These air fryer brownies from box mix start with Betty Crocker Fudge brownie mix and get a little upgrade from ¾ cup of Kraft caramel bits. They came out super gooey and delicious. Chocolate and caramel are already a good idea, and this is an easy way to put them together.

I used the entire box of mix in an 8 × 8 pan and cooked the brownies at 300°F for 45 minutes after preheating the air fryer. Start checking with a knife around 35 minutes, though. The amount of batter and the pan size make a real difference here.

Jump to the cooking directions

What you need

• 1 full box of Betty Crocker Fudge brownie mix. This is the mix I used for this batch.
• The eggs, oil, and water listed on your box. Use the amounts printed on your particular package to prepare the batter.
• ¾ cup Kraft caramel bits. Add these to the prepared brownie batter for the chocolate-and-caramel version.

You’ll also need a mixing bowl, a spoon or spatula, and an 8 × 8 baking pan that fits your air fryer. Grease the bottom of the pan as directed on the brownie-mix box.

Make sure your pan fits

An 8 × 8 pan worked for this batch, but it won’t fit every air fryer. Check the pan’s outside dimensions, including any handles, and use a pan approved for your appliance with room around it for air to circulate.

If you need help choosing one, my guide to what pans you can put in an air fryer walks through the options. If you change the pan size, use the doneness checks below to guide the cooking time.

How to make air fryer brownies from box mix

1. Preheat and prepare the pan. Grease the bottom of a compatible 8 × 8 pan and preheat your air fryer to 300°F (150°C).
2. Mix the brownie batter. Combine the full box of brownie mix with the eggs, oil, and water in the amounts listed on the box. Stir until combined.
3. Add the caramel. Fold in ¾ cup Kraft caramel bits, then spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
4. Cook at 300°F. Carefully place the pan in the air fryer. This full-box batch in an 8 × 8 pan took 45 minutes.
5. Start checking around 35 minutes. Insert a thin knife into the brownies to check for doneness. If there’s wet brownie batter on it, keep cooking and check again every few minutes.
6. Remove and cool. Use oven mitts to lift out the hot pan and set it on a heat-safe surface. Let the brownies cool in the pan before cutting.

How long do box brownies take in the air fryer?

My full box of Betty Crocker Fudge brownie mix, with ¾ cup caramel bits, took 45 minutes at 300°F in an 8 × 8 pan after preheating the air fryer. I’d begin checking at about 35 minutes rather than waiting until the end.

A thinner layer of batter can finish sooner. That includes using less prepared batter in the same pan or spreading the same amount into a larger pan that fits your air fryer. A smaller pan that makes a deeper layer may take longer. Pan material and air-fryer differences can change the timing, too.

If your batter is much shallower than this full-box batch, start checking before 35 minutes. Keep the temperature at 300°F and let the brownies themselves tell you when they’re ready.

How to tell when the brownies are done

Check the middle with a thin knife or toothpick. A few moist crumbs are fine; a coating of wet, uncooked brownie batter means they need more time. The top can look ready before the center is finished, so don’t go by appearance alone.

Caramel can leave a sticky spot on the knife. If you hit a pocket of melted caramel, check another spot nearby so you can tell whether the brownie batter is cooked.

Letting the pan cool makes the brownies easier to cut. They’ll still be rich and gooey without needing to leave raw batter in the middle.

A few tips for this batch

• Keep the full-box timing in context. These are directions for an 8 × 8 pan with the entire prepared mix, not a small individual brownie.
• Check instead of cranking up the heat. Give the middle time to bake at 300°F rather than raising the temperature because the batch is taking a while.
• Use caramel bits for the mix-in. This version uses bits folded into the batter. A pour of caramel sauce would change the batter, so I’d stick with the bits for this recipe.
• Handle the pan carefully. The pan and melted caramel will be hot. Use oven mitts and give the brownies time to cool before digging in.

Serving and storing

These are delicious on their own. If you want to make dessert a little more generous, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to a warm brownie.

Once the brownies have cooled, keep leftovers tightly covered. You can also freeze individual pieces, wrapped well, for another day.

More sweet air fryer ideas

For another easy chocolate dessert, try my keto air fryer chocolate cake. Or, if you want something sweet with almost no prep, Pop-Tarts in the air fryer are hard to beat.