Better Than Box Mix Brownie Recipe (2025)

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Better than box mix brownie recipe! These easy one-bowl cocoa powder brownies are as easy as boxed mix brownies, but they taste so much better!

Box brownie mix is the star of the box mix section. Mix brownies are one dessert that homemade brownies 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.

These scratch brownies take that amazing chewy/fudgy texture and add rich chocolate flavor. They’re so tasty that you’ll never want to make box brownies again!

Ingredients and substitutions

Butter: I use salted butter. If you’re using unsalted butter, increase the salt by 1/4 teaspoon. You can melt the butter my placing it in a large, microwave-safe bowl and microwaving for about 40 seconds. Stir until completely melted.
Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work.
All-purpose flour: I highly recommend weighing the flour for the most accurate measurements (click on “metric” just above the ingredients for the weights). You can also stir or sift the flour, lightly spoon it into the measuring cup, and level. Be careful to avoid packing the flour as that will give you dry or cakey brownies.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: I’ve only used unsweetened cocoa powder and haven’t tried using Dutch-process cocoa powder in this recipe.
Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips: You can substitute another type of chocolate chip. Please don’t skip the chocolate chips, through, because they help the brownies to form the crust on top.

How to make better than box mix brownies

Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full, including ingredients, is given below.

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.

Step 1: Whisk the butter, sugars, and vanilla together until well-combined.

Step 2: Whisk in the eggs one at a time until combined.

Step 3: Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt to the butter and sugar mixture. 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.

Step 4: Fold in the chocolate chips, and pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan.

Step 5: 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.

Step 6: Let the brownies cool in the pan before cutting and serving.

Recipe Tips!

Checking for doneness: 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 moist crumbs attached. If you bake the brownies until the toothpick comes out clean, the brownies won’t be as moist and fudgy.
Add-ins: Feel free to stir in add-ins like chopped nuts along with the mini chocolate chips.

Recipe FAQs

Are these brownies fudgy?

These brownies fall somewhere between chewy and fudgy. They have a thin, shiny crust like box mix brownies, but they also have rich chocolate flavor.

Do I have to use a tablespoon of vanilla?

You don’t! The vanilla helps to enhance the chocolate flavor, but you can reduce the amount to 1 teaspoon if you prefer.

Storage

I like to store brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator 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.

More brownie recipes!

Peanut Butter Brownies
Brownie Cookies
One Bowl Brownies
Brownie Bites

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!

Better Than Box Mix Brownie Recipe

Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Easy brownie recipe that tastes better than box mix brownies.

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

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9×13 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.

Video

Notes

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.
Nutrition values are estimates.

Nutrition

Did You Make This Recipe?

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Originally published 8/26/16.

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Created by 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.

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5 from 22 votes (15 ratings without comment)