I Baked 7 Boxed Brownie Mixes and Did a Blind Taste Test—My Favorite Surprised Me

The only boxed brownies I will buy from now on.

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Simply Recipes / Retailers below

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I don’t often buy boxed baking mixes; I prefer making them from scratch. I'm a recipe developer, and making brownies from scratch is my jam. So, my six-year-old son was thrilled when I told him we were going to bake and taste seven types of boxed brownies—a big treat!

What I was unprepared for during this experiment was learning that I prefer boxed brownie mix to homemade. That said, not every brand we tried was a winner.

I selected the brownie mixes for this taste test based on availability. I included ones sold at Target, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, ALDI, and Stop & Shop. I also stayed away from anything over $10 a box because, to me, at that point, you might as well buy some fancy chocolate and make them from scratch!

Here is a list of the seven boxed brownie mixes my family and I taste-tested:

1. Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
2. Trader Joe’s Brownie Truffle Baking Mix
3. Annie's Organic Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
4. ALDI Specially Selected Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
5. Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix
6. Miss Jones Baking Co. Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
7. Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix

I followed the box directions exactly. As for baking time, I followed each batch's low end of the baking range. Here’s how my household's ultimate brownie rankings shook out, from least favorite to best.

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Simply Recipes / Molly Adams

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Upsetting: ALDI Specially Selected Double Chocolate Brownie Mix

Overall Rating: 4/10

I really wanted to love this one because it cost under $2, but as they say, you get what you pay for. These brownies had an off-putting flavor. Even my chocolate-obsessed kids passed on these, which should tell you everything you need to know. The chocolate flavor needs some improvement, but I appreciated that the batter came with chocolate chips mixed in.

The Most Clever Back-of-Box: Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix 

Overall Rating: 4.5/10

Betty Crocker is another budget-friendly option that tasted, well, budget-friendly. These reminded me of most of the brownies my mom made me as a kid (sorry, mom, no offense). They had the lot's best crunchy edges—if that’s your thing—but not much flavor.

I love that the box includes lovely ideas for brownie upgrades, like mixing in pretzels, chips, candy bars, and even coconut. If you see someone slinging these at a bake sale, buy them for a good cause; otherwise, it’s a pass for me.

Has Room for Improvement: Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix

Overall Rating: 5/10

I loved how these Duncan Hines brownies baked up nice and tall, but I longed for some melty chunks of chocolate mixed into the cake-like texture. You could take these from just OK to extraordinary with a few tweaks. First, I’d swap the canola oil for olive oil or butter to add flavor, then fold some chocolate chips into the batter before baking.

Felt Good About Feeding to My Kids: Miss Jones Baking Co. Double Chocolate Brownie Mix

Overall Rating: 6/10

Considering I let my kids try seven types of brownies at once, it’s clear I don’t fuss about sugar intake, but I try to be mindful of it. The mom in me loves Miss Jones brownies because it contains 50% less sugar than traditional mixes.

These were awesome, straight from the oven. I was able to detect the whole grains but in a pleasant way. My kids seemed none the wiser, partly due to the amazing chocolate chips in the batter. I also enjoyed the less sweet taste; it lets the chocolate flavor shine. This brand uses a blend of sweeteners, including cane sugar, chicory root, tapioca syrup, and monkfruit extract, but I didn’t detect any funky aftertaste. Where this mix lost points is with its longevity; they were not tasty as leftovers.

My Kids' Favorite: Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix 

Overall Rating: 6/10

My children devoured these. According to Charlie, my six-year-old, these “taste just as a brownie should." While I could taste and appreciate the high-quality chocolate, these tasted too much like they came from a box. That said, I’d buy these because my kids' joy far outweighs my need to be a brownie snob. If I were to make them for adults, I’d probably swap the oil for butter to give them a more homemade taste.

A Solid Second Place: Trader Joe’s Brownie Truffle Baking Mix

Overall Rating: 9/10

The flavor and texture of TJ's brownies blew me away. I could taste the notes of rich dark chocolate, and the brownies were super moist without being too fudgy. These converted me to using a boxed mix from now on! The only reason these lost one point from me is because they were very sweet. It’s worth noting that this mix calls for butter instead of oil, which makes all the difference flavorwise.

Hands-Down Favorite: Annie's Organic Double Chocolate Brownie Mix

Overall Rating: 10/10

We are big Annie’s fans in my house—let’s not talk about how many cheddar bunnies and mac & cheese we consume. However, I wasn't expecting this to be my favorite brownie mix. It's the perfect mix of fudgy and cakey, and the deep dark chocolate notes tasted like I had made them myself.

It also comes with really nice chocolate chips mixed in, which my kids love. These topped the Trader Joe’s brownies because they taste slightly less sweet to me and had a more pronounced chocolate flavor. And they stay fresh and delicious at room temperature for over five days, and taste just as good as they had right out of the oven. Bonus points for this being made with all organic ingredients! 

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