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An overhead shot of multiple brownies cut into squares & arranged in a grid pattern on a piece of white crumpled parchment paper & topped with flaky sea salt. The top corner brownie has been slightly turned so as not to fit into the grid pattern perfectly. The brownies were made using a box brownie recipe and steps for how to make box brownies better.

Lazy Girl Brownies (How to Make Box Brownies Better!)

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 9-12 brownies 1x
  • Category: Bars & Brownies, Dessert Recipes
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Lazy Girl Brownies are my secret for turning store-bought boxed brownies into the most decadent, fudgy, & moist brownies – without the hassle of making them from scratch! By adding just a few simple pantry ingredients you can make box brownies taste like they are homemade & straight from the bakery every single time.

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 (metal) pan with parchment paper for easy clean up. Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.Lazy Girl Brownie ingredients arranged on a white surface - Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix, unsalted butter, coffee, one large egg, pure vanilla extract, instant espresso powder, & Maldon flaky sea salt.
  2. Mix the brownie batter: Add the melted butter, coffee, egg, instant espresso (if using), & vanilla extract to a medium mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir until fully combined. Add in the brownie mix. Stir until just combined. Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared baking pan, spreading into a uniform layer. [gallery size="full" columns="2" ids="13049,13050"] [gallery size="full" columns="2" ids="13051,13052"]

    An overhead shot of lazy girl brownie batter made with boxed brownie mix prepped in a clear glass mixing bowl. A white spatula with a wooden handle is stuck inside the brownie batter. The mixing bowls sits atop a white surface.

  3. Bake the brownies for 40 minutes, or just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out relatively free of crumbs. Do not overbake – per our friends at Ghirardelli: fresh-baked brownies appear underbaked but cool to doneness. (If using another box mix, a good rule of thumb is to check the brownies for doneness 3-5 minutes ahead of the bake time indicated in the box directions.)Lazy Girl Brownies made from box brownies baked in a parchment-lined baking pan. The brownies have been cut yielding 9 brownie squares. The pan sits atop a white surface.
  4. Serve: Allow to cool in the pan completely before cutting into 9 or 12 squares. Finish with a generous sprinkling of flaky Maldon sea salt, as desired. Enjoy!An overhead shot of multiple brownies cut into squares & arranged in a grid pattern on a piece of white crumpled parchment paper & topped with flaky sea salt. The top corner brownie has been slightly turned so as not to fit into the grid pattern perfectly.

Equipment

Notes

  • Storage: Store cooled brownies covered at room temperature for up to 5 days (…as if they’ll last that long – HA!).
  • Different brownie mixes: This brownie recipe was developed using Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix specifically. Feel free to use whatever boxed brownie mix you love most for this recipe. Measurements will vary based on the box mix you use. Simply swap the amount of water & oil called for on the box 1:1 with coffee & melted butter respectively (i.e. if the box calls for 1/4 cup oil & 1/3 cup water, you’d use 1/4 cup melted butter & 1/3 cup coffee for your Lazy Girl Brownies).

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/how-to-make-box-brownies-better/