“Better Than Box Mix” Chocolate Brownies really are better than the box! Why make a box mix brownies when I’ll bet you have everything on hand to make these?

Better than Box Brownies
The other night, after we finished our bourbon chicken, I wanted dessert. I checked the cupboard for a brownie mix but I didn’t have any.

I glanced over this recipe I had pinned last month, realized how simple it was, and decided to give it a shot. I’m really glad I did.
I had never made chocolate brownies from scratch but I’ll never go back now.
Now all my brownies are homemade – coconut oil brownies, simple chocolate brownies, zucchini brownies, cream cheese brownies.
These are best brownies I have ever tasted!
– Karen

Why Choose This Chocolate Brownies Recipe?
This recipe is so simple & really good. They’re very dense and chocolaty and even better when served warm topped with vanilla ice cream.
You probably have all the ingredients on hand so you should give it a shot, you’ll be happy you did. It is just as simple as that.
What other reason do you need to make our chocolate brownies?
✨ The dark chocolate version shown below was made with black cocoa powder. It gives a really dark, delicious chocolate flavor that I highly recommend (if you’re a dark chocolate lover!).
Both photos shown are the same recipe, just different cocoa powder.

Equipment you’ll need
- 9 x 13 baking dish WITH LID
- Hand mixer
- Brownie spatula that happens to be really cute
Better than Box Brownies Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card.
- Butter – I use salted butter but unsalted will work just as well.
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar. This recipe calls for a lot of it, but they’re a treat.
- Eggs – Large eggs, at room temperature.
- Cocoa Powder – Unsweetened cocoa powder. Some people question the amount but it’s not a typo, they really need all that cocoa powder. If you want dark chocolate, use black cocoa powder.
- Salt – For balance and to amplify the chocolate flavor.
- Baking Powder – For rise.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract (not imitation) for the best flavor.
- Flour – All purpose white flour is all I’ve tested with.
- Chocolate Chips – An optional mix-in, but I find them required. I use Ghirardelli baking chips because they’re my favorite. Adding chocolate chips to the batter also helps create the shiny, crinkly brownie crust.

How To Serve These Chocolate Brownies
This recipe for chocolate brownies makes what would be a “family size” of the box mix – a 9×13 pan, which is about 15-18 good sized brownies. That means you don’t have to fight anyone for your serving.
It also means if you are careful, you can sneak a few out of the pan to save for later before anyone sees them!
I recommend serving by themselves, or as a brownie sundae with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of hot fudge on top!
Don’t forget a few extra chocolate sprinkles or chocolate chips!

Can I freeze them?
Yes, they will freeze well. Individually wrap the brownies in plastic wrap or foil and place in a freezer bag. Press out any air and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to enjoy, move the brownie to the counter and let thaw at room temperature.
Want to try more brownie recipes? Try these:
- Simple Dark Chocolate Brownies (this makes a small batch – my favorite!)
- Pretzel Crusted Brownies
- Peanut Butter Brownies
Click here to view my entire collection of bars and brownies.
Chocolate Brownies are one of the most iconic desserts of all time. Using this simple but delicious recipe is ideal. Especially if you are like me and don’t always plan for dessert.
Keep ingredients on hand for this recipe and you’ll never be stuck without a chocolate fix when you need it!

Photos updated October 12, 2016
Is the butter/sugar mixture supposed to cool completely before combining with the chocolate?
No, just enough to not scramble your eggs 🙂
These are best brownies I have ever tasted!
Thanks, Karen!
How thin or thick do these come out? I hate flat brownies but I don’t want cake like brownies haha. I need an in between!
They are not flat…or cakey. They’re dense & chewy. I think you’ll like these 🙂 Let me know how it goes!
New to baking:
added 226g butter and 396 sugar but this is taking forever to dissolve the sugar. should it be a thick slurry at first? seems like a tonnn of sugar
It is a lot of sugar & yes, it’s thick, not fully dissolved. How’d they turn out?
I love how these turned out! They are dense with a cakey crumb at the same time and super rich! Don’t worry about them being too sweet, they are perfect. Great recipe!
Love that description, thanks Kayla!
Quick question- I had actually saved this recipe way back when and while it’s the same recipe the ingredients look a bit different. On your previous one you have it at 1 cup softened butter and 2 1/4 cups sugar. Have you just tweaked it some? Making these tonight so thought I’d ask! Thanks!
Hi! Yes, I tweaked it a bit. Butter doesn’t need to be softened bc you’re melting it and I took the sugar down a bit after I weighed it.
Great! Will be making again! Thanks!
Thanks Sarah!
I love these Brownies, they are very easy to make and taste great. My daughter was impressed with the ingredients.
Do these require chocolate chips?
No, they’re optional.