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
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1 (one) 20-ounce box Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix or boxed brownie mix of choice (see Recipe Notes)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup coffee
- 1 large egg
- optional: 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: Maldon flaky sea salt, for serving
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.
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- 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.)
- 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!
Equipment

DeLallo Instant Espresso Powder
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Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix
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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).
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