REVIEW: Professional Baker Finds the Best Boxed Brownie Mix + Photos

For fudgy, chocolatey, moist brownies, Pillsbury is the way to go.

When making brownies, I aim for a fudgy rather than cakey result with a noticeable chocolate flavor that isn’t too sweet or dry.

Given my personal baking criteria, Pillsbury’s mix is ​​my top pick because it produced thick, fluffy, moist brownies with a nice chocolate flavor. They baked evenly, weren’t too sweet, and had a bright, crackly crust and tender edges that didn’t dry out.

The Ghirardelli had perhaps a better chocolate flavor than the Pillsbury, but it had dry edges. Otherwise, those brownies had a great texture with a fudgy center, and I thought the addition of chocolate chips was a great touch.

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

I wasn’t super impressed with Kodiak Cakes, especially since it was the most expensive option at $7 a box. That said, each serving of these contains 8 grams of protein—significantly more than any other brownie I’ve tried—so you might enjoy them more if you’re looking for a boost of protein. sweet protein instead of a decadent dessert.

This story was originally published on May 24, 2022 and last updated on October 4, 2024.