How I Found The Best Brownie Box Mix
Here’s something about me that you probably didn’t know—I fell in love with baking because of brownie box mix. Brownie box mix was one of the first baked goods I ever made for myself (followed quickly by Funfetti cupcakes). I loved how easy it was to put together a delicious, decadent dessert with just one bowl.
I’ve since learned how to develop my own brownie recipes from scratch. But when I’m feeling nostalgic or in a pinch for time, I won’t shy away from reaching for a brownie box mix.
However, I recently found myself at the grocery store and was stunned by the variety of brownie box mix available. Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, Ghirardelli, Pillsbury, and more! Each brand also had their own different flavors and twists. The choices were overwhelming, and I simply wanted to know which one was best.
So I set out to taste test some of the most popular brands. And here’s what I found:
Taste Testing “Mainstream” Brownie Box Mixes
@hummingbirdhigh tbh i’m a sucker for box mix brownies #browniemix #boxedbrownies #baking ♬ original sound – hummingbirdhigh
For this category, I wanted to sample the brownie box mixes that were readily available at conventional big grocery stores like Safeway, Target, and Walmart. The most common brands were Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, Ghirardelli, and Pillsbury.
I decided to try the basic fudge or dark chocolate variation of each brand. Here’s a list of the exact flavor I sampled:
- Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix
- Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
- Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix
- Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix
All were delicious, with their own pros and cons, which I discuss in the video above. But if you’re not a video person, here’s the TL/DR:
- If you like chewy, sticky brownies, I recommend: Betty Crocker Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix
- If you like light, less dense brownies with a picture-perfect sugar top that flakes when sliced, I recommend: Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
- If you want an intensely chocolaty brownie that could almost pass as homemade, I recommend: Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix
- If you want a cakey but dense and moist brownie, I recommend: Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix
My favorite “mainstream” brownie box mix was a toss-up between Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix and Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix. I was no stranger to the quality of Ghirardelli brownie mixes; it’s what I relied on when I wanted an intensely chocolaty and almost homemade-tasting boxed mix brownie. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Duncan Hines—I plan on using this box mix more in the future!
Taste Testing Different Ghirardelli Brownie Box Mix Varieties
@hummingbirdhigh tasting all @Ghirardelli Chocolate Company #boxmixbrownies 2 forget about the loss of my reproductive freedom #baking #bakingtiktok #brownies ♬ Aesthetic – Tollan Kim
When I first shared my results from the “mainstream” brownie box mix taste test, several of you commented on both Instagram and TikTok that Ghirardelli reigned supreme in your kitchen.
I agreed (though like I said above, I was surprised to find that Duncan Hines gave Ghirardelli some serious competition!), but had a follow-up question:
Which of the different Ghirardelli brownie box mixes tasted best?
Ghirardelli offers a wide selection of brownie box mixes—with or without chocolate chips, others with chocolate and caramel syrup, and one with walnuts. I decided to stick to the classically chocolate flavors and ended up with these varieties:
- Ghirardelli Chocolate Supreme Premium Brownie Mix
- Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix
- Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix
- Ghirardelli Ultimate Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix
Going into the test, I was convinced that there wouldn’t be much difference between the four. I was wrong! The four flavors were pretty distinct from one another. All of them had different quantities of chocolate chips, while two of them came with a chocolate sauce to mix into the batter.
Here’s what I found:
- If you like intensely flavored, less sweet brownies with chocolate chips, I recommend: Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix
- If you like a sweeter, milk chocolate-flavored brownie with a generous portion of chocolate chips, I recommend: Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix
- If you want a smooth and cakier brownie with no chocolate chips, I recommend: Ghirardelli Chocolate Supreme Premium Brownie Mix
- If you want a chewier brownie with chocolate chips, I recommend:
Ghirardelli Ultimate Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix
In general, I much preferred the mixes without the additional chocolate sauce (Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix and Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix). I found that the additional chocolate sauce didn’t add any additional moisture to the brownies. Instead, they added an artificial flavor to the brownies that I didn’t particularly like.
Taste Testing Ghirardelli Brownie Box Mix Hacks
@hummingbirdhigh #ghirardelli brownies, but better! wish i’d known about these #bakinghacks sooner tbh ☺️ #bakingtiktok ♬ The Great British Bake Off – Tom Howe
When I shared my results after taste testing the different Ghirardelli brownie box mix varieties, several of you asked me if I’d made my brownies with any of the popular hacks to make the brownies even better. “What hacks?” I naively asked.
Soon, I was flooded with advice. Swap the water in the recipe with coffee! Cream! Milk! Red wine (really)! Use browned butter or melted butter instead of oil! Try coconut or olive oil for a unique flavor. Add a teaspoon of ground coffee, espresso, vanilla! Mix in more chocolate chips! You get the drift.
I decided to try the two most popular hacks with my favorite Ghirardelli brownie box mix, Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix. The original recipe instructs you to mix the packet of dry ingredients with ½ cup of a neutral oil and ¼ cup of water. Here’s what I compared:
- Control: Dry Ingredients + ½ cup of a neutral oil + ¼ cup of water
- Melted Butter and Milk: Dry Ingredients + ½ cup of melted unsalted butter + ¼ cup of whole milk
- Melted Butter and Coffee: Dry Ingredients + ½ cup of melted unsalted butter + ¼ cup of brewed coffee
I was legitimately surprised to find that all three variations—the brownies that were made according to the box mix instructions, plus the brownies made with butter and milk or coffee—were really good. It was hard to pick a favorite, so I recommend reading my extensive pros and cons list of the different methods below!
Pros and Cons of the Ghirardelli Brownie Box Mix Hacks
Ghirardelli Brownie Box Mix Made With Oil And Water (Per the Manufacturer’s Instructions)
Pros:
- Classic, nostalgic flavor
- Good for those who like chewy, not-too-rich brownies
- Fast, easy, unfussy—easy to put together with no need to prep any additional ingredients beyond measuring oil and water
Cons:
- Definitely tasted bland when compared to the Ghirardelli brownies made with butter; however, I don’t think it would be noticeable if you didn’t eat them side-by-side!
HACK #1: Ghirardelli Brownie Box Mix Made With Melted Butter And Milk
Pros:
- Noticeably more flavorful than the brownies made with just oil and water
- Brownies’ appearance changes for the better—they are lighter in color, with a flakier, shinier sugar top
- Brownie texture changes as well; softer instead of chewier (perhaps consider adding 1 to 3 minutes to the recommended Bake Time on the box for some more chewiness?)
- Tasted even better the next day, especially when compared to the brownies made with just oil and water
Cons:
- More prep required for the recipe
- Made the brownie batter hard to work with; batter was the thickest of the three tests, and hard to spread in the pan
HACK #2: Ghirardelli Brownie Box Mix Made With Melted Butter And Brewed Coffee
Pros:
- Noticeably more flavorful than the brownies made with just oil and water
- Coffee adds a very subtle, bitterness that enhances the brownies’ chocolate flavor and makes them less sweet—if you like dark chocolate, you’ll love it!
- Brownies’ appearance changes for the better—they are lighter in color, with a flakier, shinier sugar top
- Softer than the brownies made with oil and water, but still with some chew (because they weren’t quite as soft as the butter and milk ones)
- Tasted even better the next day, especially when compared to the brownies made with just oil and water
Cons:
- More prep required for the recipe, but you can use a premade coffee (like bottled cold brew) or coffee made from instant coffee to save time
Quick Hot Takes
And here’s what I think your favorite brownie box mix says about you:
@hummingbirdhigh i know y’all are gonna come for me in the comments, i’m scared already #brownies #boxmix #boxmixbrownies ♬ what your favorite whatever says about you – Andria Moreira
Finally, if none of these brownie box mixes sound like your jam, make them from scratch! Here’s a list of my favorite brownie recipes on Hummingbird High:
- Better-Than-Supernatural Fudge Brownies
- Claire Saffitz Brownies
- Flourless Gluten Free Cheesecake Brownies
- Milk Chocolate Brownies
- My Best Fudgy Brownies Recipe
- Sarah Kieffer Brownies
- Small Batch Almond Flour Brownies
- Small Batch Fudge Brownies
- Supernatural Brownies
- Stella Parks’ Brownies
- White Chocolate Brownies
NEVER miss a recipe
NO TIME TO BAKE?!
Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.
Emily says
Love this taste test and agree with your findings! This is a fun thing to do in winter. How about a mug cake taste test!
Regina says
The best is Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix which you can buy in a large box full of several packages of mix. It’s a great deal!
Michele B says
Your post was NOT everything I wanted to know about brownie mixes. I want to know whether you researched which of these companies use child slave labor grown chocolate. Isn’t ethically sourced ingredients important to you? I no longer buy slavery grown chocolate in any form.
Michelle Lopez says
Hi Michele,
I appreciated you leaving this comment because it adds a new and valuable perspective to what is intended to be a fun, lighthearted post. The truth is, I did NOT research if any of the companies are slave-free because I already know the answer—sadly, none of them are, not even the box mixes from King Arthur Baking or Trader Joes (since they use Callebaut chocolate, which recently admitted to using slave labor and is currently embroiled in a lawsuit about it). It’s incredibly difficult to find slave free chocolate, even companies that claim to be slave free have ties to plantations that use that kind of labor (ehem, Tony’s Chocoloney, ehem) and there’s a fair amount of greenwashing/greenmarketing involved.
I admire your commitment to purchasing slave free chocolate—I’d love to do the same, and I try to when I can (and that’s why I work so closely with Valrhona chocolate, which I literally recommend to use in all my cookie recipes!). But the reality is this: I also have to keep my blog accessible for a wide demographic of readers, many of whom do not have the financial means, time, knowledge, or luxury to do their own research. They simply might not have access to things that will enable them to make the same purchasing decisions as you or me.
So this post is intended to make those folks’ lives better (by showing them which products in their budget are best, by showing them ways to make those products better with baking hacks, etc). Because at the end of the day, I want baking to be accessible for all! I really don’t want to judge others harshly for not having the time and means to ethically source their ingredients.
DPLK says
Wow, what a fun rabbit hole to go deep diving into!! I definitely grew up eating Duncan Hines and mostly bought that if I was looking for box mix brownies, and then more recently I realized everyone was into the Ghirardelli box mix brownies and that was the gold standard, so I switched over to getting those recently, but haven’t really tried all the different types. So this is all very useful and important intel that you have diligently researched for us to reference!! =D I’ve never tried any brownie hacks but am curious to try now! Thanks Michelle!