Okay, listen. I don’t even need to want brownies for this mix to end up in my cart. One glance at that shiny chocolate packaging and my brain goes, “You’re going to need this at 9:43 PM on a Tuesday,” and into the cart it goes. And guess what? My brain was right. Trader Joe’s Brownie Truffle Baking Mix is ridiculously easy, dangerously good, and absolutely belongs in your pantry if you ever experience sudden dessert emergencies. (Which I do. Frequently.)
This mix has been around a while, but somehow I only recently gave it a proper try. And now I’m mad at myself for waiting this long. It’s like a bakery-level brownie with zero effort, minimal dishes, and a ton of rich, chocolatey goodness. If you’ve ever wanted brownies that make you feel slightly fancier than the boxed kind without actually doing anything fancy—this is it.
Taste and Texture
Let’s start with the most important part: the taste. These brownies are legit. Deep chocolate flavor, super fudgy texture, and those little truffle-like melty pockets? Don’t even get me started. They’re like a hybrid between a gooey chocolate lava cake and the edge piece of a brownie pan (a.k.a. the holy grail). Not too sweet, not too bitter—just deeply chocolatey and satisfying.
The edges get that perfect little crispiness if you bake them right, while the inside stays soft and chewy. If you underbake them slightly (which I recommend), they’re almost molten. We ate them warm, and I had to actually stop my daughter from licking the pan. She said, “These are better than birthday cake,” and coming from a kid, that is huge.
I didn’t even do anything extra to them. No nuts, no frosting, no chocolate chips. Just followed the directions and got perfect results. That never happens with me and baking. Never.
Preparation
The box says to just add eggs, oil, and water, and that’s exactly what I did. It came together in like two minutes with a whisk—no mixer needed. I poured it into a parchment-lined pan, popped it in the oven, and tried to clean up the three things I used while pretending to be patient.
Bake time is around 30 minutes, but I pulled mine out at 28 and they were perfectly soft in the center. If you like a more cakey brownie (we can still be friends, I guess), leave them in longer. But if you're like me and live for that fudgy middle? Don’t overbake!
Also: the batter tastes amazing. I’m not saying you should lick the bowl, I’m just saying I did.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Deep, rich chocolate flavor
- Fudgy, chewy texture that tastes homemade
- Takes less than 5 minutes to prep
- Super kid-friendly, but also grown-up enough for dinner guests
- Affordable—especially compared to bakery brownies
Cons:
- If you’re on a diet, this will test every ounce of your willpower
- Not allergy-friendly (contains wheat, eggs, soy)
- You will absolutely eat more than one piece. Possibly half the pan.
Location in Store
This mix is usually hanging out with the baking stuff, often near the cake mixes and cookie kits. Sometimes they move it to a special display during the holidays or Valentine’s Day, which makes sense—it’s totally got date-night-dessert potential. Grab a couple boxes when you see it. Trust me, one isn’t enough.
Similar Products
If you like this one, you might also want to try:
- Trader Joe’s Blondie Bar Baking Mix – similar setup, but with a more brown sugar/caramel flavor vibe
- Trader Joe’s Truffle Ice Cream – imagine a scoop of that on top of one of these brownies
- Or for something lighter (lol), pair it with a hot drink and a few Trader Joe’s Vanilla Meringues for balance
Final Verdict
This brownie mix is dangerously good. It’s one of those things you keep on hand “just in case” and then somehow make every other week. It’s fast, it’s delicious, and it delivers serious bakery energy with boxed-mix ease. I love that I can whip it up after dinner and have warm, melty brownies on the table before the kids even finish their homework (or at least pretend to). No stress. No dishes. Just really, really good brownies.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 out of 5—will be buying again until Trader Joe’s tells me to stop)
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