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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

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Taste Test: Best Boxed Brownies

You really can't beat the rich, sweet, sure-fire sugar jolt of a classic fudge brownie. But nothing could be worse than trying to satisfy that chocolate craving with a bad brownie mix. Here at Taste of Home we did our homework and tested 6 boxes of fudge brownies to decide which mix is indeed the best. After a lot of brownies, and a lot of milk, we've crowned a champion.

Best Fudge Brownie:
Ghirardelli Ultimate Fudge Brownies
This brownie mix was a clear favorite with our test panel. Not only were there excessive "oohs" and "aahs,” this little brownie packs an over-the-top chocolate punch with great texture and a true dark chocolate taste. As one of our taste testers put it, "Wow! The best part is that while I could eat half a pan of the others, I could probably only eat two or three of these. There's so much fudge!"


Runners Up
:
Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies
Fluffy and gooey, Betty’s fudge brownies are a close second to our winner.  These brownies are very soft and moist, with good texture and a smooth chocolaty fudge flavor. "If I didn't want to go through all of the work to make the Ghirardelli brownies, this would be my go to mix," one panel member said.




Duncan Hines Fudge Brownies
With a very soft texture, these dense brownies have a somewhat spicy flavor. "It has a slight anise taste," said one of our testers.





Pillsbury Brownie Classics Traditional Fudge Brownies
While it may look like a brownie your Grandma would make, these brownies are rather dry and fall apart. There also wasn't enough fudge for our taste testers: "It just didn't knock my socks off."





*Roundy's Chocolate Fudge Brownies
These brownies have a rather cakey consistency that holds together well. However, when it comes to flavor, this lacks that rich chocoalte taste that our panelists were looking for.

*Roundy’s is a generic store bought brand in Southeastern Wisconsin

Krusteaz Fat Free Fudge Brownies
Maybe it was because they were fat free, but these brownies received little praise.  With a rather cakey and pasty consistency, it's hard to taste the chocolate flavor.







Want to make your brownies from scratch? Try this chocolaty Fudge Brownie recipe.

Looking for more sweet desserts?
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From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 287
  • chris's Avatar
    Posted by chris Wed Nov 4, 2009 4:49pm PST

    Best fat free brownie mix is the No Pudge line. Good consistency and texture. nice chocolatey taste. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmm

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  • darling's Avatar
    Posted by darling Wed Nov 4, 2009 8:48pm PST

    I absolutely agree with your rankings!! Ghiradelli are the most decadent brownies I've ever had, but Betty Crocker are probably my favorite for eeveryday brownies. I always add chocolate chips or peanut butter chips:)

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  • NotIrish2's Avatar
    Posted by NotIrish2 Thu Nov 5, 2009 8:46am PST

    I agree that Ghiradelli is a great supermarket mix if you can't make brownies from scrtach. Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Outrageous Brownie mix is also awesome! Not diet friendly, but they are so rich you don't want more than one.

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  • Cynthia's Avatar
    Posted by Cynthia Fri Nov 6, 2009 7:33am PST

    Very timely post. I plan to make some brownies for a friend's birthday and want them to be nice and moist. Probably will go with Betty Crocker Fudge Brownies. Thanks!

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  • StephanieG's Avatar
    Posted by StephanieG Fri Nov 6, 2009 7:41am PST

    I agree about Ghiradelli, but my absolute number 1 favorite brownie mix has to be the Trader Joe's truffle brownie mix. There's something about the proportion of butter you add to it that just makes it melt in your mouth. Yum!

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  • Tracy B's Avatar
    Posted by Tracy B Fri Nov 6, 2009 10:02am PST

    Ghiradelli brownines are a favorite in our house...special trick for a yummy twist? before you put the batter in the oven, sprinkle the top with crumbeled Skor or Heath Bar pieces... when done, serve warm with a scoop of vaniila bean ice cream...yummmmmm!

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  • richietfan's Avatar
    Posted by richietfan Fri Nov 6, 2009 10:32pm PST

    For a fat free brownie Krusteaz is pretty damn good!

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  • Yogurt Lover's Avatar
    Posted by Yogurt Lover Sat Nov 7, 2009 7:44am PST

    I make my brownies lower in fat and still super moist by adding one egg and some diet soda instead of oil and water.

    I am a HUGE fan of Ghiradelli.

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  • another hockey fan's Avatar
    Posted by another hockey fan Sat Nov 7, 2009 11:33am PST

    I've never tried the Ghirardelli ones because I've never been a huge fan of their line of chocolates. But, I am curious all the same.....however, I still prefer the one bowl brownie mix off the back of the Baker Unsweetened chocolate boxes. It's so easy and tastes great every time!

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  • maggie's Avatar
    Posted by maggie Sun Nov 8, 2009 12:46pm PST

    It's so funny, I have the Ghiradelli brownies in the oven right now. They are spendy but SO good. Definately a favorite here at our house. You can make a 13x9 pan or another brand for less money than the 8x8 pan of Ghiradelli but it's worth the splurge.

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