Have you ever had those moments when you realize you need to provide a treat for some special occasion or you signed up to bring a dessert to a potluck or for whatever reason need to make some spectacular delicious dish of sweetness- but don’t have any time?! Or just don’t want to think about it.

My go-to in these moments of hysteria are your basic boxed brownies. They are easy, relatively fast, and most people can’t say not to boxed brownies ;). But they can get a little boring sometimes, don’t you think? I mean, I LOVE them, but sometimes, you just want a little more ;). So how can you take a regular boring box of brownies and change them into something magical? It all depends on what you’re craving and what you have in your pantry!

Marshmallows. Probably the most universal and basic brownie upgrader ever but for good reason! Can you really say no to melted gooey marshmallows that are cooked to a slight crispy brown on top? I know I can’t! And I think it safe to say most people are the same- at least I never come home with leftovers when I make boxed brownies topped with marshmallows ;).

Candy Bar pieces. Candy bars are SO GOOD plain, but they also do such a good job of spicing up any plain old brownie! Milky Ways, Snickers, Twix, Butterfinger, Cookies and Cream bars- it’s hard to go wrong! You could even do a little mixing and matching for a truly unique and very delicious dessert.

Candy pieces. Sticking with our candy theme, you can’t go wrong with any kind of jazzed up chocolate! M&M’s, Reese’s Pieces, Cadbury Mini Eggs… oh goodness. You really can’t go wrong ;).

Fruit. There’s something so tantalizingly delicious and fresh about raspberry or strawberry sauce- now pour it over a delicious pan of brownies- yum!! And then you can feel like you’re eating healthier because you’re getting some fruit in your system, right? ;)

Frosting. Whip up some delicious cream cheese frosting if you have time, or simply stick with the good stuff from a can- really, it’s hard to mess up a delicious pan of brownies! Experiment with some different flavors (like strawberry!) for some added creativity!

Chocolate chips. Don’t we all have a stash of some kind of variety of chocolate chips in our pantry? Put them to good use! Stir in a few white chocolate chips (or mint chips, butterscotch chips, or even plain old milk chocolate!) to give your brownies an extra special texture and a truly irresistible flavor! I mean, how are you only supposed to pick one?? (Of course, you could add multiple… can you imagine white chocolate paired with butterscotch, or dark chocolate paired with mint?? :D). Delicious!

Ice Cream. This isn’t always possible, depending on where and how you’re serving your brownies, but if circumstances allow, you don’t need to do anything extra to your brownies- simply add a scoop of vanilla ice cream ;). (Or I suppose you could get creative with ice cream flavors…. You creative chef you ;) ).

Nuts. This one is debatable ;). My husband thinks it a sin to add any kind of nut to a brownie, but I personally love crushed pecans! Just be careful- if you do add nuts of any kind be sure to sprinkle some on top or indicate it somewhere clearly for those who may have to deal with a nut allergy!

Caramel. One of my absolute favorite flavors. You can add caramel bits or chopped pieces of caramel candy, or simply drizzle some caramel sauce all over- there’s no such thing as too much when it comes to caramel ;). In fact, do all three, just to be safe :).

Oreos. My other favorite! I’m pretty sure most people are a fan of Oreos; add a few to your brownie mix and your pan of amped up brownies are sure to be a hit! You could even branch out with Mint Oreos, Golden Oreos, or one of the many crazy flavors they have (Cookie Dough would be amazing I bet!).

So let’s hear from you guys- what’s your favorite way to spice up a basic box of brownies? Or do you prefer to stick to the real thing? ;)