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You are here: Home / Desserts / Bars & Brownies / Millionaire’s Shortbread

Millionaire’s Shortbread

February 20, 2017 Updated September 11, 2019 BySam 199 Comments

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This Millionaire’s Shortbread is the perfect trifecta: Sweet simple, crisp shortbread, rich chewy, homemade caramel, and thick dark chocolate ganache.  Sprinkle everything off with a scattering of sea salt and you have a decadently rich treat that lives up to every penny of its lucrative name.

Millionaire's Shortbread, a rich and delicious dessert || Sugar Spun Run

I don’t think (and I’m sure they’ll correct me if I’m wrong) I’ve ever given my siblings anything really bad to eat.

Sometimes they eat my recipe fails, but only the most edible ones (cupcakes that are just slightly too dense, cookies that are a tad too crumbly), and I never did anything as treacherous as trying to pass off bean brownies for regular brownies, which one of my sisters actually did do to me one time  (a deception I’ll never forgive).

So it’s slightly insulting to me that, when presented with any dessert that isn’t an obvious cake, cookie, or cupcake, they proceed with severe trepidation.  Forks hovering nervously over their plates, eyes narrowed, skeptical, seeming to suggest —  It could be an anthrax pie, how can we be sure it’s not?  So much for gratitude.

But after explaining for the fourth time to my fourth sibling what Millionaire’s shortbread even is (“It’s like a fancy, homemade, gourmet twix bar”) not a single one seemed the least bit disappointed when they took their first bite.

Millionaire's Shortbread, a rich and delicious dessert || Sugar Spun Run

There’s nothing to be disappointed about when it comes to Millionaire’s shortbread.  This is a recipe I’ve been wanting to try my hand at for a while now and after a lot of running around in the kitchen I’m very happy to share it with you.

I don’t think I need to reiterate the fact that it’s a rich dessert — in fact I suggested to my sisters and brother that they cut each giant square into quarters, because while big squares look pretty in these pictures, they’re so rich that it’s a challenge to actually eat a whole one.

The shortbread (a faux shortbread, more on that below) is slightly sweetened but serves as the crispy vehicle to transport chewy caramel and a blanket of chocolate ganache.  To make things even more decadent, it’s all topped off with a sprinkle of sea salt.  It’s not called Millionaire’s shortbread for nothing!

 

Millionaire's Shortbread, a rich and delicious dessert || Sugar Spun Run

As attaining millionaire status can change a person, so it has changed our “shortbread” cookie crust here.  Surprise, it’s not a “true” shortbread.  When I decided to give this classic recipe my own spin, this is one of the first changes I made.

Classic shortbread is made of only three ingredients — butter, flour, and sugar, but this is Millionaire’s shortbread so we’re making sure it lives up to its name.

An egg yolk, some brown sugar, and vanilla extract all make this cookie crust extra flavorful, and slightly softer than standard shortbread as well.  Because of the added ingredients, your finished millionaire’s shortbread will cut more easily than standard shortbread (which usually breaks unevenly with jagged edges and scatters crumbs everywhere) but is still crisp and snappy beneath the soft chocolate and chewy caramel.

Andi liked the cookie layer so much she asked me to make her a pan of just that alone, nothing else.

Millionaire's Shortbread, a rich and delicious dessert || Sugar Spun Run

I really wish that I could photograph the processes for these multi-step recipes — a picture of how the crumbled cookie dough should look, the caramel at its peak just before pouring it over the shortbread, the glossy chocolate ganache, etc… but since I only have two days of the week to shoot 3-4 recipes, I usually have to prepare the food Friday night, and there’s no light to take decent pictures then.

To make up for this, I try to include very detailed descriptions in the recipe, and you can always shoot me an e-mail, leave a comment, or drop by my Facebook page if you have any questions.

That being said, I don’t really think you’ll have any problem with this recipe, the trickiest part is the caramel and it doesn’t even require a candy thermometer!

Millionaire's Shortbread, a rich and delicious dessert || Sugar Spun Run

I hope you enjoy this Millionaire’s shortbread as much as my siblings ultimately did!

Millionaire's Shortbread

A sweet treat so decadently rich it's been named "Millionaire's Shortbread".
4.7 from 43 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 28 pieces
Calories: 350kcal
Author: Sam Merritt

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 226g
  • 1/3 cup sugar 70g
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed 70g
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 260g

Caramel

  • 2 14-oz cans sweetened condensed milk 825ml
  • 14 Tablespoons butter cut into Tablespoon-sized pieces (198g)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed (200g)
  • 1/3 cup light corn syrup 80ml
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Ganache

  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 340g
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream 120ml
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 5ml
  • sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and line a 13x9 baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat butter until well creamed.
  • Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds.
  • Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and stir well, pausing to scrape down the sides and mixing until ingredients are well-combined.
  • Add flour, gradually (about 1/2 cup at a time), pausing to scrape down sides of bowl. Halfway through the addition of the flour, sprinkle in the salt with the beater still running.
  • Don't over-beat the dough, you want it to be slightly crumbly to make it easier to press into the pan.
  • Drop dough over prepared pan and gently, firmly, evenly, press dough into the bottom of the pan.  To make it easier, I usually lay a piece of wax paper over the dough and use the palm of my hand to smooth the surface (and then discard wax paper).
  • Bake on 350F (177C) for 20-25 minutes -- edges should be lightly golden brown.
  • Allow to cool while you prepare your caramel topping.

Caramel

  • Combine condensed milk, butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
  • Stir frequently until butter is melted and ingredients are well-combined. Continue to stir constantly until mixture begins to boil (this could take several minutes, but you don't need to increase the heat).
  • Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer (slowly bubbling), still stirring constantly.  Continue to stir 10-15 minutes until mixture turns a rich caramel color and has thickened (should begin pulling away from the sides of the pot as you stir).
  • Remove from heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
  • Pour evenly over prepared shortbread, use a knife to spread evenly if needed.
  • Allow to cool at room temperature for several hours or in the refrigerator for 1 hour before topping with chocolate.

Chocolate Topping

  • Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat.  
  • Stir frequently until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.  
  • Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.  Allow chocolate to cool just slightly for about 5 minutes, and then evenly spread over prepared caramel layer.  Wait several minutes and then sprinkle with sea salt.  
  • Allow chocolate to harden (I recommend placing in refrigerator for about 30 minutes -- my family prefers these treats refrigerated anyway) before cutting and serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

Caramel Millionaire's Shortbread bar. Layer of shortbread, caramel, and chocolate topped with sea salt.

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Comments

  1. Amy says

    December 7, 2019 at 7:40 am

    Sam, do you think I could make the shortbread dough ahead and put in the fridge/freezer? And the the caramel ahead and jar? Want to make these over the weekend and bake off for a cookie swap on Friday!

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      December 7, 2019 at 8:26 pm

      Hi, Amy! I haven’t tried it, but I think you should be ok. I hope that they are a hit at your cookie swap! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Linda says

    December 5, 2019 at 8:01 pm

    Can you freeze these squares?

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      December 5, 2019 at 9:12 pm

      Hello, Linda! I have not tried it. If you do, let me know how it turns out. 🙂

      Reply
      • LPeaden says

        December 7, 2019 at 7:15 pm

        I have frozen millionaires before. After the bars/squares are cut, place them on a tray and freeze individually. Then, after they are frozen solid place them in an airtight container or sealed plastic freezer bag. They might last a few months-but they won’t last that long once they are discovered. Be sure to thaw for a little bit before serving.

      • Sugar Spun Run says

        December 7, 2019 at 7:56 pm

        Thanks for sharing! I am glad to know it works well. 🙂

  3. Mary Waite says

    December 5, 2019 at 6:53 am

    My daughter turned me on to your Millionaire Shortbread receipt. I’m going to make them for a New Years Eve dance party. She says there’re great! I saw a picture of your – it looked like chili with shredded cheese, sour cream, and avacodo on the side. How do I find the receipt? Thank you.

    Reply
  4. Teizeen says

    November 30, 2019 at 10:27 pm

    I have ready made caramel sauce – can I use that instead? How much would I need for this recipe?

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      December 1, 2019 at 8:05 am

      Hello, Teizeen! I am sorry I have not tried making this recipe with ready-made caramel sauce so I can not advise on how it would work or how much to use. 🙁

      Reply
      • Teizeen says

        December 1, 2019 at 10:40 am

        How much caramel sauce does your recipe above make? Like 1 or 2 C?

      • Sugar Spun Run says

        December 1, 2019 at 4:16 pm

        It makes just over 2 cups.

  5. Melissa A says

    November 28, 2019 at 2:52 am

    Hi Sam,

    I made these today and my caramel turned out a little grainy and a bit sticky on the tooth. I couldnt find corn syrup on my local supermarket so DIYed it. I mixed 1 cup of sugar with 1/4 cup of water. Do you think it may have been the sugar that has crystallised?

    Thanks Sam! Hopefully next time I can find corn syrup and get it right!

    Reply
    • Sam says

      November 28, 2019 at 10:42 am

      Hi Melissa! The corn syrup could be the issue, but usually when it turns out grainy the caramel was cooked too quickly and the sugars didn’t have time to dissolve. 🙂

      Reply
  6. adela Uribe says

    November 27, 2019 at 6:06 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe this is the best and so easy to make – do i need to refrigerate it after its been sitting for 4 hours after everyone has eaten some. thank you

    Reply
    • Sam says

      November 28, 2019 at 9:26 am

      I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Adela! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Madison says

    November 24, 2019 at 10:07 pm

    Do you think these would freeze well?

    Reply
    • Sugar Spun Run says

      November 24, 2019 at 10:23 pm

      Hello, Madison! I have not tried it. If you do, let me know how it turns out. 🙂

      Reply
    • Patti says

      December 5, 2019 at 5:37 pm

      I made a similar recipe last year and they freeze really well. Cut them first.

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run says

        December 5, 2019 at 9:21 pm

        Thanks so much for sharing, Patti! I am so glad to hear that they froze well for you!

  8. Kate Martin says

    November 22, 2019 at 6:16 pm

    I’m excited to try these! Can I use dark chocolate in place of the semisweet?

    Reply
    • Sam says

      November 23, 2019 at 10:50 am

      Absolutely! I hope you love the recipe, Kate! 🙂

      Reply
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Sam Sugar Spun Run Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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