Give Boxed Brownies A Texture Upgrade With A Trip To The Snack Drawer

When the chocolatey aroma of boxed brownies begins wafting around the kitchen, the smell always draws a crowd. Kiddos and adults alike can't wait to get their hands on those little squares of fudgy goodness, but believe it or not, this crowd-pleasing confection has room for improvement. Mix-ins and add-ons can take the dessert to a whole new level, and most of the ingredients you need to upgrade your boxed brownie mix are sitting right in your snack drawer.

We're all familiar with the delightful gooey mouthfeel of brownies contrasted with the best part of the dish — the crispy pieces on the edge of the pan — but what if there was a dash of that crunch throughout the entire batch? Most of us are familiar with the concept of blending some candies like M&M's or some type of chocolate chunks into the batter for an extra boost of sweetness, but to give the dessert a little crunch, you want to think savory and reach for some potato chips.

Simply reach into a bag of chips, crush them up a bit, and toss them into the mix. Not only will you get some crispiness in every bite, but the salt from the snack food will tame the sweetness of the chocolate and create a harmonious balance of savory and sweet. It might just change the way you think about brownies forever. No chips on hand? Crumble up some pretzels and add them into the mix for a similar crunchy, savory outcome. If you want the best of both snack worlds, go for pretzel crisps.

There aren't many ingredients that wouldn't work as a welcome addition to a batch of boxed brownies — it really just depends on how creative you want to get. The directions on most brands only call for water, oil, and eggs to be added in, and some of these can be easily substituted with ingredients that have a more substantial flavor. Instead of the full measurement of water, try swapping some for a soda like Dr Pepper (yes, really) that can elevate your boxed brownies. You could also make a minor adjustment to the eggs to jazz up brownies and make them extra fudgy.

To stay on the savory track, consider exchanging a portion of the water for a rich espresso that will lend a comforting roasted coffee flavor to the dish. You could also simply include a cup or so of nuts in the mix, which will have a similar effect as chips or pretzels. If you don't wish to stray too far outside of the box but want to achieve the savory effect, just add a touch of salt into your batch — the salt that falls to the bottom of a bag of pretzels is a perfect way to use something up that would otherwise get tossed in the trash. There are practically no rules when it comes to elevating the end product. Consider yourself an artist and boxed brownies to be the blank canvas ready for your next culinary masterpiece.