• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Auntie's Favorites
  • Holidays
    • New Year's
    • Valentine's Day
    • St. Patrick's Day
    • Easter
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • Subscribe

crinkledcookbook.com logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Favorites
  • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Favorites
    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Auntie's Favorites

    Aug 27, 2022 · Modified: Dec 11, 2022 by Melinda O'Malley Keckler · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income via ads.

    Homemade Brownie Mix

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Homemade brownies, warm from the oven are about as good as it gets. There's no need to use a store-bought, boxed brownie mix. Make your own brownie mix from scratch and enjoy freshly baked brownies any time you're craving the richest, most chocolaty brownies ever.

    Note: Some of the links you find on this page are paid links, Amazon Associates. That means I make a small commission when you click and shop. Your cost is always the same and I only link to products or ingredients that I use and enjoy.

    Three brownies stacked on a plate, one in front with a bite taken out of it.

    Ingredients to Have on Hand

    • Flour
    • Sugar
    • Cocoa Powder
    • Vanilla Extract
    • Butter
    • Eggs
    Eggs, vanilla extract, flour, sugar, cocoa powder and two sticks of butter displayed on a plank.

    No Salt, No Baking Powder

    Believe it or not, you don't need either salt or baking powder for this brownie recipe. Usually salt helps bring out the best flavor in recipes with chocolate, but with this brownie recipe you can rest assured that both of those ingredients can stay put in your spice cabinet.

    Brownie batter in a mixing bowl.

    Easy to Make Brownies

    Scratch-made brownies are so much better than what we get in a box. These brownies offer the same convenience as a store-bought brownie mix, but they are from your pantry shelf, not the grocery shelf.

    Be assured, this is one of the easiest brownie recipes EVER.

    Great for Gifts

    Homemade brownie mix is great to keep on hand in your pantry. But it's also a delightful gift to share any time you want to offer a sweet treat to a neighbor, a teacher or to take along as a hostess gift.

    Brownie mix in a glass jar.
    Use any jar or covered container to store your brownie mix.

    As an added bonus, I like to include a small jar of vanilla extract with the gift. It's an especially nice touch if you are giving it to some someone who may not normally bake from scratch and might not have vanilla extract on hand.

    Print the recipe card below and include it with your jar of brownie mix. You'll be all set. The card has the baking instructions and lists the additional ingredients - butter, eggs and vanilla.

    Frosting or No Frosting

    These chewy, fudge-like brownies are fantastic with or without frosting. Each serving is rich with plenty of sweetness as-is.

    Three brownies stacked on a plate, one in front with a bite taken out of it.

    If you have a favorite chocolate or vanilla frosting that your family loves then by all means layer that on top.

    Brownie Mix Storage

    The dry, homemade brownie mix ingredients will stay fresh and ready to bake for as long as the expiration dates on the ingredients you use. I like to buy the flour, sugar and cocoa powder from the grocery store shortly before I prepare the mix to help ensure I'm using the freshest dry ingredients possible.

    The brownie mix will stay fresh for an estimated 3-6 months in your pantry.

    A jar of brownie mix on a pantry shelf.
    Store your brownie mix in the pantry in a jar. It'll stay fresh for months.

    Top Tips and FAQ

    Can I use shortening instead of butter?

    In many baking recipes you can make that substitution, but I don't recommend making the swap with brownies. Shortening and butter are actually two very different ingredients.

    Shortening is made with hydrogenated vegetable oil, has no water and no taste. Butter is 80% butterfat and 20% water (occurring naturally).
    As we all know, butter adds delicious flavor to baked goodies.

    As an option, margarine is a better substitute for butter in this recipe.

    What size mason jar or container will hold the mix?

    A quart-sized container is perfect, but any covered or sealed bag or jar that holds 4 cups will work great.

    A jar of brownie mix with a ribbon and fabric on the top of the jar.
    Depending on the occasion or the season, it's fun to add a little decor to the jar lid of the brownie mix.

    What to Write on a Gift Tag

    If you use this brownie mix as an edible gift, be sure to include a list of the additional ingredients and baking instructions on a tag or sticker so your recipient knows how to bake their brownies from scratch.

    A full pan of baked brownies.
    Be careful not to over bake the brownies. Watch to see the edge of the brownies release from the pan. That's a good sign they are done.

    The Inspiration

    This brownie recipe was kindly shared by Byron Yankey, a friend of my husband. Byron spent 50 years in public education, much of that time as a teacher and a principal.

    Byron loves to cook and to bake and he regularly treated his staff and colleagues to special homemade confections.

    Byron says he took these brownies to countless meetings across the state of Idaho. "They are often more welcome than I am," he said.

    He estimates that he makes about 100 batches a year. "The brownies have been used to reward, soothe, make peace, energize and excite. But in general they are made - just because."

    Thank you Byron for sharing your fantastic recipe with the Crinkled Cookbook!

    Three brownies stacked on a plate, one in front with a bite taken out of it.
    Tender, chewy and so delicious. These brownies are a little like fudge.

    Note: I've adapted the recipe only to add the option of preparing it as a mix but the ingredient list and instructions are all Byron's.

    More Baking Recipes

    Are you in a baking mood? Here are a few more recipes that are sure to please your family and friends:

    • The Best Blueberry Cake, this is a cake recipe that might remind you of the most tender, fruity blueberry muffin you've ever had!
    • No-Peel Apple Cake is loved by so many readers for it's simplicity. No need to peel the apples for this dessert recipe and it bakes in a pie dish.
    • Craving more chocolate? I think you'll love Old Fashioned Chocolate Pound Cake. It's a family recipe that has been shared for several generations. So good!

    Be sure to give a star rating to the recipes you make from the Crinkled Cookbook. I always love hearing from you. Sharing is great too! Use the buttons after the recipe to text it with just one click or send it to family and friends on Pinterest and Facebook. Enjoy.

    A jar of brownie mix on a pantry shelf next to canned soup and a container of bread crumbs.

    Homemade Brownie Mix

    Homemade brownies, warm from the oven are about as good as it gets. There's no need to use a store-bought, boxed brownie mix. Make your own brownie mix from scratch and enjoy freshly baked brownies anytime.
    5 from 87 votes
    Print Rate Pin Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 12 single servings
    Calories: 338kcal
    Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

    Ingredients 

    Brownie Mix Ingredients

    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1 cup flour
    • ¾ cup cocoa powder

    Additional Ingredients

    • 1 cup butter melted, 2 sticks
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 4 eggs

    Instructions

    To Make Brownie Mix

    • Combine the sugar, cocoa powder and flour in a large bowl and whisk until combined. 
    • Spoon or pour into a clean, quart-sized jar or any tightly covered container. Label and store or share as gifts!
    • If you are enjoying the brownies right away, and not planning to store this as a mix, whisk the dry ingredients then add the additional ingredients and bake as directed below.

    To Make Homemade Brownies with the Mix

      NOTE: These are the instructions to share on the label or a card if giving as a gift.

      • Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 13”x9” baking pan or spray with Pam. 
      • Combine the brownie mix ingredients with 1 cup melted butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and four eggs. Stir to combine.
      • Pour into the baking pan and bake for 24-30 minutes or until the edges begin to pull away from the side of the pan. 
      • Remove from the oven and cool before cutting into bars. 
      Did you make this recipe? Scroll up and leave a star rating.Tap @crinkledcookbook and follow me today.

      Nutrition

      Calories: 338kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 4gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 95mgSodium: 25mgPotassium: 120mgFiber: 2gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 552IUCalcium: 22mgIron: 2mg

      Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database and are offered here only as a guideline for informational purposes.

      Pin Recipe Share on Facebook

      More Auntie's Favorites

      • Old Fashioned Chocolate Pound Cake
      • Zucchini Stuffing
      • Ivar's Copycat Fried Cod
      • The Best Jambalaya

      Looking for something?

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        Recipe Rating




        This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      1. Addie says

        August 31, 2022 at 10:00 pm

        5 stars
        This is such a great idea! I’d love to gift this brownie mix to family and friends!

        Reply
        • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

          September 03, 2022 at 9:01 am

          Thanks Addie! This gift in a jar is super easy for the recipient to make too. 🙂 Thanks for the five star rating!

          Reply
      2. Nora says

        August 31, 2022 at 11:51 am

        5 stars
        In my opinion, it's great to always have a brownie mix at home! And it is so easy! Thanks for the recipe!

        Reply
      3. Freya says

        August 31, 2022 at 12:26 am

        5 stars
        Such a simple idea, I love that I can have brownies whenever I want now!

        Reply
        • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

          September 03, 2022 at 8:59 am

          I agree Freya, and scratch-made brownies any time are truly the best!

          Reply
      4. Jerika says

        August 30, 2022 at 10:20 pm

        I love homemade brownies!:) YUM! Thank you for sharing your freshly baked brownies recipe.:)

        Reply
      5. Andrea says

        August 30, 2022 at 9:09 pm

        love how simple the recipe ingredient list is for this brownie mix! so simple, sweet and delicious!

        Reply
      6. Melissa Jensen says

        August 28, 2022 at 3:05 pm

        I can't wait to try! This would be a great Christmas gift for neighbors -- homemade Brownie Mix!

        Reply
        • Melinda O'Malley Keckler says

          August 28, 2022 at 4:15 pm

          Thanks Melissa! Please share pictures of your jars if you make them at Christmastime @crinkledcookbook. I have a feeling they will be BEAUTIFUL! 🙂

          Reply

      Primary Sidebar

      Melinda with corndogs

      Hello friends! Welcome. I'm Melinda. I'm a home cook and I've been creating recipes for more than 30 years. I'm excited to share recipes and techniques to help you enjoy cooking too. I'm a former TV journalist and a two-time breast cancer survivor. Stick around and click around and let's make great meals at home!

      Meet Melinda→

      Logos from websites that feature the Crinkled Cookbook.

      Meatless Recipes

      • Easy Mediterranean Edamame Salad
      • The Best Sweet Potato Lasagna
      • Tomato Basil Soup
      • Starbucks Copycat Egg Bites

      Melinda's Favorites

      • Sweet Corn Pasta Salad
      • Blueberry Rhubarb Muffins
      • Cougar Gold Cheese Quiche
      • Sunday Gravy (Spaghetti Sauce)

      Auntie's Favorites

      • Classic Potato Rolls
      • Refrigerator Pickles
      • Perfect Pie Crust
      • Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

      Footer

      ^ back to top

      Logos from websites that feature the Crinkled Cookbook.

      About

      • Meet Melinda

      Contact

      • Sign up for emails and recipes!
      • Contact

      Disclaimers

      • Privacy Policy & Terms
      • Comment Policy

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

      Copyright © 2019 - 2023 Crinkled Cookbook LLC