The strong cocoa flavor and chocolate chips were a hit among our testers, who liked the "very chocolaty"—but not too sweet—taste. The mix was a cinch to make, but the finished product was a bit crumbly and the pieces tended to fall apart when we cut the batch up.

Just add: vegetable oil, water

$3.39, World Pantry.

Chewy and moist, this variety had excellent consistency but fell short on taste. One tester commented that they were "kind of flavorless, like you could tell they were organic or healthy." The batter was a tad thick and hard to spread, but easy to cut once baked.

Just add: margarine, eggs

$2.58, iHerb.

Peanut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free, this version lacks many of the components that, well, make a brownie a brownie. But our testers gave it a thumbs-up for its texture and rich cocoa flavor. According to a tester, the brownie had "a hint of a funny aftertaste" (of the artificial variety) and was "a little dry." So it should probably be paired with a glass of (soy or rice) milk.

Just add: vegetable oil, margarine (or butter or dairy-free margarine), water

$5.29, Cherrybrook Kitchen.

Creamy, chewy, and with "no weird aftertaste," this brownie was a huge hit with our testers for balanced and sweet (but not too sweet) flavor. Commented one of our staff, "Finally—a tasty solution to a common food allergy that doesn't taste like cardboard."

Just add: vegetable oil, margarine (or butter or dairy-free margarine), water

$5.79, Bob's Red Mill.

Milk was the suggested pairing for these very rich, chewy, and fudgy brownies. One tester liked the "intense flavor" but wondered if it might be "a little too rich for some." The batter was extremely thick, so try blending with a spatula instead of a whisk.

Just add: vanilla yogurt

$3.35, Luzianne.