The Fruity Addition That Instantly Upgrades Boxed Brownies

When the chocolate sweet tooth hits, a warm fudgy brownie is exactly what hits the spot. Whipping up a homemade batch is not always feasible, whether it be lack of patience or ingredients — and that's when a boxed brownie mix comes in to save the day. While these might not be as extraordinary as homemade, it's certainly possible to elevate this store-bought mix. Common hacks include swapping out the oil for butter or adding a sprinkle of your favorite chocolate chips, but a lesser-known trick is to add in dried fruit.

This addition adds a new texture, and depending on the fruit, a tangy or acidic hit of flavor to balance out the sweet, thick chocolate. Berries are a great choice for dried fruit that would work well in this upgrade, including blueberries, strawberries, and cranberries. Dried stone fruits, like cherries, apricots, dates, and prunes also pair very nicely with chocolate. Don't forget figs and raisins — these dried fruits have a great texture for baking. Add in 2 cups of chopped-up dried fruit — you can also use a mix of several dried fruits. To ensure that the dried fruit does not take away moisture from the brownies, soak the dried fruit in hot water for 15-20 minutes before incorporating it into the batter.

If you don't have any dried fruit in the cupboard, chances are you have some type of fruit in the kitchen, whether it be fresh, freeze-dried, frozen, or jam. It's definitely possible to add any of these forms of fruit into your boxed brownie mix, but each has a different method of preparation. If using fresh or frozen fruit, it's ideal to first roll or toss in flour or cornstarch first. While baking, the fruit will release juices and result in a soggy brownie, but the dry coating around the fruit will help prevent this. 

While regular dried fruit has some moisture left, freeze-dried fruit has had all of its moisture removed, resulting in a crunchy, dry piece of fruit with full flavor. The concentrated flavor makes for an easy way to add a fruit flavor to brownies without altering the moisture content. 1 ½ cups of freeze-dried fruit, like raspberry or strawberry, can be ground up into a powder and added to brownie batter, and also used to top brownies for a vibrant burst of color.

A raspberry or strawberry jam is an easy way to add fruit to brownies without changing much to the preparation of the brownie mix. After pouring the brownie batter into a baking pan, jam can be spooned on top and swirled in. Or after removing it from the oven, spread a thin layer on top of the brownies.