Gretchen's Vegan Bakery

Fixing the Duncan Hines Box Brownie Disaster

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We’re not sure why Duncan Hines Changed the Box Brownie Recipe

But here’s the fix to get your Duncan Hines Box Brownie Disaster back to the way you always loved them!

Fixing the Duncan Hines Box Brownies

Way back in 2018 I did the original hack for How to Replace the Eggs in a Box Brownie Mix

And since then everyone has been so happy for this hack!

Well here we are again with a recent wildfire of irate people (and rightly so) who are freaking out because Duncan Hines changed the recipe!

Fixing the Duncan Hines Box Brownies

Whether you are vegan or not you will be thrilled to know your favorite box brownie is not lost forever!

Whatever Duncan Hines is doing with their formula, I figured out how to get it back for you with this easy ingredients tweak listed below!

WATCH THE YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR MORE!

Fixing the Duncan Hines Box Brownies

Also if you want to forget the box mix and make your own homemade scratch recipe for the best vegan brownies! Click here!

The Best Vegan Brownies

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Notes for Success:

For more cake like brownies use ¾ cup of flour and for fudgier brownies use ½ cup

8″ x 8″ Square pan is my preferred pan size for these brownies

 

Fixing the Duncan Hines Box Brownies

Fixing Box Brownies

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Box Duncan Hines Dark Fudge or Chewy Brownies 18.2oz Box
  • All Purpose Flour ½ cup - ¾ cup 62g-95g *see notes for success section
  • Baking Powder ¼ teaspoon
  • Dry blend egg replacer 2 teaspoons * I use Bob's Red Mill
  • Cocoa Powder 2 Tablespoons
  • Vegetable Oil not coconut oil 1/3 cup (77ml)
  • Water or Coffee ½ cup 118ml

Instructions
 

  • NOTE: You will not be using the oil/water/egg recommendations on the box. Instead you will only use the ingredients listed above!
  • Open the box of brownie mix and pour it into a large mixing bowl
  • Add the flour, egg replacer, baking powder & cocoa powder and whisk or sift to combine evenly
  • Add the water and the oil and whisk smooth for about 50 strokes
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F
  • Grease & parchment line an 8" x 8" cake pan (or a 9" X 9" pan for thinner brownies) and pour the batter into the pan spreading it evenly
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 25 - 27 minutes for the 9" pan or 27 - 29 minutes for the 8" pan
  • Insert a toothpick into the center of the brownie to check it is not raw batter
  • Bake until done.
  • Cool in the pan then turn out onto a cutting board and cut into portions

Video

Notes

Brownies will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for longer storage up to 2 months wrapped well
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Kathy

    Thank you so much for posting this solution. I used 2 large eggs and went with the half cup of flour. They came out a little dry. I will try adding a little more water. With a glass of milk they were delicious.

    • Gretchen

      I have not found a reason to use anything other than the recipe I have listed here as it comes out absolutely perfect, but feel free to try it! 🙂
      *not to mention Just Egg is so obscenely expensive I do not buy it anymore at nearly $8 a container I just…cannot….

  4. Jaz

    Quick question: I used to use Duncan‘s and followed the box instructions with vegan substitutes. It always worked but recently they started to boil into unedible tar instead of bake. Did that happen to anybody else? Is that why you suggest the fix?

    • Gretchen

      Hey there, so I had originally created a “box brownies hack” back in 2017? I think? So check that out first because I am not sure what you mean by “followed the box instructions with vegan substitutes”
      But that article will help to clarify “all the vegan subs” first of all
      Then just recently someone pointed out that Duncan Hines changed their box instructions & recipe add-ins which has thrown off the recipe for those who know & love it for years.
      That is why I then created this new post/recipe which we are commenting on now.
      So again I am not sure what you used as “vegan subs” but if you follow the recip3e I have listed here it will work great! As a matter of fact I just baked a box yesterday following this recipe fix~ they came out perfect

  5. Cris

    Love this! Do you think avocado oil would work as vegetable oil? I’m a beginner baker. Thanks!

    • Gretchen

      OMG get out of my head! Today I made this, I thought to myself I wonder if avocado would work instead of oil…LOL
      However I did not try it because I didn’t want to make them again hahaha.
      I also want to try peanut butter melted! 🙂

      OH WAIT- you said avocado OIL …lol woops! YES ANY OIL YOU LIKE WILL WORK!

  6. Robin

    This one’s a winner! I used the recipe you presented with 3/4 C flour, the egg replacement and additional cocoa powder and baking powder. I’m in Colorado at high altitude (4800 feet) but made no other changes. Perfect at 350 degrees for27 minutes in a 9×9 pan.

  7. Kale

    Absolutely love your recipe substitutions. I reduced the amount of oil and water in your substitute recipe, though, because I strictly do stove-top steam baking. The cakes turn out perfect every time and are truly delicious. Everyone I know, who has tasted servings of my cakes, tell me they are delicious and ask me for additional servings when they eat their portions. They even request my cakes for their birthday parties.