10 Gluten-Free Brownie Mixes, Ranked

I admit it — I'm a bit of a gluten-free brownie snob. When I ran my bakery, our gluten-free brownies (made from scratch, of course!) were one of the most popular items. But now that my bakery days are behind me, I often find myself craving a truly great gluten-free brownie that's fast and easy. Tasting Table has already ranked the absolute best boxed brownie mixes, but I wondered what's out there in the boxed gluten-free brownie mix world — and as it turns out, quite a bit.

To find the best boxed gluten-free brownie mix, I tested 10 brands readily available in my area and easy to find at local grocery or big box stores. I'll share more on my methodology at the end of this article, but the final rankings were primarily based on taste and texture. I wanted a brownie that was chocolaty, decadent, moist, and fudgy, yet firm enough to hold its shape (I'm literally drooling as I write this.) After plenty of tasting, I was able to crown a winner amongst a crowded field of delicious contenders. Let's get right to the rankings.

The 365 Gluten Free Fudge Brownie Mix is part of Whole Foods' in-house brand, known for its organic, budget-friendly products. Priced at $4.29 at my local Whole Foods, this boxed mix was pleasantly affordable and cheaper than familiar brands like Pillsbury and Betty Crocker.

The batter was made with oil, water, eggs, and dry mix, but very quickly, I had concerns. It was very thick and sticky, which had me worried, and unfortunately, my worst fears came true after it was baked. The texture was gummy, one of my biggest pet peeves with gluten-free baked goods. And the cocoa flavor? Nearly nonexistent. I kept waiting for a hit of rich, chocolaty "fudge," as noted on the box, but it never came. Instead, the brownies tasted flat and underwhelming.

While the brownie itself cooked up firm and sliced cleanly, that was about it for the positives. The 365 Gluten Free Fudge Brownie Mix fell short of producing the kind of rich, fudgy gluten-free brownies that I was hoping for. As a result, this mix was an easy — and quick — pass.

The Simple Mills Almond Flour Brownie Baking Mix is one of the pricier options on this list, ringing in at $7.46 per box. Given the brand's reputation for clean ingredients and elevated gluten-free foods, I was really looking forward to trying its take on gluten-free brownies.

The brownie batter requires oil (or butter), water, eggs, and dry mix, and it's noticeably dark. That's thanks to Dutch cocoa, a type of cocoa powder that goes through an alkalization process, which results in an earthier, deeper flavor and darker color. That was a promising sign (or so I thought).

However, the Simple Mills brownies are baked with almond flour, which gives them a very tender crumb that pushes them into cake territory. In my book, a brownie should be dense and fudgy, not soft and spongy. Visually, the brownie baked up with a flat, somewhat dull top, though it did closely resemble the image on the box. Ultimately, while the chocolaty flavor was pleasant and present — unlike in the 365 Whole Foods version — the texture didn't meet what I look for in a brownie, which secured it in the penultimate place.

Pillsbury's Gluten Free Chocolate Fudge Brownies are made with oil, eggs, water, and dry mix with chocolate chips. These brownies baked up with a shiny, crinkly crust to boot, which got my mouth watering immediately.

The "chocolate fudge" flavor promised on the box was there, but it was disappointingly average. To make things worse, it was borderline artificial tasting (artificial flavor is in the ingredient list, after all) and just, well, flat-tasting. Further, there was a hint of graininess, which pushed me to scan the ingredient list. Sure enough, the ingredients include white whole grain sorghum flour, which, I suspect, was the likely culprit.

On a positive note, the brownies had a pleasant chew — not cakey, like the Simple Mills version — and were easy to slice. While Pillsbury's gluten-free brownie would pass muster with most kids, anyone with a more sophisticated palate may have trouble getting excited over these brownies.

When shopping for gluten-free brownie mixes, I was pleasantly surprised to see a Krusteaz option, because I have always associated it with boxed pancake mix. As one of the cheapest mixes of the group, I happily tossed it into my shopping cart.

The batter comes together with water, oil, egg, and dry mix, which includes chocolate chips. It takes a few extra seconds of hand mixing to work out the lumps in the dry mix, and be aware that the instructions call for letting the batter sit for 5 minutes before baking. Factor in, too, that this brownie took the longest to bake of the bunch — a total of 45 minutes.

Unlike Pillsbury, Krusteaz had a pleasant cocoa flavor that tasted natural. But like Pillsbury, there was a noticeable grittiness, likely caused by the brown rice flour in the dry mix ingredients. That same flour gives the brownies a nutty, toasty flavor I recognize from Krusteaz' gluten-free pancakes — a quality that works well in breakfast foods, but doesn't mesh well in a brownie.Nevertheless, these brownies baked up impressively thick, had good chew, and enjoyable cocoa flavor, which is why Krusteaz edged past Pillsbury to land in seventh place.

The Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie Mix is quick and easy, just like boxed baking should be. Prep is simply and unfussy — just add water, oil, and eggs and stir. The batter, which is notably thick and studded with small chocolate chips, bakes up with a slight dome and a mottled, crater-like top.

The Betty Crocker brownie was surprisingly light on cocoa flavor, especially for a brownie specifically labeled as "chocolate." But that aside, there are a few things that Betty Crocker did well. The brownie texture was grit-free and didn't have any artificial taste. It also had a great chew that was moist and satisfying. For these reasons, Betty Crocker shot in front of Krusteaz to claim the number six spot on this gluten-free brownie mix ranking. My final thoughts? Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Brownie Mix makes an average brownie — it's fine, but nothing special.

Breaking into the top five is Otto's Grain-Free Gluten-Free Classic Brownie Mix, made with cassava flour. This mix ranked higher than Betty Crocker (and the other bottom four) because its chocolaty taste was top-notch — like, seriously delicious. This was the brownie I kept going back to nibble on throughout the day. It's definitely on the sweeter side, but it's not overwhelming, and the crisp top offers a nice contrast to the rich, fudgy layer below.

Ranking this mix, however, was trickier than I expected. While its taste was like that of the ultimate fudgy brownie recipe, the execution fell short in a big way. The biggest drawback is excess oil and a lack of structure. The brownies bake up noticeably greasy — to the point that my fingers were shiny from holding them, which made for an unpleasant eating experience. They were also the thinnest brownies in this lineup, making them fragile and hard to handle.

This mix would benefit from being baked in a smaller pan to achieve more height. Cutting back on the oil to reduce greasiness and improve sturdiness would help, too. But priced at nearly $9.00 at my local store, it's doubtful I'd buy this mix again unless I happen to spot it on sale — which is a shame, given how good the flavor truly is.

Ghirardelli's take on gluten-free brownies starts with a batter made with water, oil, egg, and dry mix, which includes full-size chocolate chips. The batter needs to sit for 10 minutes before baking and it took almost 45 minutes to bake, so keep this in mind if you're short on time. 

When pulled from the oven, these brownies were striking. As a lover of dark chocolate, I was immediately drawn to its deep color and glossy, crinkled top. It also baked up impressively tall — a totally Instagram-worthy pic.

What makes these brownies stand out is the chocolate flavor — no doubt from Ghirardelli's signature cocoa powder. They're chocolate-forward, making them appealing to any chocolate lover. The texture of the brownies veers towards fudge — not nearly as chewy as the brownies ranked in the top three, but still very satisfying. They held up well and were easy to slice and hold. There was a faint grittiness from brown rice flour, but it was minimal and certainly not a deal breaker. I'd happily bake these again when a deep, fudgy craving strikes.

King Arthur Gluten Free Ultimate Fudge Brownie Mix calls for water, eggs, and most notably, melted butter. It was one of three mixes in the group that called for butter, and not to give anything away, but all three butter-based brownies on this list are in the top three.

A combination of things propelled King Arthur to a third-place spot. These brownies had impressive height, a crunchy top, and a great balance of cakey and fudgy texture. The dense chew was seriously satisfying and lingered. The use of butter clearly boosted the overall flavor and added richness, and the high-quality cocoa powder touted on the box genuinely delivered — you can taste it.

That said, there was one drawback. A slight coating sensation developed and lingered in my mouth after eating, which could be from the rice flour and tapioca starch in the mix. Despite this flaw, these brownies were very well done. While it wasn't named the absolute best boxed gluten-free brownie mix this time around, it still easily cracked the top three.

Great Value, Walmart's in-house brand, offers shoppers lower-priced alternatives to national brands. As a proud Walmart shopper, I'm happy to report that the Great Value Gluten-Free Brownie Mix proves that affordable doesn't mean low-quality.

The batter comes together quickly with just eggs, water, and butter, and bakes up with a nice medium-dark brown color. The flavor was rich and well-balanced between sweet and chocolaty. The use of butter boosted both flavor and moistness, and the brownie's height was pretty perfect — not too tall, not too flat. It was easy to slice and hold without falling apart. The texture was tender, yet its structure held beautifully. It tasted like a brownie and chewed like a brownie — it's simply a brownie done right.

What ultimately pushed this mix ahead of King Arthur was texture and moisture. The chew lasted longer, and the brownie was noticeably moist from edge to center. There was also no coating left on my mouth, which was King Arthur's downfall. Priced at under $3.00, Great Value's Gluten Free Brownie Mix was the least expensive mix in this lineup and is an undeniable steal.

Miss Jones Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Brownie Mix was the clear standout winner in this ranking. I'm quickly becoming a big fan of Miss Jones' baking mixes, and this brownie only reinforced that loyalty. I first came across this California-based brand when I baked and ranked spice cake mixes, where its commitment to high-quality, responsibly sourced, all-natural ingredients set it apart. Miss Jones strives to make food that tastes homemade, and this was very apparent in its brownie mix.

Prep is simple — water, eggs, butter, and dry mix — but the finished brownies are anything but basic. They bake up with a wonderful chew that lingers in your mouth, so you can enjoy the rich cocoa flavor as long as possible. Its sweetness was pretty much perfect. But most impressive? There was no grittiness at all. Zilch.

While Great Value's gluten-free brownie excelled in texture and moisture, so too did Miss Jones' version. But Miss Jones earned the top spot because its flavor was more elevated, with deeper chocolate notes. In short, the brownies tasted more homemade. Ultimately, Miss Jones Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Brownie Mix beat out the competition because it relies on ingredients that make a big difference in taste.

In my quest to find the best boxed gluten-free brownie mix, I selected ten brands that were easy to find in my area. I baked each box mix in an 8 inch by 8 inch square pan and allowed them to cool completely before slicing. I tasted each brownie plain — no frosting, no ice cream, or glass of milk — because I wanted each mix to stand on its own. A note about ingredients: I used canola oil, large eggs, unsalted butter, and tap water.

I looked at several factors when putting together these rankings, primarily taste and texture. The top-ranking brownies boasted a chew that lingered and had enough structure to slice, hold, and bite into without falling apart. I evaluated the depth of chocolate flavor and was on the lookout for common gluten-free pitfalls, like grittiness and gumminess. Price is mentioned in the article because it's relevant and interesting, but it played no role in the final rankings.