Best Brownie Bake Off 2.0

Looking for the best brownie recipe? I tested 9 popular recipes in search of the most chocolate-y fudgy chewy and gooey-centered brownies!

Back in 2018, I conducted my first brownie bake off with a test of 13 different recipes. I was so enthralled that I followed up with a part 2 to test the winners against the very popular Ghiradelli mix. (If you’re interested in a vegan brownie bake off, that also exists!)

Six years later, it felt fitting to update the brownie bake off with some of the many new recipes that have been released since then. From the viral Reddit brownies to Sugarologie’s carefully researched brownies to Claire Saffitz’s malted brownies, I was curious how the new results would shake out with a brand-new group of tasters. Read on for the results!

Bake off methodology

• 45 total tasters tasted samples of all 9 brownies
• Each taster ranked each brownie on a scale from 0-10 for flavor, texture and overall as a whole (data is shown under the Results section below)
• All recipes were baked the day of tasting for freshness
• Ingredients were measured by weight according to King Arthur (unless the recipe specified weights)
• Recipes were baked in parchment-lined 9×13 pans

Ingredient brands I used

• Gold Medal bleached all-purpose flour
• Trader Joe’s unsalted butter
• Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa (Dutch-process)
• Hershey’s natural cocoa
• Bittersweet chocolate: Trader Joe’s pound plus bittersweet bar
• Semisweet chocolate: Ghiradelli 70%
• Chocolate chips: Trader Joe’s semisweet
• Kirkland vanilla extract
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• Imperial granulated and brown sugar

Results of the Brownie Bake Off 2.0

After analyzing the data from all 45 tasters, results of the crowd rankings are below!

I immediately noticed that taster ratings for this bake off were overall lower than most bake offs. My hunch for why this might be? Chocolate saturation is real.

I think people’s palates quickly got blown out, leading to lower ratings (even though I think each of these brownies would be greatly enjoyed if eaten alone).

I was blown away to see King Arthur topping the charts as the crowd favorite once again! The consistency of this showing up as the winning brownie even in a different city with a completely different set of tasters really says something about the strength of the recipe.

Of course, I was a bit disappointed to see Ghiradelli’s box mix take second place above all the other amazing homemade brownies. But I think nostalgia is a powerful thing–box mix also had a similar showing in my sprinkle cake bake off. The chewiness of a box brownie is truly hard to replicate!

I was also surprised to see Butternut Bakery and Claire Saffitz at the bottom of the chart. I’m positive that baker’s error unfortunately occurred with both of these recipes (the perils of quadrupling recipes for the quantities needed for this bake off), so please disregard the scores. Many people have made and raved about both recipes, so don’t let these scores deter you! I, for one, want to re-try Butternut Bakery’s recipe ASAP.

Lastly, I was surprised to see the brownie I’ve made most often since the last bake, Tartine, only perform in a middling spot. More on this in the Analysis section.

Factors to make the best brownies

I thought the poster of the viral Reddit brownies broke down a really helpful way to think about brownies. Typically, the basic brownie formula goes something like this:

• 1 cup fat (usually melted butter)
• 1-2 cups chocolate (cocoa, chocolate, or mix of both) – not counting additional folded-in chocolate
• 2 cups sugar
• 2-4 eggs
• 1 cup flour

Most recipes I tested did generally follow this overall format, but there’s tons of different permutations. Changing the type of sugar, the type of chocolate, the ratio of flour and eggs all contribute to wildly different brownie flavors and textures. I’ll break out some of those factors below.

How to get shiny crackly brownie tops: the importance of sugar

Getting the glossy top on a brownie is perhaps the most coveted and elusive element of a perfect brownie. There are several theories on how to get a perfect glossy top every time, and most revolve around dissolving the sugar in hot batter.

Adriana from Sugarologie references Adam Ragusea’s video to explain why. Sucrose, the sugar molecule in white sugar, needs to be dissolved fully at a specific concentration in order to get a glossy top. (Excessive water and the wrong type of sugar can inhibit a glossy top.)

Handle the Heat outlines a few tips for properly dissolving sugar into brownie batter:

• Dissolve the sugar in hot butter. Obviously this is better for dissolving than stirring sugar into cooled butter.
• Whip the sugar and eggs thoroughly to allow the sugar to better dissolve in the water-rich egg whites. (Others say whipping also allows the sugar and egg to migrate to the brownie’s surface to form a thin, delicate layer of meringue.)
• Use powdered sugar. Because it’s more finely ground than granulated sugar, it’ll dissolve into the batter more easily. (Note that the starch in powdered sugar can have the side effect of making your brownies cakier.)

Outside of dissolving the sugar properly, King Arthur has a compelling article on why adding chocolate chips yields a glossy crust. The theory is that the chips add just enough fat and sugar to the batter to create the crust. Handle the Heat tested this theory and found that adding chocolate chips does enhance a glossy crust. But that you can still achieve a glossy top without chips.

Interestingly, I was still able to get a glossy top on the Tartine brownies, which use 100% brown sugar. Perhaps this is due to a combination of factors–the sugar and eggs get thoroughly whipped, AND it uses a ton of melted chocolate.

In almost every recipe I tested, I was able to get a glossy top (except Claire Saffitz, where baker’s error occurred). If you’re having trouble getting glossy tops on your brownies, make sure to try some of these tips for properly dissolving your sugar (or add chocolate chips!).

Use cocoa for a richer flavor (vs. chocolate)

Sally’s Baking Addiction notes that cocoa gives a richer chocolate flavor because it’s not “diluted with milk and sugar” the way chocolate is.

Of the recipes I tested, three were cocoa-based (King Arthur, Sugarologie, Alton Brown). (We’re not counting added chocolate chips here.) Tartine was the only recipe to use only chocolate, and the rest used a mixture of cocoa and chocolate. The fact that King Arthur took top honors backs up Sally’s theory that cocoa does yield the best flavor! Alton Brown also had one of my personal favorite flavors.

I would have thought that Tartine, with a full pound of chocolate, would have had one of the most intense chocolate flavors. But the chocolate intensity was fairly middle of the road compared to others.

Reddit, which took 3rd place, was the closest to using a 1:1 ratio of cocoa to chocolate by weight (the same as Sally’s recipe). Meanwhile, Bake with Zoha, Claire Saffitz and Butternut Bakery all used a much higher ratio of chocolate to cocoa by weight and scored a bit lower flavor-wise.

My takeaway? If you want a more intense and rich chocolate flavor, look for a recipe that uses more cocoa.

Dutch-process vs. natural cocoa

So if you’re using cocoa, should you use Dutch-process or natural? I always tend towards Dutch-process because of the richer color and supposedly superior flavor. Out of the 8 recipes that used cocoa, 7 recommended or specified Dutch-process cocoa.

However, I’m not so convinced that Dutch-process is the best for flavor. Alton Brown was the only one to use natural cocoa, and the flavor really stood out to me. These brownies felt a little brighter and more acidic with fruity, almost tart notes that helped cut the sweetness.

Of course this all boils down to personal preference. My penchant for Alton Brown could have just been my palate looking for something different in a sea of rich brownies! If you like a smoother cocoa flavor, look for a recipe that uses Dutch-process. If you want a slightly brighter, more acidic flavor, try looking for a recipe that uses natural cocoa. (I don’t recommend swapping the cocoa in recipes that specifically call for one or the other since most modern recipes are specifically designed for the cocoa written.)

How to get a chewier texture

My ultimate takeaway from this bake off is that the chewy texture of a box mix is surprisingly hard to imitate with a from-scratch recipe. King Arthur and Sally’s Baking Addiction were the chewiest of all the recipes I tested and they had a notable similarity: both used a relatively higher percentage of flour. They also both had among the highest percentage of sugar, which can also help provide a chewy texture.

The lower the percentage of flour, the more likely your brownie is to be fudgy. Having more flour allows for more structure and gluten development. Less flour, and you’ll generally end up with a softer, more melt-in-your-mouth situation.

A tip from the Kitchn: slightly underbaking your brownies before refrigerating them will also help contribute to a chewy texture!

What type of fat is best? Butter vs. oil vs. brown butter

Speaking of chewiness, the Kitchn notes that the real key to getting a chewy texture is using oil. I did test the popular Cook’s Illustrated chewy brownie in my original brownie bake off and found the oil and butter-based recipe more fudgy than chewy. But maybe it’s time to give it another try!

The grand majority of brownie recipes are simply butter-based, so I was curious to try a couple recipes that used a combination of butter and oil. By sheer bad luck, both recipes ended up victim of my baker’s error, so it’s hard to say what the effect of combining butter and oil really does.

However, we can compare the recipes with regular melted butter against brown butter. King Arthur took top honors with regular butter–and to me, took top honors for overall flavor. Reddit and Sugarologie took 3rd and 5th place with brown butter. While brown butter can clearly help boost flavor, I don’t think it’s nearly as important in brownies as it is in say, chocolate chip cookies.

Analysis of the best brownie recipes

Butternut Bakery: brownies that I overbaked but still had a lovely salt balance and toasty chocolate intensity

**Baker’s error definitely occurred here so please take this review with a huge grain of salt!

It’s always very disappointing when I can immediately tell that I made some kind of error in a bake off, and this was no exception! Jenna’s brownies look so incredibly fudgy in her photos and I fear that I overbaked my batch. Jenna calls for adding extra milk powder when browning the butter to amplify the toasty flavors. With a combination of cocoa and dark chocolate, oil and brown butter, light brown and powdered sugar, this recipe seemed poised for success.

I actually loved the smooth, silky texture of the brownie centers, even if the edges were a little too crunchy thanks to my error. These had a nice salt balance and good chocolate intensity. I think most tasters marked this down for the crumbly texture of the exterior which would definitely be remedied if you baked these properly.

UPDATE: Recently, I remade these and they had a lovely papery sheen on top, just the slightest chew around the edges and the same silky centers I remembered. They’re bursting with a dark chocolatey flavor with an intense salt balance. Highly recommend giving these a try if you want a thick, fudgy and gooey brownie.

Taster comments:

• Nice salt, intense cocoa. My favorite of the group
• My favorite brownie of the bunch. Found it to be the most sustainable (ie. if I was making brownies for myself and wanted to eat a good piece, this would be what I go for.) It feels like it could be a good post-lunch dessert rather than post-dinner. Those are the vibes I get. The texture was grainier than others, but all in all I think the flavor stood out the most (especially against the control)
• Very chocolatey, rich and sweet, nothing to break up sweetness
• I like the flavor of this one but the texture was too gooey for me
• Liked the smokiness? And the depth of flavor. Rich chocolate, not too sweet. But the texture was a bit grainy, crumbly and a little chewy
• My bite was very dry, although I got a bit of coffee flavor which I liked! But the dry/heaviness filled my mouth in a not fun way

Claire Saffitz: deeply chocolatey, fudgy malty brownies

**You can immediately tell by looking at these brownies that something likely went wrong in the baking process, so please also take this review with a huge grain of salt!

I was curious to try Claire’s brownies given its mix of butter and oil and addition of malted milk powder. She also uses a combination of granulated and dark brown sugar, whole eggs and egg yolks, semisweet chocolate, cocoa and milk chocolate. I quadrupled this batch of brownies for the tasting and baked the entire batch in an 11×18 pan (instead of two 9×13 pans), which made the brownies thicker than they should be. This is obviously a point of baker’s error, but I don’t think that should have prevented the tops from getting glossy. (This is me saying I’m not sure what else went wrong with this recipe, but I’m sure something did!)

In any case, made as is, these brownies were quite dense, fudgy and thick (similar to Alton Brown but more fudgy). I don’t think it’s fair to really go into the commentary here since something obviously went awry in the baking. But I do think it’s nice to note that some tasters still loved this brownie! This had a SUPER chocolate-y flavor and strong salt balance. I’d be curious to try these again–they’ve received mixed reviews from many people I’ve chatted with!

Taster comments:

• Favorite of the bunch. So rich and deep
• Kind of reminds me of a cosmic brownie. It’s straight fudge but not complaining. Love the saltiness of it too.
• Almost saccrine flavor. The brownie itself was such a bizarre texture, almost a mix between fudge and cake (not even fudge and a brownie). Didn’t get the crackly top, makes me feel like it’s oil based. The flavor has a little bite to it but not in a good way.
• Very fudgy and complex, but almost yeasty (malt presence) Texture almost too spongey
• Like [Tartine], it feels a bit like a flourless cake, but it’s way too dense, to the point of feeling like it sticks a bit in my mouth.
• No crackle top shine. Too gooey. Basically fudge but not in a good way

Alton Brown: thick, almost cakey-soft, cocoa-forward brownies

Alton’s cocoa-based brownies use an almost obscene amount amount of butter and natural cocoa for an 8×8 pan of brownies. (Two cups of cocoa and two sticks of butter–the equivalent of what some recipes use for a 9×13 pan!) But these do yield very thick brownies, if that’s what you’re after.

These use a mix of brown and white sugar, whole eggs, and one of the most unusual mixing techniques. After beating the eggs until fluffy, you mix in the sugars, cocoa, flour and salt all together (rather than keeping the flour for the end to prevent overmixing the gluten). Lastly, you mix in the melted butter and vanilla. The baking method is also fairly unorthodox. You bake the brownies at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes, remove them from the oven for 15 minutes, then bake for another 30 minutes.

Because of the longer, lower-temperature bake time, these bake through very evenly with little contrast between the edges and the center. (No chewy edges or gooey centers here!) With silky but substantive interiors, these were probably the cakiest of all the recipes I tested. But not in a bad way! They have unusual thickness and density that’s not melt-in-your-mouth like most of the other brownies, but also not super chewy. There’s just some resistance as you bite down, like a dense, rich, tight-crumbed cake.

These had a super rich, dark, bittersweet flavor that stood out to me. Personally, I loved the slightly brighter, acidic notes of the natural cocoa compared to the Dutch-process cocoa in the other recipes. Flavor-wise, these might have been one of my favorites. However, the thick and cakey texture wasn’t my favorite (and these felt a bit finicky for the payoff).

Taster comments:

• I really like this one! The chocolate flavor is complex, not too sweet and the bitterness comes through. Nice textural variation between the crisp top and the fudgy interior
• Lovely buttery chocolately melt in your mouth taste. Feels like a truffle inside with a crisp top.
• Flavor is deep dark chocolate, ideal. Tastes like the brownies you’d expect on an ice cream sundae. Texture was a mix of chewy/soft/silky with a tiny bit of crunch.
• Sort of like the dense and creamy flourless chocolate cake vibe of [Tartine] but less moist. Strangely, it feels light when you pick it up, but the actual texture is more of a smear of chocolate once in the mouth. Chocolate flavor was a bit on the flat side.
• The flavor on this was stellar. It was salty and fruity and tart with really good chocolate undertones. The texture was just too close and dense to be a top favorite for me, but the flavor is really unique and interesting.
• A bit too strong for a brownie but I still kind of like it. I wouldn’t make this for a crowd though and certainly not for kids. It’s just too much and almost not a brownie.
• Better than average texture but tastes too much like cocoa powder for my liking. A little too acidic for my personal preference.

Sally’s Baking Addiction: chewy, everyday brownies that most closely resembled Ghiradelli

Sally’s recipe is a straightforward process of melting butter and chocolate, whisking in sugar, eggs, vanilla, then the dry ingredients. She uses both cocoa powder and chocolate, noting that cocoa gives a richer chocolate flavor. Either natural or Dutch-process cocoa can be used (I used Dutch-process). She also notes that the cocoa takes the place of some flour, so she uses as little flour as possible for dense and fudgy brownies. Funnily enough, she actually had the third highest flour percentage of all the recipes I tested.

Immediately after biting into this brownie, I thought it was the most similar to the Ghiradelli brownie. It has a nice bite with one of the best chewy textures. In comparison to King Arthur, I thought the flavor wasn’t QUITE as deep–but I doubt tasters would have any complaints if this was served standalone. They are of course chocolatey but not overly rich in a way that feels like a nice “everyday” brownie that you could eat a lot of. There’s a nice dispersion of chocolate chips throughout this brownie that contributes to the kind of chewy, bumpy texture. I was a bit surprised this brownie didn’t perform as well as it did in the original bake off, but this would be my pick if you want a chewy brownie!

Taster comments:

• Very dense brownie. Almost coats your mouth in a paste. Good rich cocoa flavor.
• I really like this one. Nice depth of flavor and perfect texture. Might need a bit of salt to be better.
• This is the most classic brownie we had so far. It’s very middle of the road between fudgy and cakey
• Another very sustainable brownie. I wouldn’t necessarily make this recipe again over #1, but if a friend made these brownies for me, I would think that they were pretty good. The texture was solid, literally, and it wasn’t quite fudgy but that’s okay. Very salty right off the bat. Chocolate flavor wasn’t exceptional.
• Flavor was good but it was dry and not as chewy.
• I got an edge piece. It stuck in my teeth the way I like but the flavor was just… Fine
• Similar to [King Arthur] but not as good flavor

Tartine: silky, melt-in-your-mouth brownies reminiscent of a flourless chocolate cake

These are the brownies that I’ve made most often after the first brownie bake off. Even I was surprised to look back and see that I originally declared The Kitchn’s brownies as my favorite (I’ve never made them again). These actually have a relatively lower ratio of butter and flour and the highest ratio of chocolate. I love how simple the method is with an electric mixer. Simply melt the chocolate and butter together, then whisk the eggs/sugar/salt/vanilla together until super light and foamy. Stir in the chocolate mixture, then the flour and bake!

Given the ratios, it makes sense that these brownies have a texture that feels flourless chocolate cake-adjacent. Tartine’s recipe does bear some resemblance to Richard Sax’s cake from the flourless chocolate cake bake off–but the lower ratio of eggs gives it a denser, less cakey texture. The crackly crust and decadently silky, fudgy center are lovely. One taster describe this as “almost like not having a crumb and being more like a chocolate mousse with body and density.”

To me, this has a medium chocolate flavor–not too subtle, but not as prominent as others. The flavor of the butter feels more pronounced, and I almost wanted more chocolate to take center stage. Overall, I still really love this brownie, but it’s not the one I’d make if I wanted a more classic chewy brownie.

Taster comments:

• Loved this one. It was a little too smushy but definitely my favorite.
• Super rich, fudgy and moist. Light on top. Beautiful.
• I like the chocolate flavor on this a lot, it’s fruity and rich. the texture lacks interest but it has a nice crackly crust on it that looks pretty. This is definitely the most attractive brownie.
• Soft almost delicate crumb with a melt in your mouth texture. I thought it would be my favorite. After mulling over my platonic ideal of a brownie, I conceded that I needed something chewier for my long term partner, but still rating this highly because the melt in your mouth texture was so surprising and delightful.
• I really like it. A bit of a brownie batter vibe though. But the flavor is rich and amazing. Very chocolatey. Once again needs a bit more salt.
• Pasty and too sweet/gooey/rich. Solid level of sweetness. Smushed into nothing in my mouth. Where is the structural integrity?
• I like the chocolate flavor on this a lot, it’s fruity and rich. the texture lacks interest but it has a nice crackly crust on it that looks pretty. This is definitely the most attractive brownie.

Sugarologie: deeply fudgy sweet dark chocolate brownies with a slightly chew

Sugarologie is a Dutch-process cocoa-based brownie with ratios similar to King Arthur. Where they differ: Adriana uses a mix of whole eggs and egg yolks for chewiness, less flour, and no baking powder. She also browns the butter and uses a mix of brown and powdered sugar. The brown sugar is for flavor while the readily-dissolving nature of the powdered sugar helps form a crispy top.

Method-wise, the brown butter blooms the cocoa and the eggs are whisked with the sugar until smooth. (I wish I’d used my stand mixer for this part as I don’t think I whisked the sugar QUITE enough to be perfectly smooth.) Adriana also uses the brilliant technique of reserving a fourth of the batter to pour on top so the chocolate chips don’t mar the crackly sugar top.

I was talking with one taster about how the term “fudgy” doesn’t necessarily mean like a block of fudge. Rather, our ideal fudginess is closer to a fudge sauce but in solid form. To her, this brownie was the closest to the ideal fudgy texture (along with a very desirable sugary crunch around the edge). These had a very gooey melt-in-your-mouth quality that I thought made for an excellent fudgy brownie.

I thought it had just a SLIGHTLY more one-note flavor compared to others (I’d actually be curious to try these with a more acidic natural cocoa). If we’re splitting hairs, I’d also prefer a slightly thicker brownie. But overall, an excellent gooey-fudgy brownie.

Taster comments:

• Love the rich cocoa and moistness, very fudgy and chocolate-forward
• Amazing look! Delicious bitter chocolate taste. Texture better than [Butternut Bakery and King Arthur] but would like some chew.
• Very fudgy, tastes slightly underbaked. Sweeter than 1 and more bitter than 2, very intense flavor. I like that it has a crackly crust but I didn’t love tasting the sugar granules.
• Thought they were too sweet the second time around. Has nice flavor profile, not just one note
• I liked the flavor and would love a slightly chewier bite and thicker texture. Loved the chocolate chips!
• Flavor-wise, I noticed immediately that the first thing to hit my palate actually is a sweet vanilla note rather than chocolate, more so than with any of the other samples, and it lingers a bit above the chocolate throughout. I also felt like I could taste the butter more distinctly in this than others.
• I think the flavor on this one was lacking. For me, the texture was pretty good because it was REALLY fudgy (like undercooked fudgy, but in a good way) and that’s how I like my brownies. But a bit more sweet than chocolate.

Bake with Zoha: a deeply dark, not-too-sweet, soft fudgy-airy brownie

Bake with Zoha was one of three recipes that used a combination of cocoa and chocolate (along with Sally’s and Reddit). Unlike the other recipes, Zoha uses a combination of semisweet and dark chocolate (which in most cases I think are fairly interchangeable). She adds a bit of instant coffee as opposed to espresso powder, which is more common in brownie recipes.

Most notably, Zoha’s recipe used one of the lowest ratios of sugar (~27% vs. the more typically 35-39%), which made me incredibly curious to try this recipe. This follows the same formula as Tartine–adding melted chocolate to whipped eggs and sugar before folding in the dry ingredients.

These had a uniquely soft texture that was slightly crumbly but somehow not dry. There’s an airiness that brought this closer to the cakey end of the spectrum (with Alton Brown), yet I wouldn’t describe these as cakey. The deep bittersweet notes almost melt in your mouth and these were distinctly less sweet than some of the other brownies. If you’re looking for a deep, dark brownie that’s intensely flavored but not too densely fudgy, this is it!

Taster comments:

• Fudgy, rich chocolate flavor and almost brown buttery. Felt similar to box, which is a compliment. Favorite one!
• Fantastic brownie. My favorite. Nice and salty which I love. I would understand why someone might not like it but I love it.
• Nicely bitter and intense dark chocolate flavor…not too sweet. Gooey rich texture.
• Saltier than the rest but in a welcome way. Dark chocolate notes but i’m almost tasting peanut butter too. My ideal brownie height as well.
• My third favorite. Immediately got a hit of coffee, very good fudge factor and the chocolate flavor was there, but I would’ve believed you if you said this was an espresso brownie.
• Love that it’s not too sweet, very tender with just a little bit of chew and nice flavor
• Super light, feels the most like a cakey texture. Not sure if I like that in a brownie.
• Too fluffy, a little dry

Reddit viral brownies: fudgy-soft, slightly chewy, bittersweet chocolate brownies

After reading through dozens of recommendations, the original poster (@moonjelly33) posted their final recipe. The recipe was adapted from Stella Parks, Broma Bakery, Tasty, “Supernatural Brownies,” Sally’s Baking Addiction, and a few commenter recipes. But interestingly, the final recipe is actually quite similar to Sally’s Baking Addiction with just a few tweaks. This recipe uses brown butter instead of regular, a mix of brown and white sugar, an additional egg and espresso powder.

The poster gives an option to bake these in a 9×13 or an 8×8 pan for extra-thick brownies. I chose the 8×8 option and really thought the thickness of these were ideal. The glossy, crackly top overlays a melt-in-your-mouth center that has a slightly chewy density. This almost reminded me of Tartine with its smoothness, but with slightly more chew and a slightly darker flavor. I would probably make this brownie again over Tartine based purely on taste. But if we’re considering effort, the effort of browning the butter might put me off a bit.

These weren’t QUITE as gooey as the photos in the Reddit post, but that’s easy to control by adjusting the bake time if you want a gooier brownie. Overall, a really excellent fudgy/silky brownie with broad crowd appeal!

Taster comments:

• Such good chocolate flavor!! It’s fudgy and coffee-forward
• Soft & has chew – bingo! Nice strong chocolate taste !
• Second fave! Loved the flavor of this one, more than just straight chocolate. Wish it was a bit fudgier but that’s a personal preference
• Love the smooth texture. Flavor could use more interest
• An even better version of #5! got some delicious salty notes at the end too
• not too gooey, not too dry.great flavour if maybe slightly sweet. good amount of chocolate.
• More cakey than others but also less sweet. One of my favorites.
• Very straight forward melted chocolate flavor. Too soft and mouth coating.

Ghiradelli triple chocolate box mix: a triumph of chewy, sweet, not-too-chocolate-y brownie nostalgia

After receiving many impassioned requests on Instagram, I decided to include the Ghiradelli box mix as a control. And after tasting it, I was concerned. (That it would win.)

I am one of the many who grew up on specifically Ghiradelli box mix brownies and the flavor is pure nostalgia. Even though oil-based brownies didn’t do as well in the previous bake off, the oil-based mix doesn’t do the flavor here any disservices. The texture is also inimitably soft and chewy whereas most of the homemade brownies lean more silky and fudgy.

And my fears were well-warranted. The Ghiradelli mix basically tied with King Arthur with a higher texture rating but lower flavor rating. This aligns with my personal take–I loved the incredible chew of these brownies (no other homemade recipe got very close). They almost verge on a little cakey (because they’re so airy), but still remain moist and chewy. But flavor-wise, these are more sweet-forward than chocolate-forward (sure enough, sugar is first on their ingredient list). As a side note, one taster said Handle the Heat’s chewy brownies (which I tested in the original brownie bake off) are the closest they’ve ever gotten to the box mix. I didn’t find that to be true when I tested them years ago, but it might be worth a try.

This honestly makes me wonder if some (most) people really want brownies that are less intensely chocolatey. Flavor-wise, these were FAR less intense compared to all the other recipes. Or is it just a sense of nostalgia overriding the ratings? It’s a good learning that if you want to skip straight to the box mix, most people will be happy!

Taster comments:

• LOVE this one. not overly chocolatey/overpowering, not too light or heavy, perfectly moist! Easily my favorite.
• Only brownie I finished. The exact texture I want. Toothsome yet not too dense. Not too rich. Flavor not the most pure (fake sweetness, classic nostalgia) but made up in texture.
• This is great! Great crinkle shiny top. Not too gooey, not too cakey. Good flavor (if slightly lacking a slight bit of depth) but overall, my favorite! Middle of the road brownie but in a great way!
• Loved the balanced chocolate flavor, thought it was perfect.
• Softer but still has a chew. Knew this was box mix because it tastes like the Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix!! Similar lack of chocolate flavor depth
• This has got to be the bestie Ghiradelli. Lacks depth of flavor (and salt) but super solid.
• Too sweet, like blow out your palate sweet

King Arthur: chewy-edged, fudgy-centered, chocolate-forward brownies

King Arthur describes these cocoa brownies as a hybrid of cakey and fudgy. These can easily be made by hand with a straightforward two-bowl method. The most important technique is melting the butter and sugar together to help produce a shiny crust. These had the highest percentage of flour but more importantly! These were the only brownies to use a chemical leavener (baking powder). Ghiradelli also uses a chemical leavener (baking soda), so this might be a key in getting a more chewy/airy quality. Note: I omitted the optional espresso powder.

Upon blind-tasting this brownie, I was pleasantly surprised by the dark bittersweet chocolate flavor. This had one of the most complex and enjoyable chocolate flavors to me. I also loved the texture. The silky middle was similar to many others, but the chewy edges made it stand out. It’s not overly fudgy or melt-in-your-mouth and I think the uniquely chewy texture helped boost this the winning spot!

Taster comments:

• Moist!! and good chocolatey flavor! the quintessential brownie in my mind, this is what I picture in my mouth when I crave a brownie
• My fave! I love how the brownie opened up after a bite, there was more to it than just straight chocolate
• Loved the chewiness
• Toothsome dense texture very fudgy. Rich chocolate flavor hits of coffee.
• Good flavor, good texture. Not too sweet. Good crust
• A bit too sweet but like the dark chocolate flavor. Could use more salt. But I like the texture, not too cakey or fudgy.
• Too dark chocolate for me