6 Grocery Store-Brand Brownies, Ranked From Worst To Best

You've likely seen brownies in the grocery store bakery section and may have even added them to your cart before, but you might not know that some supermarket brownies will meet your needs better than others. This article will help you find the most flavorful, chewy ones.

I ranked the brownies reviewed here based on texture, taste, and price. For this baked good, texture is more important than flavor. Brownies should be chewy on the outside and enticingly gooey on the inside. The brownie that fulfilled this requirement earned top placement. Fudgy brownies, which were only gooey, ranked lower. Brownies generally taste sweet and chocolate, but the best ones also have a hint of saltiness, acidity, and bitterness. So, the highest-ranked products in this article were more nuanced, while the lowest-ranked ones were bland or only sweet. Finally, value played a part in ranking brownies when there were two similar products, but with different prices.

You may have some other considerations when purchasing brownies. For example, you may want the ones kids will like the best or the ones that will go best in an ice cream sundae. While fulfilling these characteristics didn't push a brownie higher up in the ranking, I do mention them so it's easier to find the brownie that will be best for your specific situation.

The packaging for Family Fare Café Valley Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie Bites misleads by making them look incredibly decadent and mouthwatering when in reality these brownies have less taste and texture than any of the others reviewed here. Pictures can lie, but a taste test can't. 

I was excited to try this product because it combines two favorite desserts: cheesecake and brownies. Who can say no to that? Each bite felt more disappointing than the last, though. The flavor was bland, almost watery. It was not rich chocolate juxtaposed with sour cream cheese as I had imagined. 

The texture was a let-down as well. I was hoping that the dark brown crumbs sprinkled over the top would be crunchy and contrast with a smooth cheesecake texture on top and a chewy brownie texture on the bottom. That would have been heaven, but no, these were completely gooey through and through. In fact, they were so soft, you could almost use a butter knife to spread one over toast. No, thank you! That's not what I want in a brownie.

Worse, this product has one of the highest per-ounce prices. Most of the treats reviewed in this article ranged between $4.50 and $6.99 per package, and this was at the very top of that range, but it weighed less than competitors. At $6.99 for 10 ounces, the price is just as enticing as these brownies: not at all.

Little stands out about the iced brownies from Meijer; they're sweet, and they have gooey frosting. As boring as they seem, though, they are at least better than Family Fare's brownies because they taste like something, even though the sweet chocolate flavor is straightforward. The only detectable undertone is that of supermarket cake, which tastes like frosting made from shortening instead of butter. It also tastes subtly of plastic packaging. 

The gooey texture is single-faceted; there's no chew or crunch. This product will satisfy a superficial craving for dessert, but won't scratch the deeper itch for chewy, bitter-sweet pleasure.

The rich chocolate frosting is smooth and glossy, and about a quarter inch thick. It looks much fudgier and creamier than it actually tastes. Meijer's crumb is slightly lighter than some of the other products reviewed here, which could be good or bad depending on your taste. 

I appreciated that these brownies were sliced into nine smaller portions instead of four large ones. Brownies are so rich that I can only eat a few bites before the flavor overwhelms me. If I were invited to a party where someone set out brownies, I would much rather grab this size instead of a larger one.

Walmart's brownies are incredibly similar to Meijer's, but ranked higher because they were a hit with my kids and had a slightly better price per ounce. At 13 ounces, Meijer's package weighs the same as Walmart's, but costs a few cents more. It's not a big difference, but why pay more for something that's just not quite as good?

My first impression of these brownies was that they were too sugary, but my kids were crazy for them. When they tasted several brownies, they both thought that Walmart's were the most delicious. So, if you're buying for a child's birthday party, pick these.

The texture of the crumb was denser than Meijer's and gooey, though not as sticky or soft as some of the other brownies I tried. Like most of the products reviewed here, these disappointed me with their lack of chewiness.

These brownies are also an example of a profound commitment to the idea of frosting. Someone somewhere in a test kitchen decided this product should be defined by creamy muck on top of it, and then wouldn't back down. There is as much frosting on this treat as there is brownie — about half an inch of each. That amount of frosting is usually too much for me, but I respect the devotion of the food scientist who designed these. Still, I would probably pick a different sweet treat from Walmart's bakery rather than this product.

The Pillsbury Deluxe Chocolate Brownies from Gordon Food Service are a classic brownie, perfect for serving at large parties because of their excellent value and attractive flavor. In fact, their taste is what earned them a higher ranking than Walmart's brownies. Their texture, while disappointingly gooey, still makes them ideal for ice cream sundaes, but may be too sticky for some people.

These brownies come in a half sheet weighing a little over 4.5 lbs — that's a lot more than any of the other options. The $22.99 price comes out to around $.30 per ounce, which is approximately 10 cents lower than the next-cheapest option, Walmart.

I loved the crinkly top on these brownies — it's what I think of when I imagine a homemade brownie. The flavor is more nuanced than Walmart's, Meijer's, and Family Fare's. In this brownie, you experience how saltiness brings out the sweetness. It's more balanced and not as sickeningly sweet as the previous three.

Unfortunately, these had the gooiest texture of all the brownies. It almost seems like they weren't baked long enough. It makes them harder to eat because your fingers get sticky, and it leaves a mess behind in the package and on your plate. On the other hand, using one of these brownies as a topping would definitely upgrade any ice cream sundae. The soft dough would kind of melt into the ice cream and vice versa, making for a delicious treat.

Kroger Extreme Chocolate Decadent Brownies have one of the richest and most complex flavors of all the brownies in this article. That, combined with a slightly different texture, put them nearly at the top of this list. It's not surprising that the oldest grocery chain in the U.S. knows how to make great brownies.

These brownies tasted the saltiest of all to me, but that brings out other flavors. You can taste the subtle bitter flavor of chocolate truly shining through, and also a hint of its shiny, bright acidity. The whole time, sweetness fills your mouth as a beautiful overtone. Eating this brownie is undoubtedly a much more flavorful experience than all the other products. Conversely, these brownies taste so rich that just a small portion is more than enough. Best to accompany these with some bitter coffee or smooth milk to tone down the flavor.

The texture was the downfall of this product, but not a complete disappointment. The crumb is dense, soft, mushy, and gooey like most of the others. There was one difference, though: There are chocolate chips on top, and their hardness breaks up the otherwise monotonous texture. Unfortunately, these brownies are not chewy, though.

Target's Favorite Day Bakery brownies are near perfection in taste, texture, and simplicity. While these brownies lack the complex flavor of Kroger's, they more than make up for it with a wonderfully chewy brownie texture that even Katherine Hepburn could approve of.

Perhaps because these are baked individually rather than in a larger pan, and there's plenty of surface area, they have a chewier outer texture. Then, right in the center of each brownie bite, I was pleased to discover a soft, gooey middle. These brownies were on another level than all the others. 

There are no bells or whistles here — these brownies are unapologetically what they are, and that's refreshing. This product doesn't need excessive frosting, chocolate chips, or cheesecake filling to draw people in. The flavor is chocolatey with a slight bitter note, though less notably than Kroger brownies. There's a wonderful buttery hint to these as well. The flavor was simple, but tremendously alluring.

The price of this product is attractive too — it is not the most expensive, but not the cheapest either. A package of 12 costs $5.29 and weighs around 12 ounces, making them the same price as Walmart. Finally, the portion size is appealing. Eating one will probably satisfy your craving for a brownie, but it won't be overwhelming.

After I purchased the brownies from local grocery stores, I tried them all in the same sitting. I was looking for a complex, rich, chocolatey flavor. Chocolate is more than just sweet; it is bitter, and often has a bright acidity. Brownies should reflect this same complexity of flavor, but may also taste slightly salty, buttery, or of vanilla. The brownies that best reflect these nuances are most highly rated, while brownies that lacked flavor or were only sweet ranked lower. I also judged the brownies on texture. I like a brownie that is chewy or even crusty on the outside with a soft, gooey center. Brownies with a more monotonous texture earned a lower rank. 

I tried each brownie twice because the sweetness was so overpowering the first time. I poured myself a glass of milk and used that to cleanse my palate between products. I would suggest that anyone buying store-bought brownies leave them out on a plate for around 10 minutes before eating to improve the flavor. When I was finished, I invited my two children to also try them. Both agreed that, of the brownies they tasted, they liked Walmart the best. It must have been the frosting.

Finally, once I'd ranked the brownies by texture and taste, I looked at how much each package weighed and cost to see what the price per ounce was. When there were two similar products, I ranked the one that had a lower price higher.