Brownies are my kryptonite. I like them warm with a scoop of ice cream, firm and cold with a glass of milk, even slightly frozen (turns out, hiding them in the freezer doesn’t slow me down). So baking and testing batches of brownies to find the best brownie mix—and calling it work—was a pretty good day for me.
Because when it comes to boxed mix baked goods, even pastry chefs love brownie mixes, and not just for nostalgia’s sake. Not only are they an ultra-convenient fix for an emergency chocolate craving, but the best brownie mix brands use quality ingredients to create brownies that taste remarkably close to homemade.
At a Glance Results
Best Overall: Bob’s Red Mill Fudgy Brownie Mix
Best Classic Brownie Mix: Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
Best Budget-Friendly Brownie Mix: Betty Crocker Supreme Chocolate Chunk Brownie Mix
Best for Mix-ins and Brownie Sundaes: Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
Best Nostalgic Flavor: Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix
What Makes a Great Brownie Mix?
If you look at the wall of brownie mix options in the grocery store long enough, they all start to look the same. But they’re not created equal. And while you might not be able to completely predict how a brownie will turn out just by looking at the box, there may be clues.
Quality Ingredients
A good brownie mix starts with ingredients you’d expect to find in a homemade brownie recipe: cocoa, sugar, flour, salt and a leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder.
One thing I like to pay attention to is the type of cocoa powder. Dutch-process cocoa tends to create a darker color and richer chocolate flavor than natural cocoa powder. You may see it listed as “cocoa processed with alkali.” Some mixes combine Dutch-process and natural cocoa powders for smoother flavor and to balance the intensity.
Extra add-ins like chocolate chips or chocolate chunks add texture and even more chocolate flavor. Artificial flavors aren’t necessarily a dealbreaker, but brownie mixes that rely primarily on cocoa and chocolate ingredients for flavor may taste more like homemade.
Simple Instructions
It’s also worth taking a look at the package directions. Most brownie mixes call for oil or melted butter, one or two eggs and sometimes water, but some brands offer more options than others.
For example, some mixes allow you to use either butter or oil, milk instead of water or applesauce instead of eggs or offer add-in ideas or instructions for multiple pan sizes. These extras won’t necessarily make one mix better than another, but they can make it easier for you to customize the recipe to your preferences.
Easy Mixing
One of the biggest advantages of a brownie mix is convenience. The best mixes come together quickly in a single bowl. So, for me, any brownie mix that calls for hauling out the stand mixer or dirtying a bunch of bowls and utensils is a hard pass.
Ultimately, however, the back of the box can only tell you so much. In my testing, some mixes with similar ingredient lists produced very different results, and one of my favorite brownies even contained artificial flavor.
Which is precisely why I baked and tasted some of the most popular brownie mixes to find out what set them apart.
The Contenders
To choose which brownie mixes to test, I wandered the internet and grocery store aisles looking for the brands shoppers and bakers recommend most often. I ultimately settled on five popular grocery-store mixes that consistently appeared on “best brownie mix” lists and have earned loyal followings for everything from rich chocolate flavor and chewy texture to crackly tops and budget-friendly prices.
- Bob’s Red Mill Fudgy Brownie Mix
- Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix
- Betty Crocker Supreme Chocolate Chunk Brownie Mix
- Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
- Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix
How I Tested the Brownie Mixes
I baked all five brownie mixes on the same day in parchment-lined pans, using the ingredients and pan sizes called for on the package directions. I let them cool completely in the pan and tasted them at room temperature (then spent the next two days conducting highly unofficial testing by the light of the fridge).
Testing Criteria
Here’s what I was looking for:
- Appearance: Did it have that classic shiny, crackly top? Was it thick and substantial or thin and flat?
- Texture: Was it fudgy, chewy or cakey? Moist and dense or dry and crumbly?
- Flavor: Was it rich and chocolatey? Balanced, overly sweet or artificial tasting?
- Overall enjoyment: Most importantly, did I want another bite?
I’ve baked and enjoyed most of these brands before, so I wasn’t surprised to see any of them among the fan favorites. Testing them side by side like this, rather than just plowing through the pan, opened my eyes to distinct flavor and texture differences I probably wouldn’t have otherwise noticed. And while I genuinely had no idea how the rankings would shake out, a few of the results still caught me off guard.
The Results
Best Overall: Bob’s Red Mill Fudgy Brownie Mix
Bob’s Red Mill Fudgy Brownie Mix was the one I kept reaching for, even when I thought I couldn’t possibly eat another brownie. These brownies were dark, dense and fudgy, with an intense cocoa flavor and a smoother, more velvety mouthfeel than any of the others.
The list of ingredients looked different from the others, as well, with powdered sugar, a flour blend made that included potato flour and potato starch, and no artificial flavors.
These brownies didn’t taste processed at all, and if you told me they were homemade, I’d have believed you and asked for the recipe. Truly, they were on another level and totally worth the premium price.
Baking notes: These were the only directions to call for using either melted butter or oil. I chose oil to keep the comparisons as consistent as possible. This was also the thickest batter, which made it a bit trickier to spread in a pan lined with parchment paper.
- Appearance: Darkest of them all, with shiny, crackly tops
- Texture: Smooth, dense, fudgy
- Flavor: Rich, intense dark chocolate
- Overall: Worth the premium price for anyone who wants the richest, fudgiest brownie possible
Best Classic Brownie Mix: Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix
Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix is the go-to brownie mix many bakers and pastry chefs rely on for decadent, homemade-tasting brownies that are a step above standard grocery-store box mixes. It’s the one I often grab, too.
These brownies are dense and moist, with a deep cocoa flavor and two kinds of chocolate chips that add gooeyness when warm or crunchy texture when cold. They were on the cakey-er side, whereas I prefer fudgy, and even though they were loaded with chocolate, the chocolate flavor could have been more intense.
But still, they tasted like a really great brownie that could pass for homemade. They’re a classic for a reason and worth the premium price.
- Appearance: Crackly tops
- Texture: Dense, moist and slightly cakey
- Flavor: Rich cocoa flavor with plenty of chocolate chips
- Overall: One of the best boxed brownie mixes on the shelf, though not quite as fudgy or chocolatey as I prefer
Best Budget-Friendly Brownie Mix: Betty Crocker Supreme Chocolate Chunk Brownie Mix
Betty Crocker Supreme Chocolate Chunk Brownie Mix is one of the brand’s premium offerings, made with real chocolate chunks, yet it still costs less than many of the higher-end brownie mixes on the shelf.
These brownies baked up thicker than any of the others, which I loved. The texture was chewy and satisfying, while the chocolate chunks added bursts of rich chocolate flavor and a pleasing textural contrast—gooey when warm and crunchy straight from the fridge.
Would I have liked a deeper chocolate flavor? Sure. Aside from the chocolate chunks, the brownie itself had a fairly mild cocoa taste. And when sampled alongside my top two picks, it lacked some of the richness and homemade flavor they had. Still, for the price, these brownies offered plenty of chocolatey goodness, and I would happily make them again.
- Appearance: Thick and substantial with a crackly top
- Texture: Fudgy, chewy and pleasantly dense
- Flavor: Mild cocoa flavor with bursts of rich chocolate from the chunks
- Overall: Thick, chewy brownies that punch above their price point
Best for Mix-ins and Brownie Sundaes: Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
Another best-selling mix, Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix made it into my cart because they’re known for their moist, fudgy centers, crisp, chewy edges and can’t-be-beat price at under $2. So I had high hopes.
These brownies baked up with crinkly, crackly tops, chewy edges and moist centers. While the texture leaned a little more cake-like than I expected from a mix called “chewy fudge,” they were soft and satisfying. The chocolate flavor was milder than my top picks, which actually makes them a great canvas for toppings and mix-ins.
So, if you’re looking for an affordable brownie mix to dress up with frosting, ice cream, chocolate chips, or other mix-ins, these are a great place to start.
Baking notes: This “family size” mix included directions for 9×13-, 9×9- and 8×8-inch pans. I chose the 9×13-inch pan, which produced a thinner brownie than I typically prefer. I recommend using one of the smaller pans for thicker brownies.
- Appearance: Crackly tops with chewy edges
- Texture: Soft, chewy, and slightly cakey
- Flavor: Mild chocolate flavor that pairs well with toppings
- Overall: An affordable, crowd-pleasing brownie that’s ideal for sundaes and creative add-ins
Best Nostalgic Brownie Mix: Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix
Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix earned its spot in this test because it’s been a lunchbox, bake sale and weeknight dessert staple for generations.
The brownies baked up with shiny crackly tops and soft, chewy centers. Compared with some of the richer mixes in this lineup, the chocolate flavor was lighter and sweeter, but that familiar flavor profile is exactly what many people love about classic boxed brownies.
Baking notes: Like Duncan Hines, this “family size” mix included directions for multiple pan sizes. I baked it in a 9×13-inch pan and found the brownies thinner than I generally like. I’ll just use an 8- or 9-inch pan next time.
- Appearance: Thin brownies with shiny crackly tops
- Texture: Soft, chewy and slightly cakey
- Flavor: Sweet, classic boxed-brownie flavor
- Overall: A nostalgic favorite for anyone who loves the brownies they grew up eating
What Surprised Me Most
The biggest surprise was how much more obvious the differences in flavor and texture became when all five brownies were evaluated this closely. Normally, brownies don’t stick around long enough in my kitchen for this kind of analysis. But tasting them back-to-back made it easier to spot the differences.
I also expected Ghirardelli to take the top spot. It’s long been one of my favorite boxed brownie mixes and has a reputation for tasting almost homemade. While it was still excellent, Bob’s Red Mill edged it out with a richer chocolate flavor and fudgier texture.
Finally, I learned that chocolate chips and chocolate chunks don’t automatically make a better brownie. Both Ghirardelli and Betty Crocker benefited from the added chocolate, but the overall brownie was what mattered more than the mix-ins.
After Eating Five Pans of Brownies…
If you’re looking for the richest, fudgiest, most homemade-tasting brownie mix, Bob’s Red Mill was the clear winner. Ghirardelli is still a classic for a reason, with rich chocolate flavor and an indulgent mix of chocolate chips. And if value is your top priority, Betty Crocker turns out thick, chewy brownies with plenty of chocolate-chunks mixed in for less money. Meanwhile, Duncan Hines is a great choice for brownie sundaes, toppings, and mix-ins, while Pillsbury delivers the sweet, nostalgic flavor many of us grew up loving.
In the end, though, the best brownie is the one in your hand. And after working my way through five pans of them, Bob’s Red Mill was the one I kept reaching for.
