People will say it’s “the thought that counts,” but then act all scandalized if you use a boxed mix during the holiday season. This is unfair, especially when you consider how busy you are, and how good boxed mix brownies can be if you use fancy oil (like pistachio or walnut) instead of vegetable, coffee instead of water, and sprinkle on something festive (like fancy flake salt, the most festive sprinkle). You can also play around with extracts, like almond, or peppermint; and match your topping to your extract, with candied nuts, or crushed peppermint candies. (Just make sure to add any candies halfway through the bake, so they don’t melt completely.)
