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Millionaires Shortbread is the ultimate three-layer treat: a buttery shortbread base, a thick layer of gooey caramel, and a smooth chocolate top finished with flaky salt. I cut a tray into little squares last holiday weekend and they were gone before the coffee was even poured. If you love a rich, layered bar, they are cousins to our white chocolate brownies.
Three simple layers of buttery shortbread, homemade caramel, and glossy chocolate come together into the most impressive bakery-style bars you can make at home.
Millionaires Shortbread Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 40 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 3 hours
- 🍽️ Serving: 15 bars
- ⚡ Calories: 637kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Buttery shortbread, gooey caramel, and smooth chocolate with a hint of salt
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, made in three simple layers like our fudgy brownies
Quick Answer
To make Millionaires Shortbread, press a buttery shortbread dough into a pan and bake until golden. Cook a caramel from butter, brown sugar, and sweetened condensed milk, pour it over the cooled shortbread, and chill. Melt chocolate with a little butter, spread it over the set caramel, sprinkle with flaky salt, and chill again before slicing into bars.
Jump to:
- Millionaires Shortbread Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Millionaires Shortbread
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Millionaires Shortbread FAQs
- Other Recommended Chocolate Bar Recipes
- Millionaires Shortbread
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The shortbread base bakes sturdy. A simple butter-and-flour shortbread bakes firm enough to hold the caramel and chocolate layers.
- Homemade caramel sets perfectly. Cooking the caramel to the right stage gives a thick, chewy layer that slices cleanly.
- Condensed milk makes it foolproof. Sweetened condensed milk gives the caramel its signature creamy, gooey texture.
- Chocolate plus butter for shine. A little butter in the chocolate keeps the top glossy and easy to cut without cracking.
- Flaky salt balances. A sprinkle of flaky salt cuts the sweetness and makes every layer pop.
- Chill between layers. Letting each layer set keeps the bars neat with distinct shortbread, caramel, and chocolate stripes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is a bakery-worthy treat with three irresistible layers, yet it is made with simple pantry ingredients.
- It is the perfect make-ahead dessert for holidays and parties, like our fudgy brownies.
- That combination of buttery shortbread, gooey caramel, and chocolate is pure magic in every bite.
Key Ingredients
Here is what goes into each of the three layers of Millionaires Shortbread.
- Butter: Used in all three layers for the richest flavor. Use real butter, not margarine.
- Sweetened condensed milk: The secret to a thick, creamy caramel that sets up perfectly.
- Brown sugar: Gives the caramel its deep, rich flavor.
- Flour: The base of the tender shortbread layer.
- Chocolate: A good-quality chocolate makes a smooth, glossy top, just like on our chocolate covered pretzels.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These Millionaires Shortbread bars are easy to dress up. Here are a few favorite twists.
- Add nuts: Sprinkle chopped pecans or pretzel pieces over the chocolate before it sets.
- Use dark chocolate: Swap in dark chocolate for a less sweet, more grown-up bar.
- Make them Twix-style: Cut into thin fingers for homemade Twix-style bars.
- Salted caramel: Stir extra salt into the caramel for a salted caramel version.
- Add espresso: A pinch of espresso powder in the chocolate deepens the flavor.
How to Make Millionaires Shortbread
- Cream the softened butter and sugar together, then mix in the flour until a crumbly shortbread dough forms.
- Press the dough into an even layer in a parchment-lined pan.
- Bake the shortbread at 350 degrees until lightly golden, then let it cool completely.
- Cook the butter, brown sugar, and sweetened condensed milk into a caramel, then pour it over the cooled shortbread and chill until set.
- Melt the chocolate with a little butter until smooth and glossy.
- Spread the melted chocolate over the set caramel, sprinkle with flaky salt, and chill until firm before slicing into bars.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cool the shortbread completely. Pouring caramel over warm shortbread makes it soggy.
- Watch the caramel closely. Stir constantly and cook until thick and amber for a caramel that sets, not runs.
- Chill between layers. Letting the caramel set before adding chocolate keeps the layers distinct.
- Score before it fully sets. Marking the chocolate before it hardens gives clean cuts without cracking.
- Use a warm knife. Run the blade under hot water and wipe between cuts for neat bars.
- Add flaky salt. A finishing sprinkle balances the sweetness, like on our caramel-loaded treats.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Millionaires Shortbread is a rich treat best cut into small squares or thin fingers. Serve them on a dessert platter at holidays, parties, or alongside coffee and tea.
They make a beautiful addition to a cookie tray with our fudgy brownies and chocolate chip cookie bars. Wrap them up as homemade gifts too.
Store them in the fridge and pull out a square whenever a sweet craving hits. For another decadent chocolate treat, try our white chocolate brownies next.
Millionaires Shortbread FAQs
Millionaires shortbread, also called caramel shortbread or caramel slice, is a three-layer dessert bar made of buttery shortbread, a gooey caramel center, and a smooth chocolate top. It is often finished with flaky salt and cut into small, rich squares.
Runny caramel usually means it was not cooked long enough. Cook the caramel over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and turns a deep amber color. Chilling it in the fridge also helps it firm up before adding the chocolate.
Chill the bars until firm, then use a sharp knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry between cuts. Scoring the chocolate before it fully hardens also helps prevent it from cracking when you slice.
Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving so the caramel softens slightly and the chocolate is not too hard.
Yes. Freeze the cut bars in a single layer until solid, then transfer to a freezer container with parchment between layers for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
They share the same shortbread, caramel, and chocolate layers. Twix bars are mass-produced into thin individual fingers with a crisp cookie base, while homemade millionaires shortbread has a thicker, more buttery shortbread layer and is cut into squares or bars.
Craving more layered treats? Try our fudgy brownies next.
If you love impressive desserts, do not miss our zebra cake with its black and white stripes.
Craving an easy bar? Our lunch lady peanut butter bars layer peanut butter and chocolate over a chewy oat base.
Love sweet snacks? Our caramel corn is buttery, crunchy, and coated in a crisp homemade caramel.
Millionaires Shortbread
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 & 1/3 cups unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- pinch salt
For the filling:
- 1 cup unsalted butter cut into tablespoons
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
For the topping:
- 12 ounces semi-sweet baking bars finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- flakey sea salt for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray, set aside.
- Place the butter and granulated sugar into the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, and cream together for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.1 & 1/3 cups unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Add the flour and salt, stir it in until combined with no dry patches.2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, pinch salt
- Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden brown along the edges, the center of the crust appears dry, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool completely.
- To make the filling place the butter, brown sugar, condensed milk, and corn syrup into a medium-sized sauce pot. Place over medium-low heat, stirring constantly.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- Bring to a simmer and turn the heat to low. Gently simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly so nothing burns on the bottom. You really have to be careful and make sure it doesn’t boil because a bubble may pop and burn you. If it looks like it is starting to simmer more rapidly, take off the heat for a few seconds while continuing to stir, then place it back on the heat.
- After 5 minutes, take it off the heat and continue to stir for about 4 minutes to cool it down slightly. Pour over the crust evenly. Place in the freezer for 2 hours.
- Add the chopped chocolate and butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-second intervals stirring in between until smooth. Spread the chocolate on top of the filling. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to set.12 ounces semi-sweet baking bars, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Use the parchment paper to help lift the bars out of the baking dish. Cut into squares and sprinkle with flakey sea salt if using, serve immediately.flakey sea salt for garnish
Notes
- Layering is Key: Make sure to cool each layer properly before adding the next.
- Keep It Chilled: As tempting as it might be, wait for the bars to set in the fridge before cutting into them.
- Go Nuts: Add some chopped nuts to the caramel layer for an added crunch.
- Chopping Chocolate: Ensure your chocolate is finely chopped for a smooth and even layer.
- Get Creative with Toppings: While the traditional millionaire bars keep it simple, there’s no harm in adding your personal touch.
- Be Patient: Even though it’s hard to wait, giving your shortbread the proper time to chill ensures the best texture and taste.
Nutrition
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