I never make brownies from a box. I can't stand the taste. I make mine from scratch. I'd give you the recipe but I'm not home to give it to you. I also frost my brownies. I've been told they are very good.

I found this works perfectly: After they cool all the way, try using a plastic knife to cut them. If any sticks, wash the knife and get it completely clean and then cut another row.

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Taught home ec and inherited this recipe from previous home ec teacher. Only brownie recipe I have ever used
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1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
2 heaping tablespoons cocoa
1 tsp vanilla

Melt butter in square pyrex dish
Sift all dry ingredients **I use my whisk
Mix beaten eggs with dry ingredients then pour butter from dish into the bowl.

Pour batter into pyrex dish. No need to grease as melting the butter is sufficient.

Bake 350 18 minutes Do not test with a toothpick as this is a very moist brownie.

COOL COMPLETELY before attempting to cut

Sometimes if I wanna kick it up a notch, I do this

Prepare a glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbl softened butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1-2 tsp milk and drizzle over brownie.

I only make brownies from a box - homemade ones just don't taste right - LOL!

They are making the mixes smaller now - so a 9x13 pan is way to big.

I use the Ghirardelli brand now. I like the Chocolate Supreme flavor. It has a packet of liquid chocolate that you add in.

I wisk the oil, water, egg, and chocolate together, then add the mix and stir until just moistened.

I bake them in cupcake papers. It makes 12 cupcake/brownies. Cool them completely and store in a container or ziplock bag. If you have trouble peeling the papers off, keeping them in the container helps. They peel easily after they have been in the container for a short time.

Don't over bake. I bake mine at 350� (even though the box says 325�) for 20 minutes. Test with a toothpick. The toothpick will be clean coming out, with maybe a crumb or two - but not any molten brownie on it.

My oven is pretty true to temp. One hint is to preheat your oven well. I preheat mine to 350�. Then I start making the mix. That way the oven has time to even out the temp.

The mix with the chocolate chips is good too.

I also like to add walnuts to these.

Consumer Reports just rated brownie mixes. The top two were Trader Joe's Brownie Truffle at $2.99 a box and the Barefoot Contessa Outrageous - and at $10.00 a box it is outrageous. They both come with real semi sweet chocolate.

I use brownie mixes all the time and am never disappointed in them. I've used the $1 mixes and the more expensive ones, but we seem to prefer the store brands over the bigger names brands, weird. I always add chopped pecans and raisins to ours, before baking. And I use a 9 x 13, usually. We never frost them, but occasionally will do a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top. Last time I made them in cupcake and mini cupcake pans, because we both like the crunchy edges. That worked out great! No papers. I'm too cheap to buy that $30 W shaped brownie pan they sell so every piece is an edge piece.

I always use boxed brownie mix. Sometimes I add chocolate chips to them. They always taste good, even with the store brand mix.

I'll use any box mix, add some chopped pecans or walnuts, and a good sized handful of semi-sweet baking morsels (TollHouse "chips"). But my secret ingredient is a jar of plum baby food.

Someone on here posted about using leftover coffee in place of the water. I tried it and it was good. You don't taste the coffee, but it does give it flavor.

I;m going to try the plumb baby food trick next time. I always use a box mix,and put in a tsp vanilla or almond flavoring. Sometimes I mix is chopped walnuts or coconut. Always frost them.

I used to make a baby food spiced cake.

Powdered sugar, be sure your brownie is cool before dusting.

I usually put pnutbutter icing on mine. Sooo good.

I'm going to add my brownie recipe. I got it from my cousin years ago.

Brownies

1 cup butter (or margarine)
3/4 cup cocoa
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (optional) 1 cup nuts

Mix all together with spoon (will be thick)
put in 9x13 pan (spray pan)
pre heat over to 350 degrees
bake for exactly 30 mins.

very moist brownie.

I like it with Betty Crocker Creamy white frosting the best. But Choc frosting is good and so is a batch of microwave fudge used for frosting.

patti

I usually make the brownies from scratch but even with the box mixes I take them out of the oven when they are just about done and put mini chocolate bars on top...sometimes toberone, peppermint patties, caramilk, any that will melt down a bit when I put them back in the oven and turn off the heat. I cut them as soon as they have cooled a bit and before the chocolate has hardened again. Sometimes I swirl the top with the back of a spoon dipped in hot water. No need for icing or frosting. Yummmm ( Stash a bunch in the freezer especially after hallowe'en or Easter when they have been marked down at the grocery store. They don't seem to taste any different.)

This post is stirring up (!!!) memories. My youngest sister Suzy always used to make me brownies on my birthday, with nuts and frosting. I just spoke with her on the phone today.he called to ask about the approaching hurricane. What a sweetie!

Well, I tasted the brownies I baked and yes, they were moist. I followed the recipe choice on the box for "moister" brownies, but really I think the only difference was the amount of oil. Just too much oil, IMHO; not picking that option again! I'd cut and stacked them and put them in a Tupperware container, with paper towels between the layers, and the towels absorbed quite a bit of the oil. Too gross.

What are your opinions on Pyrex glass pans versus metal pans?

(I don't have to ask your opinions on the $10-a-box brownie mix! Sheesh!)

I picked up a new Anchor-Hocking, made in USA and a metal Bakers Secret loaf tins as they were 50% off.

On coming home, I realized that typically glass dishes are 25 degrees lower, so I'll bake my bread at a lower temperature, and longer if necessary.

I'm anxious to see the difference than my normal stoneware loaf pans. The glaze is crackling, and shadowed, and I've been cautioned not to use them for baking anymore.....just as serving dishes.

I bake mine in my pyrex square dish