How to Jazz up a Plain Jane Box Mix

I am going to show you a few simple tips that I use to jazz up a plain jane box mix to make it a little extra special!

If you know me, then you know I don’t really like to cook. That is not to say that I don’t know how to cook, I just don’t like doing it. Well if there is one thing that I can get behind- it’s baking a box mix. Because if I bake it in my own oven it’s still homemade! Am I right? But sometimes those box mixes are just a bit too basic. Let me show you how I jazz up a plain jane box mix with these simple tips.

Be sure to check out my Pinterest board- I am NOT Cooking

Just because I don’t like to cook doesn’t mean I don’t come across a recipe or two that I might want to save for later.

Biscuits, Muffins, and Bagels

Oh My!

Once again I am teaming up with my sweet friends for a good old blog hop! This time we are each sharing a breakfast recipe, so now who’s hungry?

Ashlee of Sweet Southern Oaks has been trying to recreate her Grandmother’s biscuit recipe.

Liz of Living with Liz is making homemade bagels for her breakfast!

We try and meet up once a month for our little blog hop. Where we tackle mostly crafts and decorating. You can check out our other blog hops HERE

Are you a blogger and interested in joining our little blog hop? Please let me know! We are looking to expand our little group and would love to have you!

Jazz up any box mix that you like

When it comes to cake, brownie or muffin box mixes I often go for whatever is on sale. But if you have a go-to brand or flavor that you favor than go with that one. Really- you do you, and you won’t go wrong.

Prepare to make the box mix as stated in the instructions, but before you begin mixing let’s take a look at how things could be jazzed up. Let’s see if we can make that plain jane box mix a little something extra.

Add an Extra EGG

On brownie box mixes it often states that if you want a more cake-like brownie to add an extra egg. I always do that for brownies, but about 10 years ago I started doing it for all box mixes- brownie, cake, muffin, and even pancake mixes too!. I find that it makes everything just a little bit more fluffy.

Swap for Olive Oil

If a box mix calls for vegetable oil- I often swap for olive oil. This happened as a mistake one morning when I found that I was out of vegetable oil. But it turned out that the darker flavor of the olive oil was just what the box mix needed to make the flavor a bit richer. Now it’s my go-to oil for just about everything.

Be sure to keep the measurement the same as the box mix requires. You could also use grapeseed oil or ghee if you prefer.

Fill it up on the NUTS

Oh, how I love nuts! Pretty much all kinds of nuts- almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pine nuts, macadamia, hazelnuts, and peanuts. But Pecans are my favorite by far. I always have a few bags of nuts around to just eat as a snack or to jazz up a box mix.

When adding nuts to a plain jane box mix use at least 1 cup, but if you like a truly nutty baked good- add the whole bag. Why not? Am I right?

Mix in Fruit- Fresh or Frozen

Blueberry pancakes and muffins are a favorite around our house. When using that muffin mix that comes with the small can of tiny blueberries- I always add a cup or more of either fresh or frozen berries. It really makes those muffins chock full of blueberry goodness!

I have also been know to add frozen sweet corn into corn muffin mixes. And frozen pineapple to a yellow cake box mix. Use whatever fruit that you have on hand or that you find fresh in season.

What I like best about using fresh or frozen over canned fruit- is that they have moisture that is natural. Not added sugared-up fruit juice. But that is just my preference.

You can’t go wrong with chocolate chips

If you’re a fan of chocolate like I am- than this is another tip that I am sure everyone has tried before. Add a cup or even the whole bag of chocolate chips to jazz up a box mix.

I like to use dark chocolate but if you like, you could use- milk, white, or even peanut butter chips to jazz up a box mix.

Toasted Flaked Coconut

While I know that there are many people who hate coconut, I mean really hate coconut. I am not one of those people- I love it! Always have. For some box mixes, I like to add a cup of large flake coconut. It adds a nice texture to a plain jane box mix.

I tend to stay away from the sweetened shredded coconut- but if you like it and have it on hand- mix it in that box mix!

Cornbread Muffins with Sweet Corn and Fresh Blueberries

Here are the steps that I used to jazz up this batch of Cornbread muffins:

• added an extra egg– see how fluffy the muffins are? And look at the golden-brown exterior! They look almost as good as they tasted.
• added a cup of sweet corn and a cup of fresh blueberries– look at all of that sweet goodness. These muffins were so full of fruit.
• added 2 tablespoons of olive oil– while this muffin box mix did not call for oil- I did add a couple of tablespoons to this mix for the rich flavor.

As you can see you don’t have to use all of my tips to jazz up a plain jane box mix. Pick and choose whatever works for you.

A couple final tips

• Use a larger mixing bowl to accommodate the extra ingredients
• Grease and flour your cake pans and muffin tins to ensure an easy release for your baked goods
• Experiment! Try something and see if you like it. Then next time try a new combination. Food and Baking should be fun!

Ashlee is making her Grandmother’s Biscuits

My gal Ashlee is over at her blog Sweet Southern Oaks sharing her take on her Grandmother’s Biscuit recipe. They look good enough for breakfast or dinner! I see these being so yummy with jam or gravy!

Liz put together some Homemade Bagels

My good friend Liz is on her blog Living with Liz showing a way to make homemade bagels! What could be better than fresh bagels? Pass me the butter!

Pin this for later

As you can see you don’t have to make something from scratch to make something special. Just use my simple tips and jazz up that plain jane box mix! I am sure you’re going to love it.