My 1-Ingredient Swap for Better Boxed Brownies

Brownies are one of the rare desserts that taste almost just as good when made using a boxed mix as they do from scratch. However, one thing that always bothered me about boxed brownies was how greasy they were. When eating a brownie I made from a mix, I could distinctly taste the vegetable oil I had put in the batter, which put a damper on the otherwise delicious dessert. 

That’s how I discovered the perfect one-ingredient swap for better boxed brownies: replacing the oil with melted butter. 

How To Replace Oil With Melted Butter in Boxed Brownie Mix

Using butter instead of oil in the mix gives the brownies a “neutral” taste. It makes the brownies no longer taste oily but like a decadent treat you’d get at a bakery. After all, you want your brownies to taste like brownies, not oil. 

To try this swap, melt the same amount of butter as the box calls for oil. I measure the butter before I melt it. You can melt the butter on the stove or in the microwave. Turn off the heat right before all of the butter is melted and stir to dissolve the last remaining bit of solid butter. This will ensure that the butter doesn’t burn from overcooking. Salted or unsalted butter can be used for this swap, whatever you have on hand. 

Tips for Making the Best Brownies

When combining the melted butter with the rest of the ingredients, don’t mix the hot butter directly with the eggs, as this can scramble them. Instead, since most boxed brownie mixes call for cold water, combine the cold water with the hot melted butter first, then add the eggs and brownie mix. 

I love Ghirardelli’s brownie mixes, but any brand mix will work for this swap. I also use melted butter in place of oil in my homemade brownie recipe, though with a tweak or two. Since there’s no water in my brownie recipe, I cool the melted butter by combining it with the sugar in the recipe before adding the eggs.

To take your brownies—boxed or homemade—to another level, change the flavor profile by adding peanut butter chips, swirling in raspberry jam, or topping the brownies with flaky sea salt. Serve them with vanilla ice cream, berries, or the classic cup of milk.