TikTok Told Us to Put Soda in Brownies and the Result Is Pure, Fudgy Goodness

My love of brownies stems all the way back to childhood, when I first discovered the decadently soft and delicious treat. Nowadays, when I get a craving for a fudgy, delicious brownie, I search for any sort of brownie concoction I can find. This is usually a no-holds-barred type of situation where no source is off-limits, and I will search through the depths of TikTok for new and exciting recipes. 

Recently, however, the TikTok algorithm provided ahead of my usual brownie cravings and recommended a viral brownie recipe that uses Dr Pepper as one of its ingredients. It only took me two seconds to realize my love for both Dr Pepper and brownies, and I knew I had to try them out for myself. I couldn’t wait to see how these brownies would taste. 

As most TikTok recipes go, this one doesn’t require you to make brownies from scratch, although you’re totally welcome to take that approach. You’ll need a box of your favorite brownie mix, combined into a medium-sized bowl with eggs, vegetable oil, Dr Pepper, and a handful of chocolate chips. 

Mix well with a spatula until smooth and all ingredients are fully incorporated. There should be no dry spots or lumps remaining. Pour the brownie mixture into a prepared baking dish greased with butter, then place into an oven preheated to 350° for the time given on the box. This could take anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes depending on the size of your baking dish. 

When a toothpick inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out mostly clean, it’s time to remove them from the oven. Let the tray cool completely, giving time for the brownies to fully set before cutting and enjoying that first bite.

The Dr Pepper added a pleasant flavor to the brownies that was fully welcomed and not at all overpowering. If someone had given me a brownie from this batch and withheld from me information that Dr Pepper was one of the ingredients, I wouldn’t even be able to tell. That, in my opinion, is the best part about the addition of soda to the recipe. It adds just enough of a new and interesting flavor to be noticeable, but not so much that the recipe is ruined. 

I’m now curious how they would taste with Coca-Cola, although I might not experiment further past that. I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone who is curious and is a fan of the carbonated beverage already. It’s a no-harm, no-foul type of recipe, so why not experiment along the way?

• Do not overbake. While it’s easy to just follow the cook time from the instructions, it’s important to remember that not all ovens are created equal. You may need to monitor your brownies during the final minutes to ensure you don’t overbake. 
• Experiment with other ingredients. This is a fairly simple recipe, with Dr Pepper being the most unique ingredient. The addition of chocolate chips brings it up a notch, but feel free to experiment with other ingredients that fit well within the brownie universe. Peanut butter, macadamia nuts, and Nutella would all be excellent choices for experimentation in future batches.