Super Yummy Chocolate Brownie Mix

This brownie mix is one of my most popular lessons. The students just love designing their own original brownies.

It's a super-easy recipe that works well whatever is added to it. Although it is part of my Year 7 "Presents in a Package" unit, I have also used it in my Year 8 "City Cafe" unit as it is one of those easy, never-fail recipes that is also very, very yummy.

For the first part of the lesson, the students make up the mix and package it. Then for the second part of the lesson, they make the mix again, but this time they mix in eggs and oil and bake it in the oven. Students love taking home a finished product in addition to the brownie mix.

Although the brownie mix is supposed to be given as a gift to a friend or family member, most of my students use it as an opportunity to make the brownies again at home. I am happy that they do this because if they are cooking at home, it means they are gaining confidence and learning new skills :)

Brownie Mix
(Between 2)

1 c plain flour
1 t baking soda
½ t salt
2/3 c packed brown sugar
1/3 c cocoa
2/3 c sugar

• Combine flour, baking soda and salt, brown sugar, cocoa and sugar in a bowl. This is your basic brownie mix

• Add ½ cup of your choice of ingredients from the following list:

• White chocolate chips
• Dark chocolate chips
• M & Ms
• Marshmallows (cut into quarters) or mini marshmallows
• Glace cherries
• Dried apricots (chopped)
• Dried cranberries

• Stir your chosen ingredients into the basic brownie mix.

• Evenly divide your mixture into two bags (1 each to take home) and attach the instructions. Don’t forget to write your extra ingredients in the space provided

Instructions to add to your Brownie Mix before giving it as a gift:

Combine contents of bag with:

2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup (75 mL) vegetable oil

Pour into a greased/lined brownie tin.

Bake at 180ºC for about 15 minutes until the top is set.

How to make Brownies (if you just want to bake them without just making the mix)

½ c plain flour
½ t baking soda
¼ t salt
1/3 c packed brown sugar
3 T cocoa
1/3 c sugar

2 eggs
½ t vanilla
1/3 c (75 mL) oil


• Preheat the oven to 180°C.

• Line a brownie tin with baking paper.

• Mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, cocoa and sugar in a bowl.

• Add ½ cup of your choice of ingredients from the following list:

• White chocolate chips
• Dark chocolate chips
• M & Ms
• Marshmallows (cut into quarters) or mini marshmallows
• Glace cherries
• Dried apricots (chopped)
• Dried cranberries

• Add the eggs, vanilla and oil to the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

• Pour mixture into your prepared tin.

• Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until top is set.

• Leave to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into small pieces.