The easiest, most popular option when it comes to baking brownies at home is Duncan Hines brownie mix.
Made from all-natural ingredients that include cocoa powder, sugar, oil, eggs, leavening agents, and vanilla extract, this mix makes homemade brownies simple and quick to prepare.
If you’re looking to add variety to your brownie routine, or if you want to give brownies more of an indulgent feel, then these Duncan Hines brownie mixes should be on your list of alternatives.
What Is The Recipe For Duncan Hines Brownie Mix?
You can find many different types of Duncan Hines brownie kits available online.
However, each one has its own unique flavor, texture, and taste – making them all slightly different.
The best way to decide which type of Duncan Hines brownie mix you would like is by reading reviews left by customers who have tried the product before.
In addition, you can check out how long they take to bake, their consistency after being baked, and whether they are moist enough or not.
While some people may prefer the classic chocolate brownie, others might enjoy the extra oomph provided by the peanut butter version.
Some even use the mix as a base for other recipes such as cake batter and ice cream toppings!
If you’ve been wanting to try something new with your next batch of brownies, then look no further than our guide on how to make Duncan Hines brownie mix.
We will walk you through every step of the process so you know exactly what to expect.
However, we first need to tell you about the benefits of using a Duncan Hines brownie mix instead of mixing up your own brownies yourself.
1. Easy to Make
One of the reasons why Duncan Hines has become synonymous with brownies is because it takes only minutes to whip up a batch of brownies from scratch.
Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule – but in general, it’s easier to make brownies yourself than buy readymade ones from the supermarket.
For example, if you don’t have access to a large oven, then buying pre-cooked brownies won’t work well.
You could also end up wasting time waiting for the mix to cook through, especially if you plan to put them straight into the fridge once they’re done.
On top of that, since Duncan Hines brownie mix contains natural ingredients, you can’t really mess up too badly without having to throw away half the batch.
2. No Waste
Brownie mixes usually come in packages containing multiple servings, meaning you can easily bake several batches without worrying about wastage.
In contrast though, you cannot simply double or triple the amount of brownie mix you bought.
This means that you must either get creative with how much you use per serving, or else you risk running out halfway through.
3. Taste Great
When compared to storebought versions, Duncan Hines brownie mixes actually tend to produce higher quality results.
The reason behind this is because you can control the ratio between fat, flour, egg whites, and sugar precisely by adding water or milk to the mix.
This allows manufacturers to ensure that their products meet strict food safety standards.
And while you can still tweak the original recipe a bit by adjusting the quantities of certain ingredients, you’ll never go wrong with a Duncan Hines brownie mix.
How Do You Make Duncan Hines Brownie Mix?
Duncan Hines brownie mixes are made with natural ingredients like chocolate, flour, cocoa powder, and other flavorings and sweeteners.
The process begins by mixing dry ingredients together in a bowl before adding them into a food processor.
Next, the mixture is added to a container along with other liquids like water, milk, or egg yolks.
Then, the entire blend gets poured into a pan and baked until golden brown.
Finally, the finished product is cooled down and stored in airtight containers.
What Ingredients Do You Need For Duncan Hines Brownie Mix?
Duncan Hines brownie mix contains the following common ingredients:
- Unsalted butter (or margarine)
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Cocoa Powder
- Leavening Agents
- Salt
- Baking Soda
These are some of the basic ingredients in any brownie mix.
However, there might be other ingredients mixed into the batter like chocolate chips or nuts which can also enhance the taste of the finished product.
The exact amounts of each ingredient will vary depending on how much brownie mix you plan to use.
Flour
You might find flour listed as one of the main ingredients in Duncan Hines brownie mix.
This is because many recipes call for a specific amount of flour per cup of batter.
For example, 1/4 cup of flour is used for every 3 tablespoons of batter.
Almond Flour
If you have allergies to gluten, almond flour is another good alternative to wheat flour.
It has similar nutritional benefits but without the risk of cross contamination.
Almond flour is simply blanched almonds ground into a fine meal.
You can buy almond flour online or purchase it ready made at grocery stores.
Chocolate Chips
Many Duncan Hines brownie mixes contain chocolate chips.
These are small pieces of melted chocolate added to the batter during mixing.
They provide color, texture, and flavor to the final product.
Chocolate chips are available pre-made in bags or jars at supermarkets or specialty food shops.
Nuts
Some Duncan Hines brownie mixes include chopped nuts such as peanuts or walnuts.
Chopped nuts can be sprinkled over the top of the brownie before they bake.
Alternatively, you can add them to the batter by including them with the rest of the dry ingredients before adding water.
Nuts are great additions to brownies since they not only boost their nutrition value, but also improve their appearance.
How Long Does It Take To Make Duncan Hines Brownie Mix?
Duncan Hines brownie mix takes just five minutes to put together, but don’t expect them to bake in under 15 minutes either.
The average time it will take to cook brownies made with this mix depends on how big they are and whether you use parchment paper.
You can also speed up the cooking process by using a convection oven instead of standard heat settings.
As far as other factors go, the amount of water used in the recipe also affects the length of time required to finish preparing the mix.
When baked, brownies made with Duncan Hines brownie mix tend to have a softer texture than those prepared with flour alone, so you may find yourself having to adjust the temperature setting slightly depending on what type of brownie you’ve chosen.
Ingredients for Duncan Hines Brownie Mix
- 1 box (12 ounces) Duncan Hines brownie mix
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ¼ cup milk (or ½ cup water)
To start making your own batch of brownies, combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well combined.
Add the wet ingredients into separate measuring cups and measure out enough liquid to reach 1/3 of the total volume of the dry mixture.
Then pour the liquids over the dry mixture and stir gently with a spatula or fork to form a thick batter.
Grease two 9 x 13 inch pans with nonstick spray and line each one with aluminum foil, leaving about 2 inches of excess around the edges.
Pour the brownie batter evenly between the two pans and smooth out any lumps with a rubber spatula.
Bake according to package directions and let cool completely before slicing and serving.
What Is The Best Way To Store Duncan Hines Brownie Mix?
Duncan Hines brownie mixes are available in a wide range of flavors.
You can find brownie mixes with chocolate chips, peanut butter, caramel sauce, fudge topping, nuts, fruit, marshmallow fluff, and even bacon bits! The possibilities are endless, so there’s no need for worry about storage.
While some brownie mixes will stay fresh for up to two weeks once opened, others may only keep their quality for one week.
For example, Duncan Hines Chocolate Chip Brownie Mix has been known to lose its texture after just four days of refrigeration, while Duncan Hines Peanut Butter Brownie Mix stays good for seven days.
When choosing which Duncan Hines brownie mix to buy, consider how much time you have before you plan to bake.
When making brownies, it’s always better to use them sooner rather than later — they start losing moisture as soon as they come out of the oven.
This means that brownie mixes with longer shelf lives will likely taste fresher than those with shorter life spans.
If you don’t think you’ll be using your brownies right away, you might also choose to buy the ones with higher fat content (such as those made with shortening) instead of lower-fat versions.
These will hold up better over time because fats slow down the process of oxidation, keeping your brownies soft and moist for longer.
How Long Does Duncan Hines Brownie Mix Last?
Duncan Hines brownie mixes have been around since 1952.
As such, they’ve been through many iterations over time.
Nowadays, there are two main options available in supermarkets.
The first one has a shelf life of up to five years, while the other lasts just three months.
However, both products are made with similar ingredients – including cocoa powder, sugar, oil, eggs, leavening agents, and vanilla extract.
That means if you buy Duncan Hines brownie mix when it’s new, it will still taste good after a few weeks.
In fact, we recommend using it as soon as possible because its flavor begins to deteriorate quickly once opened.
If you decide to purchase a box of Duncan Hines brownie mix after it expires, remember that not much changes between the old and new versions aside from the expiration date.
This means you can use the expired product without any significant quality loss.
As such, it may be worth buying a second package of the same brand so you always have some on hand.
You might even consider purchasing another type of chocolate treat that uses different types of chocolate chips instead of plain ones like Duncan Hines brownie mix.
What Are Some Tips For Making Duncan Hines Brownie Mix?
Duncan Hines brownie mix offers a straightforward way to bake brownies in the oven without much fuss.
It also allows you to customize the flavor profile by adding additional ingredients such as chocolate chips, nuts, or coffee beans.
To get started with making your own batch of brownie mix, here are some basic tips that will ensure success:
- Use only Duncan Hines brand brownie mix products.
- Be sure to follow the instructions on the package carefully when preparing your brownie mix.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit before starting to bake.
- Keep the mixer bowl clean after each use so that there are no fingerprints left behind on the inside of the mixing bowl.
- After removing the brownie mixture from the mixer bowl, place it onto a cutting board and cut into squares using a sharp knife.
- Store your brownie mix in airtight containers in a cool dark area to prevent mold growth over time.
- If you don’t have any other brownie recipes planned, try our favorite brownie recipe instead!
How Can I Make Duncan Hines Brownie Mix Healthier?
Duncan Hines brownie mix has been around since the 1940s, so many people have grown accustomed to its taste and texture.
But just because something tastes good doesn’t mean it’s healthy!
While there isn’t anything wrong with eating brownies made with Duncan Hines brownie mix (and we encourage everyone to indulge in them!), they may not necessarily be as nutritious as other options out there.
When baked into brownies, white flour and processed sugars can create a dense cakey center and lead to a sweet tooth craving.
In addition, refined grains like wheat flour also contain less nutritional value than whole grain flours.
The best way to combat both of these issues is by replacing some of the white flour with whole grain flour.
If you’ve never tried making your own brownies before, start here with a basic chocolate chip cookie dough recipe.
You can use almost any type of flour instead of white flour—oatmeal, almond meal, coconut flour, etc.—but always keep in mind that different types of flour will change the end result in terms of texture and flavor.
You can find several different brands of Duncan Hines brownie mixes online, including the original brand itself.
However, our favorite option is probably Trader Joe’s Double Chocolate Brownie Mix.
It contains only natural ingredients, which means no artificial flavors or preservatives.
It also uses organic cane sugar, which adds another layer of health benefits to the mix.
What Are Some Alternative Recipes For Duncan Hines Brownie Mix
Here are the best recipes for Duncan Hines brownie mixes, plus other options you might consider.
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies with Peanut Butter Icing (gluten free)
- Oreo Fudge Brownies Recipe
- Gooey Chocolate Cake Brownies
- Chewy Double Chocolate Brownies
- Toffee Toffee Cheesecake Brownies
- Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
- Frosted Mint Brownies
- Pumpkin Pie Brownies
- S’mores Brownies
If you’re not sure which one to pick, here’s how to determine what kind of brownie you need.
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