Aldi Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix Review
Author’s Note: I have nooo affiliation with Aldi. These are my own silly opinions. No one paid me to write this review.
Welp. I had no choice.
As I’ve mentioned before, I usually make my own cakes and brownies from scratch. But, I HAVE been insanely curious about Aldi’s ridiculously cheap baking mixes. I had a shockingly positive experience with Aldi’s Yellow Cake Mix — which set me back just $1.09. “Practically free.” This Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix was $1.45. So, I basically had no choice.
Taste and texture
My overall assessment is that the finished brownies have a great texture. They are wildly moist, and (indeed!) pleasantly “chewy.” A crisp crust forms on top. They manage to be “fudgey” while holding a structured shape and not tasting raw.
Much too sweet!
But I can’t get past the cloying sweetness (almost syrupy) and brash, artificial flavor. I am used to homemade brownies, which are just real chocolate, and perhaps vanilla. By comparison, these taste a bit shocking. Like neon flashing lights, but in my mouth. It’s not gross, it just disturbs my brain cells a bit. I’d take “no flavor” over this flavor, honestly.
(If you would like my mom’s no-frills brownie recipe, I posted it in this review of Aldi’s Chocolate Chips.)
Diluted cocoa flavor
The actual chocolate taste is more diluted compared to the brownies I’d make myself. Some of that might be from the strong added flavors overshadowing the natural cocoa notes. But it may also be that there is proportionally less cocoa powder in this mix.
If you eat brownies for sugary satisfaction, you may not mind. But if you eat them for that satisfying jolt of bold cacao and peppy theobromine, you might feel bamboozled.
(Aldi sells another version called “Double Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix.” But, it comes with a premium price tag. Of course.)
Excellent leftovers
I liked my brownies even better the second day, warmed up in the microwave. In fact, I ate mine over 7 days, and they tasted just as good on the last day as they did on the first. Not stale or dry. I did keep them in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
You will need:
The instructions on the box call for 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs, and 3 tablespoons water. Then there are optional “add-ins,” such as crushed pretzels, dried fruit, or extra chocolate. I used butter, and opted for a heaping cup of walnuts. (Yes, these are Costco walnuts, which I reviewed here.)
Mixing the batter:
This is a pretty big bag of dry mix. In fact, it’s more than a pound. The label calls this “family size,” and they aren’t lying. The batter mixes up quickly and reliably. I melted my butter and mixed it with the eggs and water before adding the dry mix. Then I stirred in the nuts and spread it in the pan. The batter has good uniformity and a decent thickness.
Baking:
The instructions call for a 13×9 inch greased AND floured pan. I usually just butter my pans, but I dutifully obeyed. My pan is only 9×7 with a sloped bottom, so I ended up baking mine for a full 43 minutes.
Ingredients in Aldi Chewy Fudge Brownie Mix
Here are the ingredients from the label. This is actually a lot better than I expected:
- Sugar
- Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)
- Cocoa Processed with Alkali
- Canola Oil
- Contains 2% or less of: Corn Starch, Salt, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Baking Soda
More information from the label:
- Contains a bioengineered food ingredient
Nutrition Facts
A serving is 1/18th the package and contains 170 calories when prepared according to the label. There are 8 grams fat (1.5 grams saturated fat) and 2 grams protein. You get a total 25 grams carbohydrates, of which 17 grams are sugar (all of them “added sugars”) and 1 gram is fiber. There’s just 4% your daily recommended value of sodium per serving, and 7% cholesterol.
Price and Servings
The 18.03 ounce box cost $1.45 at my local Aldi. You are supposed to get 18 servings per package, which I personally find a bit unrealistic. I’d say a normal American serving size is going to be at least double that. But, whatever. Before adding in the price of the extra ingredients, each serving would cost about 8 cents. That’s hard to beat.
Shelf Life
The “Best By” date on my package allowed almost 18 months to consume.
Baking Instructions
Preparation instructions, from the label:
- Preheat oven to 350. Coat bottom of pan with nonstick cooking spray or shortening and a flour dusting.
- Beat water, vegetable oil, and egg in medium bowl until fully blended. Add brownie mix and stir until blended. Spread batter into pan.
- Bake at 350 (13×9″ pan: 24-26 minutes, 9×9″ pan: 37-40 minutes, 8×8″ pan: 45-50 minutes).
- Cool 10-15 minutes before removing from pan. Store loosely covered.
Dramatic Conclusion
For a quick, reliable dessert, this is an easy and inexpensive option. I personally can’t get past the STRONG artificial flavor or excessive sweetness. So, I can’t see myself buying this again, unless I’m cooking for someone else.
The Awesome-o-Meter scores this baking mix a half-hearted “Meh.” It’s not a bad product if you already use brownie mixes. But probably not worth the switch if you normally cook from scratch.
The End.
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