9 Ways to Jazz Up Box Brownies By Adding Extra Goodies

Brownies are a pretty basic food, just plain chocolate. This is a good thing - chocolate is delicious and very popular. But at the same time, brownies made from a package are not exactly gourmet, and often not very tasty. This article offers some ideas for jazzing up brownies made from a mix. From swirls, to add-ins to toppings, here are 9 ways to personalize brownies from a box.

Mix-in #1: Cream Cheese. Mix one package of cream cheese with one egg, ½ cup sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla. Swirl in the pan with the prepared brownie mix and bake as usual.

Mix-in #2: Chopped Candy Bars. Chop one candy bar into small pieces and stir into prepared brownie mix. Try Snickers, Rolos, York Peppermint Patties or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Mix-in #3: Chopped Nuts. Walnuts are a favorite for adding to brownies, but there are a lot of options. Macadamia nuts, peanuts, almonds or even pistachios would be yummy. Coarsely chop nuts and stir in about ½ cup to batter before putting in the pan.

Mix-in #4: Peanut Butter Chips. Mix about ½ bag of chips into brownie batter before putting in the pan. For variety try any kind of chip - white chocolate, butterscotch or chocolate chips would all be delicious.

Mix-in #5: Mini Marshmallows. Stir ½ bag of miniature marshmallows into the prepared batter. Another option is to use the marshmallows as a topping. Once the brownies are nearly baked, spread ½ bag of miniature marshmallows on top and return to the oven until melted.

Mix-in #6: Sprinkles. Sprinkles won't do much to increase the quality of the brownies, but they sure will make it more fun for the kids! Sprinkle on top of the batter after putting in the pan and before baking.

Mix-in #7: Caramel. Put a delicious spin on plain brownie mix by adding a caramel topping. Melt 20 caramels with 3 tablespoons milk and pour over the top of the brownies once baked.

Mix-in #8: Mint Frosting. Once brownies are baked, frost with mint frosting for a delicious combination. You can make homemade frosting using 4 c. powdered sugar, 1 stick of butter, 2 tablespoons milk and 2 teaspoons peppermint extract. Add several drops of food coloring - red or green will work. You can also buy a tub of mint frosting and use that. Be sure to let the brownies cool before frosting. To make them extra special, crush some peppermint candies and sprinkle on top.

Mix-in #9: Mix 'n' Match. Pick two (or more if you dare) of the ideas above and mix them. Use your imagination. Here are just a few of the possibilities to get you started. Add chopped walnuts to the batter and then frost with mint frosting. Stir chopped macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips into the brownie batter. Add chocolate chips into the batter and then top with colored sprinkles once the batter is in the pan. For turtle brownies, stir chopped pecans into the batter and top with caramel topping once the brownies are baked. Or stir in some chopped Rolos into the brownie batter and frost with caramel.