According to the classic recipe shared by Food Network, to make fudgy brownie treats, you need a significant amount of butter, eggs, chocolate, sugar, flour, and a small amount of salt. Adding a salty component may be a tasty way to elevate these goodies, but if you have a convenient brownie mix tucked in your pantry, you only need a few additional ingredients.

According to The Chocolate Journalist, adding salt to chocolate not only enhances the flavor of cacao but can also add a textural element to any chocolate-based confection, depending on how it's used. There's actual science to the symbiotic relationship between sugar and salt, as Science claims one of our taste receptors can only detect sweet flavors in the presence of salt.

To enhance your brownies, sprinkle flaky sea salt on top once they're done cooking, as suggested in the Times Cooking recipe for olive oil brownies with sea salt. If you're not a fan of salt and chocolate, try swapping butter for oil, adding a swirl of fruit jam or nut butter to the batter before baking, or including candy bars or marshmallows and nuts to upgrade your boxed brownies.