I’m going to be honest, I’m not a huge baker. And I personally kind of suck at having patience. Which isn’t ideal for baking. But I do love sprucing up a good boxed mix to make it special. Since the holidays are here, having an easy-to-make last-minute recipe in your back pocket is key. It can help save you when you realize you have a party to go to and have no time to make something super special. Or, no time to go to the store. So this is what I do when I’m in a pinch!
My Secret To Boxed Brownie Mix
All you have to do is to keep a few boxes of your favorite brownie mix in your pantry (can’t hate that idea, right?) and my secret ingredient. Chocolate-covered espresso beans. That’s it! You obviously need a few mix-ins to create the brownies which usually include an egg, oil, and water. All things I hope you have on hand. But other than that, these come together deliciously within minutes.
If you want to make brownies from scratch, you can try this recipe of mine here. Just add in your espresso beans and they’ll be delicious!
I personally like to chop up the chocolate espresso beans so that you have a good mix of sizes and chunks throughout the batter. You can even leave a few whole beans and put them on top right before baking. The espresso beans just add so much flavor, a little bit of crunch, and extra chocolatey goodness.
This little trick came about after I went to Boston and bought the most incredibly gooey and delicious espresso bean brownie at a farmer’s market. It had me inspired to recreate it at home. But then I remembered, I’m not a big baker. So why not just dress up a store-bought mix and call it a day!
Photo by Hannah Lozano
