If I had to measure out my life in boxes of Betty Crocker brownie mix, I’d have enough boxes to build a fort out of and never have to “pay rent” again. Looks wistfully out window. Because boxed brownies are what introduced me to the terrifying science that is baking, and I’m grateful for that. Now I’ve moved on to mixing flour with cocoa and eggs, but I still keep a box in my pantry in case of emergency/life.
We kindly asked five chefs and our own senior food editor Claire Saffitz to doctor up boxed mix with their own spin to make it even better. Thinking...outside the box…(too obvious? Too obvious). For example, Saffitz suggested swirling in a ribbon of nutella and top with chopped hazelnuts, or go really savory with smoked almonds, chopped pretzel rods, and a sprinkle of maldon. But her real moment of genius: “Divide the box in half and bake in thin layers in two separate baking dishes, then use to sandwich vanilla ice cream.”
Here’s what the rest said:
Aya Fukai, Maple & Ash, Chicago
"Here are my suggestions to kick it up a notch after reading the ingredients and instructions on a Betty Crocker brownie box: In the dry mix box, add brown butter solids (for extra nutty richness) and funfetti/colored sprinkles to top off the brownie before baking (for no other reason than for fun, of course). In the wet mix, add coffee instead of water (coffee accentuates chocolate flavor) and fold mini marshmallows into the batter (for pockets of gooey goodness)."
Laura Sawicki, Launderette, Austin
"Add molasses, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, white chocolate chips, and chopped candied ginger. Molasses is added to the wet ingredients and the spices are added in with the dry. The white chocolate chips and chopped candied ginger are folded in once the batter has been mixed."
Read how Sawicki recreated a beloved Girl Scout cookie recipe.
Buddy Valastro, Carlo's Bakery AKA Cake Boss, Hoboken
"Frozen cherries, chocolate chips [white, dark or milk], macadamia nuts, and toasted coconut."
Marc Aumont, Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate, New York
"I would put malt powder and toasted pecans in the batter and butter my pan generously. Right before baking I would sprinkle ground pieces of toffee on top, and when it's done, finish with some homemade fudge sauce."
Sarah Kieffer, author, The Vanilla Bean Baking Book
"I'd replace the water called for with coffee to help bump up the chocolate flavor. Then I'd add more chopped chocolate—some bittersweet, or a combination of bittersweet and milk chocolate, and a good handful of cacao nibs for some crunch (toasted pecans would work here, too, if you don't want the slightly bitter edge of cacao nibs). When they were cool enough to sample, I'd try a little corner. If it passed the taste test, I might sprinkle a little salt over them, or just serve them plain. I'd pile a gigantic scoop of ice cream right on top of the warm brownies (vanilla, or cookies and cream) to try and cover up all my sins."