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Don't have time to make brownies from scratch? Boxed brownie mix just might be your go-to. Using brownie mix might sound a little passé, but there are countless ways to make boxed brownie mix transform into brownies that taste like they came straight from a professional kitchen. It's especially easy to add extra ingredients to boxed brownie mix, too, which is a win-win for home bakers who want fancy brownies without facing a time crunch.
Although you might think of most add-ins, such as chocolate chips, marshmallows, or nuts, as "toppers" or additions to the brownie mix itself, one of the best additions to brownie mix isn't food. Still, though, it'll make your favorite boxed brownie mix yield delightfully chewy brownies.
If you're tired of brownies that have a harder, crustier edge and love "middle brownies" for their chewiness, you'll want to use this simple baking hack over and over. And like boxed brownies themselves, this hack takes virtually no time.
What to add to boxed brownie mix for chewier brownies
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Most brownie mixes are fairly standard — the recipes instruct you to add eggs, vegetable oil, and water to the mix. One of those ingredients, though, could use a slight upgrade if you prefer a chewier texture.
Instead of adding in the recommended amount of water, substitute it for milk to give the batter a slightly different consistency. Milk is richer than water, so the brownies will be richer, and they'll be denser, like fudge.For the fudgiest brownie possible, swap all of the recommended waterfor milk — the extra fat will thicken the batter. If you'd prefer to mix the two for a still-chewy brownie that isn't overly chewy, add an equal milk-to-water ratio to brownie mix. You'll still have the rich taste and chewy texture you love, but the brownies will still retain a little bit of cakey goodness.
By adding, you'll be on your way to baking next-level brownies without adding any candy or nuts (though if you want to amp up your brownies even further, you canupgrade brownies with some extra-sweet ingredients, too).
Other ways to make brownies chewier
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Replacing water with milk isn't the only way to make boxed brownies chewier. Another key to making brownies chewier and fudgier lies in adjusting another typical boxed brownie ingredient: vegetable oil.
If you can't imagine not following the package directions, think again and try melted butter in place of the vegetable oil. The fattiness of the butter works similarly to the milk in the previously suggested swap — it makes the batter denser and the brownies chewier. (Make sure you use unsalted butter for the swap, and always melt it before you add it.) How much should you use? In this case, instead of adding both vegetable oil and butter to the brownie mix, just stick with the melted butterand add exactly as much butter as you would add vegetable oil. You'll end up with a brownie you can really sink your teeth into, and it'll be bursting with flavor too.
Of course, if you'd rather stick to the directions, that's fine, too — but be sure to "rap" your brownies 20 minutes into baking for a chewier, fudgier brownie. Adding milk to boxed brownie mix is an excellent way to make brownies chewier, but it's far from the only way to get that luscious texture that'll make you want to eat the entire pan.
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