Trader Joe’s Ready to Bake Brownies, reviewed

Brownie mixes are a convenient thing to keep in the back of your pantry when you need a quick brownie fix. What could be easier than a mix, where you just add a few ingredients and stir? The answer is a mix that you don’t need to add anything to. I spotted these Trader Joe’s Ready to Bake Brownies on a recent shopping trip. The mix already has eggs and oil incorporated into it, so you simply pour it straight into the pan and bake in a preheated oven. Foolproof.

I picked this up because I was curious as to how it would stand up to a regular brownie mix, especially since I’ve gotten pretty good results from other Trader Joe’s mixes. I was concerned that, since the mix had flour already incorporated into it, it might end up being a little tough. This concern wasn’t entirely unfounded, as these brownies turned out to be a slightly spongier and less tender than even most brownie mixes are. They still had a good chocolate flavor and were very moist, but it would have been nicer if they were a bit more tender and fudgy. Homemade brownies are going to give you a better texture and more flavor every time, especially when they’re made with real butter and melted chocolate.

That said, the only thing easier than this is buying a package of brownies that are already baked – and you don’t get the smell of freshly baked brownies in your kitchen when you buy them already baked. They also freeze well, so these are actually pretty good for using to make a batch of brownie ice cream sandwiches, and they can also be chopped up an incorporated into a batch of ice cream for a brownie-sundae.