How to Make Homemade Brownie Mix

How to make homemade brownie mix with cocoa powder tastes just like a copycat Duncan Hines brownie mix or Pillsbury but for a fraction of the price. Just 30 cents per batch is it. Then make as air fryer brownies, bake in the oven or use your pressure cooker!

Brownie Homemade Mix Recipe

If you have only bought Ghirardelli brownies boxed mix at the store but wondered how much it really would cost to make up your own mix, we have the answer. The biggest differences between the varieties you find on the shelves really are the mix ins, and the type of cocoa added. You don’t just have to make a square pan full of these either, we use this to make our brownie crinkle cookies too. OMG they are so good.

Some may have crushed walnuts inside, mini chocolate chips or deep dark chocolate from the cocoa powder. Making it yourself means you can choose whichever you like and make it in large quantities. If you are totally into batch cooking this is right up your alley.

Copycat Duncan Hines Brownie Mix

This batch of brownies tastes very close to the DH or Pillsbury brownie mix I buy often. Recently I did discover a dark chocolate version and fell in love. I have tried to go deeper for dessert because it is supposed to be a better choice and I love the stronger flavors too. If you need a dairy free version you can then adjust to your dietary needs

For the basic mix you only need 5 ingredients. Then when you are ready you will add the perishable ingredients in order for the batter to come to life and be ready for baking. Suggestions are below but you can alter those too to make healthier with a can of pumpkin instead of egg like our Brownies with Pumpkin and/or use an egg substitute.

What is brownie mix made of?

• All purpose flour is the base of the dry ingredients
• White sugar will make it sweet
• A bit of salt actually enhances the chocolate flavor
• Unsweetened Cocoa powder
  • regular or use a dark version like I talked about
• Baking powder will allow it to rise

What do you need to add to homemade brownie mix to bake?

1. 2 eggs
2. 1 Tsp. vanilla
3. 1/2 cup vegetable oil

How to Make Brownie Mix in Bulk

If you are going to make a bunch of these so they are ready for y’all to make in the future you’ll want some Ziploc baggies as well. I do the same thing when making homemade cake mix. Just spend an hour one day and you’ll be set for the year really. Just do one at a time in a large bowl. Pour dry ingredients into bags or mason jars.

The amounts listed below make one pan of brownies. I do not like using a 9 x 13 pan because I think they come out too thin. If you double the recipe I would use that size though, but it would take longer to bake. Then here’s what you add when you’re ready for baking…

First get out a 8×8″ pan and spray it lightly with non stick spray. You could lay a piece of parchment paper inside as well.

Then you’re just going to combine as you normally would if you poured it out of a box and were reading the back. Use some melted butter or coconut oil spray for the inside of the pan so the chocolate brownies won’t stick and get all icky. OR you can double the batch and make a tray of two bite brownies like these.

Well these aren’t out of a box, rather a bag, but mimic store bought so it’s the same thing. You know what I mean. There are actually a lot of things you can do with this favorite treat. Whether you want to add ingredients into the mix or on top when they’re done, here are a few favorite ideas;

How to Make Box Brownies Better

• Crushed nuts are a given
• You could add mini chocolate chips
  • or peanut butter chips
  • white chocolate chips are good too
• Add sprinkles to the top of the batter before baking
• Spoon cherry pie filling on the top after they are cooled

Or you can make the dry mix and then follow our cherry brownies recipe to make mini finger food YUMs.

I am VERY particular about this dessert, because they’re my favorite. Do NOT overbake them so they are dry, they should be ooey gooey y’all. Even when I make Instant Pot brownies I want them a bit underdone so they are super moist and decadent, almost like flourless cake.

How to Bake Fudgy Brownies

• Preheat oven before adding pan
• Use a non stick spray or parchment so they slide out easily
• Bake until the edges are cracking and firming up but the middle is soft.
  • use a toothpick in the center to test
    • you want it to come out with wet crumbs attached
    • if it is liquid when lifted out add 2 more minutes, then check again until wet crumbs are present
• Keep in the pan and on a cooling rack until cool completely (or at least 15 minutes) before slicing

What size pan should you use to bake 1 box of brownie mix?

Remember that if you use a larger pan your creation will be thinner and not as wet and gooey, that is why I always use a square pan instead of a rectangle. I want it really wet but now raw, it is a fine balance but when you get it you’ll know what I mean. The measurements in the mix below = 1 box you’d buy at the store so they are comparable.

Once you have your sugar cocoa powder mix ready to throw together with all the things, you can jump to recipe or read real quick how this is done by us on a regular basis.

How to make brownies with homemade ingredients

• Get out your ready made baggie full of mix or use immediately with the following ingredients to make batter:
  • add 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp. vanilla.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Pour prepared batter into a pan lightly sprayed with non stick spray and bake for 20-22 minutes in a 8×8″ or 9×9″ pan until the edges have stiffened and the middle is still tender but not liquid.
• Use a toothpick in the center
  • if there is liquid batter still on it, add 2 more minutes and test again
  • but if it comes out with wet crumbs attached it is perfect and ready to remove and cool
• Remove pan and set on a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes to continue to firm up before slicing

Can you Make Cookies with Homemade Brownie Mix?

Yes and it is such a great hack you are going to love making over and over again. You can totally make cookies with brownie mix and they are beyond great too. The biggest difference is to make the batter thicker so they don’t smear and ooze out on the baking sheet.

Now you could go the opposite directions too and make brownies out of cake mix. LOL. I know, anything is possible really when you are baking all the things good after dinnertime.