Call Me Old Fashioned

Having brownie mix in your pantry can save so much time in a pinch. I can’t count the number of times my husband has asked me to make my homemade brownies – usually the night before he wants to bring them to work as a reward for his department. These brownies are so decadent, with the right amount of chewiness, and that crisp layer on the top that makes a brownie irresistible. It took me years to develop this recipe. My family loves brownies, but I never loved the ingredients in the boxed mixes, even though buying a 3 pack of Ghirardelli brownie mix from Costco was so convenient.

I began testing out some recipes I found online for homemade brownies, but I never thought they were quite as good as the boxed kind, so I kept making changes and adjusting the recipe until I arrived at this combination, and I think it’s the best thing ever. These brownies are just as sweet as the ones you’ll buy from the store, so if you like less sweet, feel free to reduce the amount of sugar, but I hope you’ll try them my way first.

It takes just a few minutes to mix up several jars of this brownie mix at a time to store in my pantry. When I’m in the mood for brownies (or my husband get a sudden craving,) it’s so easy to pull out a jar, add a few basic ingredients, and pop them in the oven. I use half-gallon jars to store my individual brownie mixes, and each mix is enough for a 13×9 pan of brownies.

Double Fudge Brownie Mix

Fill each jar with the following ingredients:

• 2 c sugar
• 1 c cocoa powder (I like Dutch processed)
• 1 c flour (I have only tested this recipe using organic wheat and Einkorn flour. You may be able to substitute other flours, but I can’t guarantee how it will turn out.)
• 1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder

When it’s time to bake, preheat the oven to 325° F, and spray your pan with avocado oil (or grease with your choice of oil or fat.) In a medium mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients:

• 1 c melted butter
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 jar of brownie mix

Stir just until all of the ingredients are fully combined, and then pour into a greased 13×9 pan. Bake at 325° F for 40-50 minutes. (I usually pull them out around 40 minutes, because we like them fudgy rather than cakey. Depending on your preferences, your oven, and where you live, you may want to adjust the time accordingly.)