I love baking from scratch! But I also like to purchase prepackaged box cakes, brownies, and cookies and make them my own. There’s no shame in doing so and believe it or not, most of your favorite bakers use them too. Over the years, I’ve learned different brownie mix hacks to make the best brownies. Boxed brownies are easy to use and can be customized to suit your tastes. And I’m going to share with you how. In this article, you’re going to learn about “brownie mix hacks,” which you can use to make your boxed brownies taste better.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy.
Table of Contents
Choose your favorite brownie mix
Before you can start doing any type of brownie mix hacks, you’re going to need your favorite boxed brownie mix. If you don’t have a favorite, no worries! I don’t have one either, store brand box brownies are my go-to because it’s cheaper. I prefer to buy the brownie mixes that have nothing added to it because I’m going to be adding the additional ingredients myself.
Use butter instead of oil
My first recommendation for brownie mix hacks is to replace your oil with butter. Butter has a higher melting point than oil, which means that your brownies will stay moist and chewy longer. The best thing about using butter in brownie mixes is that you can use regular salted or unsalted–it’s up to you!
You’ll want to make sure to use melted butter which can be done in 10-second increments in the microwave or else it may cause a mess if it’s in there for too long.
Replace water with milk
I use milk in just about all my baking recipes which makes it one of my favorite brownie mix hacks to use. Replacing water with milk is a simple hack that can make your brownies taste even better. Milk adds a richer flavor, which makes your brownies taste more chocolatey. It also makes them more moist, thanks to their high-fat content–the same reason why cakes are often made with dairy products.
Add an extra egg
If you want to get a little more creative with your brownie mix hacks, add an extra egg to the batter. The extra protein will help thicken up the batter and make it fluffier, creating a more decadent, fudgy texture. You can also add the yolk by itself in addition to the 2 eggs a box brownie mix typically calls for.
Try a bit of vanilla extract
Adding vanilla extract is also one of my favorite brownie mix hacks. This will enhance the flavor and make your brownies taste even better! It doesn’t take much either, one teaspoon will do to make a difference in any baked good. Its best to add it to your brownies when you’re making the batter.
Espresso powder or instant coffee
If you’re a coffee lover like me or just looking for an excuse to buy a fancy new coffee maker, then this will be one of your favorite brownie mix hacks. Instead of using water in your brownie mix, use about 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder or instant coffee instead. The result will be fudgy brownies with tons of flavor and just the right amount of caffeine kick.
Add peanut butter to the batter
If you’re looking for something to kick your brownies up a notch, adding peanut butter is absolutely the way to go. The creamy goodness of peanut butter makes the batter richer and fudgier than it would be otherwise. It also gives these treats an extra boost of protein, fiber and vitamins, and minerals (and maybe just a little bit more). And the best part is that you can use just about any butter spread like Biscoff Cookie Butter or Nutella hazelnut spread (both are addicting by the way).
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed reading “Brownie Mix Hacks.”Brownies are a classic dessert that can be made in so many different ways. There’s nothing wrong with a simple basic chocolate brownie, but It’s fun to experiment with different flavors and toppings. That’s where these brownie mix hacks come in! They’re all easy tricks that anyone can do at home without spending too much time or money on ingredients.
