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.
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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.
One change is to use milk or heavy cream instead of water. This change will make brownies more moist and gooey since milk is more fatty and flavorful than water. A second change is to use butter instead of oil. For similar reasons to using milk, butter adds a rich and more decadent quality to the batter.
Add a teaspoon of instant coffee or espresso powder. Throw in a handful of nuts—pecans, walnuts, macadamia, whatever you have on hand. Scoop in a palmful of dried or frozen fruit. Add an extra splash of the top-shelf vanilla extract, or a dab of vanilla paste, or a dash of vanilla powder, to the batter.
A splash of vanilla and a dash of espresso powder are just two ways to make a box of brownie mix better. With these hacks, you'll have yourself a shortcut dessert that tastes like it's made from scratch.
You can absolutely substitute butter for the vegetable oil. Use the same quantity specified in the directions (for example, if it calls for 1/3 cup of oil, use 5 1/3 tablespoons of butter). Melt it down, then let it cool a bit. You might not ever go back to oil!
Most brownie recipes call for some kind of oil — usually vegetable oil or canola oil. This oil acts as the primary fat in brownie batter, giving it that delicious, fudgy texture we all know and love.
Lots of chocolate recipes, like cake, homemade brownies, and even our chocolate cobbler, call for coffee or instant espresso, which enhance and deepen the flavor and richness of the chocolate. In fact, even the queen herself, Ina Garten, partners these two ingredients together.
Don't overcook them. Unlike cake, brownies only need to cook until a toothpick inserted in the batter comes out clean. Also the oil and butter tip is a good one, and looking for a recipe that uses less egg. More egg= cakier brownies; less egg = denser, moister brownies.
Since leaveners lift and give a lighter, airier texture to baked goods, we're only using 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, for just enough leavening to get a nice thick texture. Feel free to omit the baking soda if using Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
After spreading the batter in a pan, refrigerate it for at least an hour or up to overnight. The end result will be brownies with extra-crisp edges and a moist, fudge-y center.
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.
Add coffee or instant espresso powder to your brownies for an even deeper, more complex chocolate flavor. Swirl them with peanut butter, cream cheese, or even pumpkin filling to mix things up. Mix in nuts, add a marshmallow topping, or spread on your favorite frostings for fun, simple, or seasonal twists.
The ideal consistency of brownie mix is thick and gooey, similar to a thick cake batter. When you mix the ingredients together, the batter should be smooth and free of lumps, with a slightly sticky texture. This consistency is important for achieving moist and fudgy brownies that are rich in flavor.
Add nuts – Add a handful of finely chopped pecans or walnuts if you love brownies with nuts. Add mix ins – Jazz up a basic brownie mix with chopped mini peanut butter cups, white chocolate chunks, or your favorite chopped up candy bar. Add a swirl – Swirl in spoonfuls of peanut butter or Nutella before baking.
Fudgy brownies have a higher fat-to-flour ratio than cakey ones. So add more fat—in this case, butter and chocolate. A cakey batch has more flour and relies on baking powder for leavening. The amount of sugar and eggs does not change whether you're going fudgy or cakey.
Instead of adding in the recommended amount of water, substitute it for milk to give the batter a slightly different consistency. Milk is richer than water, so the brownies will be richer, and they'll be denser, like fudge.
The fat and lactose in milk help with tenderizing the crumb of the bread making it softer and sweeter. The crust of the bread also gets more caramelization. Be aware that bread made with milk should not be baked at too high of a temperature to prevent it from browning too much too soon.
Brownie recipes traditionally call for water as it serves as a neutral liquid that hydrates the dry ingredients. However, using milk instead of water can impart a creamier texture and richer flavor to your brownies. The milk's fat content adds a smoothness that water cannot provide, resulting in a more indulgent treat.
Use milk, flavored creamers, or brewed coffee instead of water. Sticking with the theme of richer flavored brownies, using milk instead of water is an absolute MUST. The fat from the milk adds flavor and fudgy texture that water just can't achieve.
Dry milk powder is the same as the milk solids that are released and toasted from the butter. By adding dry milk powder to the browning process, we are essentially doubling down on those toasty brown butter bits.
Introduction: My name is Merrill Bechtelar CPA, I am a clean, agreeable, glorious, magnificent, witty, enchanting, comfortable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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