This is hardly earth-shattering, but in the spirit of the internet, which has guided me through many baking and cooking quandaries, allow me to answer this question:
Can you use coconut oil instead of regular vegetable oil in a boxed brownie mix?
Yes, you can. Melt it so it is liquid. You might also consider adding a teaspoon or two of vanilla. The coconut flavor isn’t overwhelming, and you might not even be able to identify it, but it creates a much richer, more complex taste than a boxed mix usually does.
I made brownies last night using a Ghirardelli mix, which I think are the best of the mixes commonly available in most stores. I used melted coconut oil and a splash of vanilla along with the water and egg called for by the instructions. People were raving about how good the brownies were. My husband called me today to say the people we had over were still talking about them.
Sigh. I guess my ego can take rave reviews for a boxed brownie. I’m now going to have to make my regular, from-scratch brownies subbing coconut oil for some of the butter to see if they get the same reviews.
