We Tried 9 Brownie Mixes and Found the BEST (2024)

Updated: Apr. 28, 2024

Our Test Kitchen sampled nine brands to find the best brownie mix brands. Trust us, our top picks are just as good as homemade.

Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.Learn more.

Taste of Home

If you’re looking for a decadent but easy dessert to whip up for a weeknight (or anytime really), you can never go wrong with a pan of homemade brownies. But let’s get real: When you’re having a serious chocolate craving, you need something fast and satisfying. That’s where snagging the best brownie mix comes in.

But do you really know which brand is the fudgiest? The chocolatiest? The most tempting? That’s where our Test Kitchen comes in!

You can thank us later for these tips and tricks to make box brownies better.

How We Tested Brownie Mixes

While sampling brownie mixes is a pretty fun job, our Test Kitchen takes it seriously! Our team did their research and purchased nine popular brownie mix brands, then prepped each exactly according to the package instructions. Once baked and cooled, our pros tested these nine brownies in a blind sampling, all the while keeping these criteria in mind:

Chocolate flavor:How did the brownies taste? Were they super chocolaty? Was the chocolate deep and dark or sweet like milk chocolate? Were there any chocolate chips stirred into the mix? Was the chocolate of good quality?
Texture:What was the texture of the brownies like? Chewy? Fudge-like? Cakey?
Appearance:Did the brownies look appetizing? Were they a dark chocolate shade? Lighter in color? Did the top look delicate and crackly?

Our Test Kitchen-Preferred Brownie Mix Brands

Taste of Home

Our team sampled plenty of brownies (there were only a few crumbs left!) and these were the brands that earned top marks.

Best Overall Brownie Mix: Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix

Taste of Home

When you want a delicious brownie for a baking emergency—or just to treat yourself—look no further than a box of Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownies.

These fudgy brownies were packed with that Ghirardelli chocolate flavor that so many of us love. They tasted of rich cocoa and the generous amount of chocolate chips in the mix really make these brownies feel like a special treat. For those of you that love the edges and corner pieces—you’ll be pleased with these brownies. The edges were oh-so chewy with a very slight crispness around the very edge.

And when it comes to the appearance, our Test Kitchen squad loved the crackled top on these brownies. There’s something about that texture that just invites you to dive right in (a scoop of vanilla ice cream, though, would be a welcome addition).

Shop Now

Best for Dark Chocolate Lovers: King Arthur Baking Company Brownie Mix

Taste of Home

For some, the darker the chocolate, the better the brownie. If that sounds like you, you must tryKing Arthur Baking Company Brownie Mix.

This super moist brownie had the deepest dark chocolate flavor of any brownie option our team tried. It was rich and the texture really felt fudgy—something truly decadent to enjoy after a long day.

Because of this dark chocolate taste and not-so-sweet flavor, our Test Kitchen team suggests that you bake up a box of King Arthur Baking Company brownies for your next book club or adults-only shindig. The depth of flavor and lack of sugar might not be as appealing to kids.

Shop Now

Best Cakey Brownie: Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix

Taste of Home

If you like your brownies a bit more cakey than fudgy, skip all the other mixes and pick upDuncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix.

These Duncan Hines brownies were light and tender—not terms we normally associate with brownies, but that’s part of the appeal. These cake-like brownies had a nice chocolate flavor and a beautiful tissue paper-like top that really made our Test Kitchen team dive right in.

Another bonus: This mix makes enough to fill a 13×9 pan—more than the other mixes listed here. If you’ve got a bigger group to serve, you can snag just one box of this Duncan Hines brownie mix rather than mixing up a few batches of the others.

Shop Now

Best Organic Brand: Annie’s Organic Double Chocolate Brownie Mix

Taste of Home

Just because you want to eat organic doesn’t mean you have to settle for less when it comes to boxed mixes.Annie’s Organic Double Chocolate Brownie Mixwas given our Test Kitchen’s stamp of approval in our blind taste test.

These boxed brownies baked up dense and fudgy with a very rich chocolate flavor. Our kitchen pros could really pick up on the flavor of the chocolate in this mix, remarking that it tasted like a high-quality cocoa powder and good mini chocolate chips studded throughout. In fact, Annie’s got some of the highest praise you could get for a boxed baking mix: “It tastes homemade.”

Shop Now

What to Make with a Box of Brownie Mix

Of course, when you’re craving a quickie dessert, a box brownie on its own (well, maybe topped with a dusting of powdered sugar) is a great treat. But why stop at just basic brownies? A good box of brownie mix can help you create all kinds of treats like brownie-based bars and gorgeous trifles. When you start with a good foundation you can create something really special. Just take a look!

1 / 26

Grilled Banana Brownie SundaesMy niece Amanda Jean and I have a lot of fun in the kitchen creating different dishes. One of us will start with a recipe idea and it just grows from there—and so does the mess. We always have a blast. That's exactly what happened with this brownie mix recipe! —Carol Farnsworth, Greenwood, IndianaAlso, check out these best Christmas pies for your sweet holiday season!Go to RecipeNot sure which brand of brownie mix to buy? These brownie mixes are our Test Kitchen's favorites.

Fruity Brownie Pizza Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Fruity Brownie PizzaI start with a basic brownie mix to create this fruit brownie pizza. Sometimes I add mandarin oranges for even more color. —Nancy Johnson, Laverne, Oklahoma

Go to Recipe

Fudgy Brownies with Peanut Butter Pudding Frosting Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Fudgy Brownies with Peanut Butter Pudding FrostingThese rich peanut butter fudge brownies are topped with a peanut butter pudding frosting, making this a recipe the whole family will love. These are perfect for a potluck, bake sale or yummy after-dinner treat. —Amy Crook, Syracuse, Utah

Go to Recipe

Also, check thistwo ingredients fudge recipe, which is easy to make and will save a lot of your time.

Mini Brownie TreatsI like to take these quick and easy treats to potlucks and family gatherings. They're always well received! —Pam Kokes, North Loup, Nebraska

Go to Recipe

Check Out More Test Kitchen-Preferred Products

Best White Cake Mixes

Best Stand Mixers for Home Bakers

Best Cream Cheese Brands

We Tried 9 Brownie Mixes and Found the BEST (2024)

FAQs

What is the best brownie mix for cake like brownies? ›

Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix

Even if you are in the market for a solid block of fudgy goodness, this is more than enjoyable. And it's definitely the best brownie mix brand if you love a cakey brownie.

Get More Info Here ›

Is Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines brownies better? ›

Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker fell in the middle of the pack — neither were bad, but Duncan Hines' brownies were a little too chewy for my taste, and Betty Crocker's were a bit too sweet. But I could see both mixes making many people happy.

Discover More Details ›

How many brownies are in a 9x13 pan? ›

If it's a regular recipe or a boxed mix, it will likely be a 9x9 pan, which I usually cut into about 9 bars, or a 9x13 pan, which I usually cut into 12 servings. Foodservice recipes usually call for much larger pans and provide many more servings.

Keep Reading ›

Can you combine two boxes of brownie mix? ›

Prepare batter using 2 packages any Betty Crocker®Premium brownie mix, double all ingredients for the water, oil and eggs called for on the package directions. Bake 51 to 53 minutes for shiny metal or glass pan and 45 to 47 minutes for dark nonstick pan. Cool 1 hour before cutting.

What happens when you add an extra egg to brownie mix? ›

They give brownies a lighter, drier, and more cake-like texture. If you prefer this over the chewy variety, then go ahead and crack in that additional egg. On the other hand, too many eggs will yield brownies that are hard, heavy, and tough.

Know More ›

What can you add to box brownies to make them better? ›

When the back-of-box instructions call for water, try some instant espresso or strong-brewed coffee for roasty, toasty notes that pair impeccably with chocolate. Or use milk or half-and-half for even more richness. And for cakey instead of fudgy brownies, add an extra egg for more lift and spring.

Read On ›

Why do you use a plastic knife to cut brownies? ›

Though it may seem odd, a plastic knife is better than a metal one when it comes to cutting brownies because of its non-stick nature. Brownies are less likely to adhere to plastic, so you can cut through them cleanly without worrying about tearing or crumbling.

Learn More ›

Can I use a 9x13 pan instead of 8x8 for brownies? ›

Usually if I have a recipe that calls for an 8x8 pan and I want/have to use a 9x13 pan (like if I'm sending it to work with my husband and need more than 8x8 worth of brownies) I just double the recipe. Ditto if the recipe calls for a 9x13 pan and I want to use an 8x8; I just half it.

How to tell when brownies are done? ›

When you peek in the oven, the brownies should be pulling slightly away from the sides of the pan. The brownie's top should have a dry-looking sheen. At the edge of the pan, the brownies should be slightly puffed, and in the middle of the pan, the brownies should be set, and not wobbly.

Show Me More ›

How to make brownie mix more cakey? ›

Cake-like brownies? Add an extra egg to your brownie batter to make more cake-like brownies.

What's the difference between a brownie mix and a cake mix? ›

If you look at the back of the box of store-bought cake and brownie mixes, you will see many of the same ingredients. The main differences are that cake mixes tend to have more leaving agents and less sugar, whereas brownie mixes tend to be sweeter and have additional fat added.

Learn More Now ›

What is the difference between cake like brownies and regular brownies? ›

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.

Why do my brownies taste more like cake? ›

Achieving a fudgy brownie is all to do with the ratio of fat to flour. A fudgy brownie recipe will use more fat than flour. Generally this is achieved by adding more butter or real chocolate to your brownie recipe. A cakey brownie recipe on the other hand will call for more flour in the ratio of fat to flour.

See Details ›