We Tried All the Baking Mixes at Trader Joe's and These 4 Are the Best

I'll be the first to admit that I used to be one of those annoying people who used to make everything from scratch. Cakes, cookies, brownies, frostings, and whipped cream just to name a few. But then I had kids, specifically four of them including a set of twins and suddenly, I barely had enough time to shower. Cooking shifted from joy to necessity and that's when I became an expert on boxed mixes.

The quality of boxed baking mixes ranges dramatically but not at Trader Joe's. Almost all of the Trader Joe's mixes are worthy of your kitchen table, but there are some I always make sure to keep stocked in my pantry. Someday I'll get back to having enough time to make everything from scratch but with such good options from Trader Joe's, maybe I'll keep these as my "from-scratch" secret.

The Best Trader Joe's Boxed Baking Mixes

Buttermilk Pancake & All-Purpose Baking Mix

I'm starting with the mix I use the most because of its versatility. Use it for plain pancakes, or whisk in blueberries, chocolate chips, or mashed banana for fancy ones. In the mood for waffles instead of pancakes? This mix can do that too. Want some homemade biscuits along with dinner? Done. The instructions on the back make it easy to whip up all these baked goods, but if you need more inspiration, you can use this all-purpose blend in any recipe that calls for Bisquick.

Blondie Bar Baking Mix

Unlike their chocolate counterpart brownies, blondies are made with brown butter and brown sugar. This mix doesn't disappoint and has those toasty, caramel flavor notes in addition to chocolate chips without creating a dessert that's too sweet. Tasters particularly liked that these blondies had a chewy texture and held together well when cut.

Look for the Cinnamon Roll Blondie Mix during the fall season as these are the perfect excuse to eat a blondie for breakfast. For an added crunch, add some chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans.

Yellow Cake & Baking Mix

Keeping a box of cake mix on hand is key to being able to whip up a dessert in minutes. I'm a huge fan of the Meyer Lemon Cake Mix but since it's only released seasonally, I keep this Yellow Cake Mix stocked on the off seasons. With added egg yolks already in the mix, this cake has a beautiful yellow hue that gets even deeper when you use good farm-fresh eggs, a stick of butter, and a cup of milk. (You can even use this mix as a base for these 15 Quick and East Treats That Start with Cake Mix.) Decorate it with a few strips of lemon peel, icing, whipped cream and berries or some chopped nuts and everyone will think this cake took you hours when instead, it only took a few minutes of active time.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Brownie Mix

You'd never know these fudgy brownies are gluten-free, which is why I like to keep them in the pantry whenever I need an easy gluten-free dessert. All you need is 1/4 cup of oil, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of water and 40 minutes. These brownies hit all the right notes — chocolatey, sweet, and gooey — and most tasters didn't even know they were gluten free. Serve with vanilla or coffee ice cream for a real treat.