Better Than Boxed Brownies

Any other boxed brownie fans out there?? I can wholeheartedly say that brownies from a box are some of the tastiest treats ever! This may be because I find myself never fully satisfied with a lot of homemade brownie recipes that I've tried. They're either too cakey, too fluffy, not chocolaty enough, etc... I sought out to create the perfect homemade brownie that tastes just as good, if not better, than boxed brownies!

Ingredients for better-than-boxed brownies

These brownies are rich, decadent, and full of flavor. Here are all of the ingredients you'll need to whip up a batch of them.


• All-purpose flour

• Cocoa powder

• Salt

• Baking powder

• Espresso powder

• Unsalted butter

• Vegetable oil

• Granulated sugar + brown sugar

• Eggs + egg yolks

• Vanilla extract

I'm not going to lie to you... Trying to create the perfect brownie has been a labor of love. I knew exactly how I wanted it to be, and didn't want to stop until I got it there!

I didn't want a cakey or super soft brownie. I wanted the crinkly, crackly, flaky top. I wanted slightly under baked in the middle. I wanted chew with super chewy edges. And that's exactly how these brownies turned out!

Should I use butter or oil in these brownies?

Both! I wanted the delicious flavor of the butter, as well as the extra moisture you get from oil. In my trial and error saga, I found that the brownies with just butter tended to be a bit more cakey, and dried out faster, where as the ones with just oil tended to stay moist for longer, but have a slight aftertaste of the oil. So these delicious brownies use both!

What kind of sugar should I use in these brownies?

For this recipe, I used both granulated and brown sugar. The granulated sugar is good because it adds sweetness to the brownies, as well as helps achieve that glorious crackly, flaky top. The brown sugar helps add moisture, as well as adds a little extra chew!

If you're looking to satisfy your sweet tooth with a classic treat, I hope you give these brownies a try! Happy baking ♥

Better-Than-Boxed Brownies

Recipe by Chrissy

Servings

9

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

50

minutes

Ingredients

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour

• ⅔ cup cocoa powder

• ¾ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 tablespoon espresso powder

• 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar

• ¼ cup packed brown sugar

• 2 eggs + 2 egg yolks

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

• ⅓ cup vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x9 pan, and line with parchment paper, if desired.
• In a large bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk together until everything is combined.
• Add in the eggs, egg yolks, melted butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk for about 1-2 minutes until everything is combined and the batter smooth.
• Pour brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake for 38-40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!