are a whole 'nother story.

    Mix brownies are one dessert that scratch recipes always try to copy. Even though the flavor can be a little lacking, box mix brownies have that amazing chewy/fudgy texture and perfect, shiny brownie crust that make them so incredible.

    Top view of a brownie showing the shiny crust

    Are These Brownies Fudgy?

    These brownies fall somewhere in between chewy and fudgy. They have the same great shiny crust like box mix brownies, but they have the yummy chocolate flavor that so many mixes are missing.

    Check out this recipe if you want rich, fudgy brownies.

    How To Make Box Mix Brownies From Scratch

    If you aren't familiar with baking brownies, check out my how to make brownies post for tons of tips and info that will help you make the best brownies.

    Sugar and butter in a silver bowl for cocoa powder brownies

    Whisk the butter, sugars, and vanilla together until well-combined (1). Whisk in the eggs one at a time until combined (2).

    box mix brownie batter in a baking pan

    Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt to the bowl (3). Whisk just until combined. There's no need to beat the batter - whisking it just until the ingredients are incorporated is sufficient. The batter should be thick and smooth.

    Stir in the chocolate chips, and pour the batter into the prepared baking pan (4).

    Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out with fudgy crumbs attached. Wet batter means that the brownies aren't done cooking. No crumbs means the brownies are over-baked. Just a few fudgy crumbs is perfect.

    Let the brownies cool in the pan before cutting and serving.

    Brownie set at a diagnal on two other brownies

    What Should Brownies Look Like When Cooked?

    These brownies will have a thin, shiny crust on top. They'll be set at the edges and still look a little fudgy in the middle.

    When a wooden toothpick is inserted in the center, it should come out with just a few fudgy crumbs attached.

    Brownie sitting at a diagnal on three other browniesHow To Store Brownies

    I like to store brownies, covered, in the fridge because it helps to make them chewier and fudgier. It also makes them last a little longer.

    If stored in the fridge, the brownies will keep for up to 4 or 5 days. If stored, covered, at room temperature, the brownies will keep 2-3 days.

    Stack of three brownies on a piece of brown parchment paper

    More Brownie Recipes!

    • Peanut Butter Brownies
    • French Silk Brownies
    • Frosted Brownie Recipe
    • M&M Brownie Bark Recipe

    If you’ve tried this better than box mix brownie recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who've made my recipes!

    You can SUBSCRIBE to receive my latest recipe newsletters or FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for even more delicious food.

    Better Than Box Mix Brownie Recipe

    Easy brownie recipe that tastes better than box mix brownies.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 20 brownies
    Calories: 285kcal
    Author: Kate @ I Heart Eating

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter melted
    • 1 ½ cups brown sugar packed
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 4 large eggs
    • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour weighed or properly measured1
    • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Set aside.
    • Stir together the butter, sugars, and vanilla in a large bowl until well-combined.
    • Stir in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.
    • Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir in until just incorporated.
    • Mix in the chocolate morsels.
    • Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
    • Bake 20-35 minutes. The edges should look dry and set, but there should still have fudgy crumbs but not wet batter when a toothpick is inserted in the middle.
    • Cool in the pan to room temperature before cutting.

    Notes

    1. To avoid packing in the flour (and ending up with dry brownies), sift or stir the flour. Then lightly spoon it into the measuring cup. Avoid tamping it down or packing it in. Level the flour off with a butter knife.
    2. Nutrition values are estimates. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 217mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 335IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe? Rate it below. Mention @i_heart_eating on Instagram & tag #ihearteating!

    Originally published 8/26/16. Updated 6/21/19.

    « Broccoli Salad
    Zucchini Bread »
    4.0K shares
    • Facebook
    • Email

    About Kate

    Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lisa

      November 09, 2020 at 3:28 pm

      Why is there no baking powder or baking soda?

      Reply
      • Kate

        November 09, 2020 at 9:55 pm

        There is traditionally no leavening (baking powder or baking soda) in brownie recipes. Leavening agents tend to produce a cakier brownie, so most fudge or chewy brownie recipes don't include any.

        Reply
    2. Allie

      June 27, 2019 at 9:57 pm

      5 stars
      These are some bomb brownies! I'm never using a mix again!

      Reply
      • Kate

        June 27, 2019 at 9:59 pm

        Yay! I'm so glad that you liked them. Thanks for commenting! =)

        Reply
    3. Denice

      February 11, 2019 at 10:52 am

      I'm stumped...I used to use a brownie recipe of yours from your site and I can't find it. They were THE BEST BROWNIES. I'm thinking maybe these are them, but you renamed them? I just don't remember the original recipe calling for chocolate morsels. They were very fudgy

      Reply
      • Kate

        February 11, 2019 at 11:02 am

        I took the recipe down, but I still have it. I've received so many requests lately that I think I need to put it back up! In the mean time, I can email it to you if you would like. =)

        Reply
        • Denice

          February 11, 2019 at 10:18 pm

          Yes.....pretty please. It's our favorite and I always make them for my family for Valentines Day.

          Reply
        • Melanie

          July 02, 2019 at 1:46 pm

          Me too please

          Reply
          • Kate

            July 03, 2019 at 8:17 pm

            Hi! I reposted the recipe. You can find it here.

    4. Caroline

      June 26, 2018 at 11:26 am

      5 stars
      You're right- these are way better than box brownies!

      Reply
      • Kate

        June 26, 2018 at 11:43 am

        Thank you!

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this recipe:




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Kate Dean- mom to five young kids, recipe developer, and photographer. Here at I Heart Eating®, I share my family’s favorite tried-and-true recipes.

    More about me →

    Summer Favorites

    • Zucchini Bread
    • Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad
    • Pasta Salad Recipe
    • Homemade Funnel Cake
    • Golden Graham S'mores
    • Broccoli Salad

    Popular Posts

    • Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
    • Brownie Cookie Recipe
    • Whipped Buttercream Frosting without Powdered Sugar
    • Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal Muffins

    Subscribe via email

    to stay in the loop on new posts!

    Footer

    As Featured In

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Legal
    • Rules and Disclosures

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Press

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 I Heart Eating

    4.0K shares