How to Make Boxed Brownies Better (6 Ways!)

If you’re looking for ways to level up the classic brownie, you’re in the right spot! We’re walking you through how to take a box of store-bought brownie mix and turn it into a really fun, unique twist on the classic, fudgy treat.

What’s the best boxed brownie mix?

Walking the brownie aisle at the grocery store and wondering which mix to grab? We’ve got you! We (Team Fed & Fit) actually spent an entire day baking (and eating) reader-submitted brownie mix favorites and have all of the details in our best gluten-free brownie mix article. Long story short, this gluten free Krusteaz brownie mix was our very favorite – it’s super affordable, had a nice crinkled top, and was equal parts chewy and gooey. YUM!

Are boxed brownies gluten free?

Not all of them! As with most gluten free goods, you may have to dig a little bit (or do your research on which grocery stores in your area have a really great gluten free section) to find gluten free brownie mix, but it definitely exists and is available. Every gluten free brownie mix that we tested was purchased from Amazon and can be found in our brownie mix showdown article!

6 Ways to Doctor Boxed Brownies

While a classic, fudgy brownie is delicious all on its own, there is definitely an opportunity to have some fun and spice things up with a box of store-bought brownie mix (and a few other super simple ingredients). Consider one of the recipes below next time you decide to bake a pan of chocolatey, ooey, gooey goodness!

Cheesecake Brownies

Brownies and cheesecake all in one? Sign us up! These decadent brownies are made in cupcake tins, each with a perfect ratio of rich, sweet chocolate to tangy cream cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 box of brownie mix
• 6 ounces of cream cheese
• Pinch of flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Prepare the brownie batter as directed.
2. Prepare a cupcake tin with liners.
3. Cut the cream cheese into about 12 tablespoon-sized pieces.
4. Scoop 1 tablespoon of batter into each liner.
5. Place one piece of cream cheese into each cupcake liner on top of the brownie batter.
6. Top the cream cheese with a final scoop (about 1 tablespoon) of brownie batter.
7. Bake at 325°F for 25 minutes.
8. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt (while the brownies are still warm), let cool, slice, and enjoy!

Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies

These brownies are bold and delicious, y’all! The addition of cloves, cinnamon, and cayenne give them such a wonderful depth of flavor (and a bit of a kick!). If you’re looking to get outside of the box with your brownie game, these are for you.

Ingredients

• 1 box of brownie mix
• 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
• Turbinado sugar, for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare the brownie batter as directed, adding the cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne.
2. Transfer to a parchment-lined brownie pan and top with turbinado sugar.
3. Follow the baking directions as written.
4. Let cool slightly, slice, and enjoy!

Notes:

• These brownies definitely have a spicy kick! For a less spicy brownie, decrease the cayenne pepper to 1/4 teaspoon.

Red Wine Brownies

The addition of red wine in these brownies makes for such a fun spin on the classic chocolate dessert without completely dominating the flavor. Bake these up for a girl’s night or a date night in!

Ingredients

• 1 box of brownie mix
• Red wine, replace the water or milk that the box mix calls for with red wine

Instructions

1. Prepare the brownie batter as directed, swapping the water and/or milk for red wine.
2. Transfer to a parchment-lined brownie pan.
3. Follow the baking directions as written.
4. Let cool slightly, slice, and enjoy!

Kitchen Sink Brownies

Similar to our kitchen sink cookies, these brownies are about as fun as it gets. Salty pretzels and peanuts combine with a myriad of sweet mix-ins for a match made in brownie heaven.

Ingredients

• 1 box of brownie mix
• 2 cups of mix-ins (halved peanut butter cups, pretzels, M&Ms, chocolate chips, peanuts, etc.)
• Caramel sauce (store-bought), to finish
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare the brownie batter as directed.
2. Stir in the mix-ins, leaving out 1/4 of a cup to sprinkle on top.
3. Transfer to a parchment-lined brownie pan and sprinkle the leftover mix-ins on top.
4. Follow the baking directions as written.
5. Let cool slightly, top with caramel sauce and flaky sea salt, slice, and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Brownies

Is there a better combo than peanut butter and chocolate? If your answer (like mine) is a resounding “nope!”, then these brownies are for you. Not only does peanut butter get mixed right into the brownie batter, but it’s also swirled on top so that you get a nice, thick ribbon of peanut butter in every single bite.

Ingredients

• 1 box of brownie mix
• Oil, use 1/2 the amount of oil the box mix calls for
• Peanut butter, replace 1/2 the amount of oil the box mix calls for with peanut butter, plus additional for topping

Instructions

1. Prepare the brownie batter as directed, using peanut butter in place of 1/2 of the oil.
2. Transfer to a parchment-lined brownie pan.
3. Using a teaspoon, drop 12-16 dollops of peanut butter on top of the batter. Drag a toothpick or butter knife through the peanut butter dollops top to bottom and side to side in a continuous motion to make swirls across the top of the batter.
4. Follow the baking instructions as written.
5. Let cool completely, slice, and enjoy!

Double Chocolate Brownies

Complete with a shiny chocolate glaze and fun, festive sprinkles, these fudgy double chocolate brownies are reminiscent of the classic Cosmic Brownies of your childhood!

Ingredients

• 1 box of brownie mix
• 1 cup of chocolate chips for the batter, plus 1/2 cup of chocolate chips for glaze
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Sprinkles, for garnish

Instructions

1. Prepare the brownie batter as directed, stirring in 1 cup of chocolate chips.
2. Transfer to a parchment-lined brownie pan and follow the baking directions as written.
3. While the brownies are baking, make the chocolate glaze: pour the heavy cream into a pot on the stovetop, bring it to just under a boil, then remove it from the heat. Stir in the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips until they melt, then add the maple syrup and stir to combine.
4. Pour the chocolate glaze over the baked brownies and let cool in the fridge for 30 minutes, then top with sprinkles. This keeps the sprinkles from sinking into the glaze. Then store in the fridge to fully set for at least 4 hours.
5. Slice and enjoy!

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Best Egg Substitute for Brownies

If you’re someone who has an egg allergy (or is avoiding eggs for any reason at all), you know that finding a really great egg substitute for any baked good can be tricky, to say the least. We actually turned the Fed & Fit kitchen into an egg-free baking zone for a solid week to get all of the answers for you, though! Find our full guide on egg substitutes here — spoiler alert: a combination of chia seeds and yogurt worked best for brownies!