The INSIDER Summary:We tested fournational brands ofboxed brownie mixes.The optionswere Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, Ghirardelli, and Betty Crocker.Betty Crocker's brownies tasted the best and closest to homemade.Ghirardelli's came in last due to a cakier texture and slightly bland flavor.Baking brownies from scratch is an art formand our previous experiments with recipes proves it. So sometimes a boxed mix will be easiest ' but which type should you choose'As part of an ongoing INSIDER taste test series' check out ourchocolate cake taste test and pancake mix comparisons 'wecompared browniemix brands to see which is worth your money.We bought four different plain fudge brownie mixes: Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, Ghirardelli, and Betty Crocker.We decided to make the standard "fudge" version of each recipe (since some gave instructions for a more cake-likebrownie) and bake them all in 9" x 13" pans. First up: Duncan HinesRecipe and Instructions2large eggs cupwater cup vegetable oil'Empty brownie mix, eggs, water, and oil in a large bowl.'Stir until well blended (about 50 strokes).'Spread into a greased pan and bake immediately.' Bake in center of oven at 350 for 21-23 minutes.The instructions for stirring the mix for "about 50 strokes" seemed oddly specific, but we gave it a go. Lo and behold, exactly 50 stirs later the mix was almost completely blended.The batter looked exactly as you'd expect ' gooey, chocolaty, and ready for baking.Once baked, the Duncan Hines' brownies had a nice sheen to them, with crisp edges and a soft interior. They were moist, with semisweet chocolate flavor that wasn't too overpowering.But that semisweet flavor also meant the brownies tasted a little ... bland. Not drastically so, but these weren't the super-satisfying indulgence we hoped for.Next: PillsburyRecipe and Instructions2 eggs cupwater2/3 cup vegetable oil' Combine brownie mix, oil, water, and eggs in a large bowl' Stir 50 strokes with a spoon.'Spread into a prepared pan.' Bake at 350for 28 to 31 minutes.Again, we were amused by the specific instructions to stir for exactly "50 strokes" but once again it worked like a charm.Pillsbury's recipes required more oil, which made the batter appear even darker and more wet.After baking, the pan of brownies had crisp edges and that nice papery cracked surface we love to see in a brownie.The extra oil made the brownie super moist, and almost sticky. The chocolate flavor was very rich, reminiscent of a strong cup of hot chocolate. Overall, we were very impressed.GhirardelliRecipe and Instructions1egg cupwater1/3 cup vegetable oil' Placewater,oil, and egg in medium bowl and stir until fully mixed.'Add brownie mix and stir until well blended.'Spread in a prepared pan.' Bake as directed, and cool completely in pan.Since Ghirardelli added chocolate chips to their brownie mix, this batter was much thicker and chunky.After baking, the pan of brownies had that nice crisp edge we love. But it was decidedly less moist ' much closer to a cake texture.We were also surprised by the slightly bland taste' since the mix had extra chocolate chips in it we expected a rich brownie, but only got a mild milk chocolate flavor.Betty CrockerRecipe and Instructions2eggs3 tablespoonswater cup vegetable oil' Stir brownie mix, water,oil, and eggs in medium bowl and stir untilwell blended.'Spread in pan.' Bakein 350 for 22 to 25 minutes.As soon as the Betty Crocker batter was mixed, we noticed that it resembled the from-scratchbrownie batter we made previously.The mix was more sticky, and had a good sheen to it.This pan of brownies also cooked more evenly, and came out of the pan the easiest.The batter didn't just look similar to homemade brownies ' Betty Crocker's taste was also super similar to our from-scratch version. The chocolate taste was satisfying without being overly rich, and the texture was perfectly soft with crunchy edges.THE VERDICTLooks like we saved the best for last ' Betty Crocker's brownies were definitely our favorite.Pillsbury's brownies were a close second, butwe felt that they were just a tad too rich. Betty Crocker's brownies were flavorful without being overpowering, which means we'd easily go back for another square. Plus they were the closest to homemade, which is ideal when you're working with a pre-made product.Duncan Hines and Ghiradelli both made decent brownies, but flavor won out at the end of the day.Of course if you really want the best brownies, go with homemade (we recommend our favorite Ina Garten recipe). But in a pinch, Betty Crocker has exactly what you're looking for when it comes to chocolatey goodness in a box.Join the conversation about this storyNOW WATCH: The fudgy brownies that go in your Ben & Jerry's ice cream are made by reformed convicts
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