These brownies are made from a box, but it is a very special box that never fails for beginner cooks: Better Crocker’s Original Supreme Brownie Mix with the chocolate syrup package. I follow the directions exactly; they change over time as the contents of the box change (usually reducing in weight and volume). The secret to a really memorable brownie is depth. Choose the smaller pan size to achieve the ‘fudgiest,’ sink-your face-into-the-bite brownie.
One Box – serves 4-6 people
- 1 box Betty Crocker’s Original Supreme Brownie Mix with Hershey’s syrup
- 1 egg
- 1/4 Cup corn or canola oil (this amount has changed over time; go with whatever the box says)
- 1/4 Cup water (this amount has also changed over time; follow the box instructions exactly)
- 8 x 8 square baking pan
Heat the oven to 325°F or 350°F, depending on the type of pan you are using (metal, glass, etc.) Use whatever temperature the box indicates for your pan.
Place the dry mix in a bowl, then the syrup, egg, water and oil. Break the egg yolk with the spatula 
or large spoon you will use to stir the brownies. Don’t use a mixer or whisk. Stir the ingredients together exactly 40 stirs. Count every “stir” whether it is a complete circuit around the bowl, cutting across through the center, or a smaller circle.
Brownie batter should be rough and thick, like concrete with gravel that is just beginning to set. Don’t worry if some small balls of dry mix remain.
Scrape the batter into a square pan that is only greased on the bottom. If you grease the sides, the edges of the brownie will bake too fast.
Bake 28 minutes – NOTE: this has changed over time; be sure to follow the current box instructions exactly. If the edges of the brownies are not pulled slightly away from the sides of the pan on all four sides, bake 2-3 minutes longer. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
Party size, for 12-16 people
- 3 boxes Betty Crocker’s Original Supreme Brownie Mix with Hershey’s syrup (in 2010, only 2 boxes were necessary for a 9 x 13 pan; by 2023 it took 3 boxes to turn out really thick brownies in the same size pan)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 Cup corn or canola oil (this amount has changed over time; go with whatever the box says and triple the quantity)
- 1/ 2 Cup water (this amount has also changed over time; follow the box instructions exactly and triple the quantity)
Follow the recipe on the box, but combine the mixes for a 9′ x 13″ pan. You need a really big mixing bowl, or you can mix them up one batch at a time and pour one batch on top of the other, then bake. Grease or spray the pan with Pam, but only the bottom – don’t grease the sides.
If you are using a clear glass pan, bake for 40 minutes at the temperature recommended for a glass pan.
Allow to cool to almost room temperature before cutting with a plastic knife. All the other knives will press down the edges or break up the brownies when you try to cut through them.