Additional Tips from Readers

  • To give boxed brownie mix extra flavor, I add a tablespoon of instant coffee granules to the batter. —Tracy Knight, Knoxville, Tennessee
  • I wrap brownies individually in plastic wrap and place them in a basket on the counter. This keeps them fresh longer…and they're ready to be packed into lunch boxes. —Caroline Engelbert, Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • Out of unsweetened baking chocolate? You can substitute 3 tablespoons cocoa plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or shortening for each 1-ounce square of unsweetened chocolate. —Diane Moss, Ottawa, Illinois
  • When a recipe calls for dusting the pan with flour and the batter is chocolate, I "flour" with baking cocoa instead. The cocoa enhances the chocolate flavor and eliminates the white flour dust! —Sarah Hulin, Conroe, Texas
  • My favorite way to serve brownies is to put them on individual serving plates, top each with a scoop of chocolate swirl ice cream, add some chocolate sauce and a generous spoonful of whipped cream, then top with a maraschino cherry. If I want this dessert to look really fancy, I drizzle a little chocolate sauce on the plate first. —Robin Arnhold, Madison, Wisconsin
  • I find lining my baking pan with aluminum foil makes cutting brownies easier because I can lift the brownies right out of the pan! Cleaning the pan is a snap, too. —Kim Aldridge, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
  • For a fun and different fondue dipper, I cut unfrosted brownies into small cubes for dunking. —Judy Arnold, Cedar Hills, Utah
  • My favorite way to cut brownies is with a pizza wheel. It is a versatile kitchen tool! —Bernadine Stine, Roanoke, Indiana
  • For a quick and delicious dessert, I bake brownie batter in my waffle iron. I serve the brownie waffles warm with ice cream or as a base for strawberry shortcake. —Clarice Schweitzer, Sun City, Arizona