“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.

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?
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.
- 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.

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
What is the lid for cooking or storing the brownies?
I don’t understand the question?
I have the same question: what’s the lid for?
1-1/4 c. cocoa sounds like too much. Is that correct?
It is.
Can you just cook them in the baking dish without the foil?
Yes, I shot these years ago & have since moved to parchment.
Awesome!!!
Yay 🙂
I made these and they were delicious!
I made these and they were perfect, thick, and delicious. Thank you for the recipe. I topped them with almond flavored frosting and they were delicious. However, the sides/edges of the brownies in the pan rose and were higher than the rest of the pan. Do you know if there is a way to prevent this?
So the middle sunk? Hmm
The pan was too small.
Just made these! Sooooo goood thank u!
Thanks, Eilish!
I made these tonight, tasted great but came out really dry. Any alternatives or alterations?
They should not have been dry. Did you overbake them?
Do I have to use chocolate chips?
No, but they add to the shiny, crackly crust. Without them brownies are often dull. Still delicious though 🙂
I just made these, and they are absolutely delicious!!
Yay, thanks Sarah!
Can you add nuts to this recipe?
Sure 🙂
The brownies were the best, but baking time was 60 min., still moist and delicious!
If you’re melting the butter why does it need to be room temp? This a deceiving recipe
Ha, you’re right, it doesn’t much matter, but it’s not a deceiving recipe.
Awesome. Replaced part of the sugar with swerve and taste like normal brownies. Better than box for sure
Thanks for letting me know!
These turned out amazing! I actually only had half the amount of cocoa powder on hand but I just added a little bit more chocolate chips to try and compensate. They turned out amazing regardless so I will definitely be saving the recipe for future use. Thank you!
Yay, thanks, Chelsea!
not a fan of chocolate chips in brownies, but I love the idea of the added, extra chocolate, do you think it would be OK to melt chocolate chips and that to the mixture?
I’m not sure that’ll have the same effect & melted chocolate will throw off the ratios. I don’t want you to end up with dry brownies.