Decadent, indulgent, and super RICH, millionaire’s shortbread sure does live up to its name! Crisp, simple shortbread beneath a pool of chewy homemade caramel and a blanket of thick ganache. Sprinkle everything with a bit of flaky sea salt and you have an irresistible dessert that lives up to every penny of its name!
Millionaire’s Shortbread: The Richest Dessert of Your LIFE
A personal favorite on my website for over 8 years now, I thought my millionaire’s shortbread deserved a photo refresh, though the recipe needed no alteration. It’s gourmet, irresistible, and, yes, super rich!
Why This Recipe Works:
- A shortbread that’s crisp, but not crumbly. The addition of an egg yolk, a blend of granulated and brown sugar, and a splash of vanilla keep the crust from being a true shortbread in the strictest sense, but makes the bars cut cleanly without crumbling and adds to the rich factor.
- Approachable caramel that doesn’t take all day. Unlike my homemade caramel that takes an hour on the stovetop, today’s version is much faster and less fussy.
- Salty-sweet balance. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt over the ganache keeps things from being too sweet, and makes them absolutely irresistible.
- Like a Twix candy bar, but better. Think MORE shortbread crust, MORE caramel, and MORE chocolate. It’s the adult, gourmet version of a Twix candy bar that you can make completely from scratch.
Jump to:
What You Need
Here’s everything you need to make the best millionaire’s shortbread:
- Condensed milk. This is a key ingredient for making the caramel and provides a bit of a shortcut from traditional caramel. This ingredient cannot be substituted (and please don’t mistakenly use evaporated milk — they look similar and are often sold side by side!).
- Light corn syrup. Light corn syrup is not the same as high fructose corn syrup, I think this is important to note (as I personally avoid high fructose corn syrup). Corn syrup is my recommendation, but I suspect glucose syrup could work otherwise.
- Butter. There’s a lot of butter up there, yes, but millionaire’s shortbread is rich and buttery, so it’s on par. Some of that goes into the shortbread crust, while the rest is used for the caramel layer. Important tips below on how to handle your butter properly to prevent a caramel that separates.
- Egg yolk. You’ll need just the yolk — save the white for candied pecans or put it toward a batch of French macarons. This helps keep the shortbread tender and sliceable, and keeps it from just crumbling into pieces when you take a bite.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
SAM’S TIP: Butter that’s just slightly cool still works best for making a shortbread crust that stays crumbly and easy to spread into the pan!
How to Make Millionaire’s Shortbread
- Step 1: Make the shortbread by beating the sugars and butter until they’re well creamed, then stir in the yolk and vanilla. Slowly add the flour, stirring until just combined. You want the mixture to be dry and crumbly (but all flour incorporated), this makes spreading it into the pan much easier!
- Step 2: Press the shortbread into the pan. The easiest way to do this is to sprinkle your crumbly shortbread dough into the pan, cover it with a piece of wax paper, and then use the back of a spoon to smooth the dough into an even layer. If you accidentally went a bit further than recommended with your dough, this will be more difficult to do, but it’s still completely possible!
- Step 3: Make the caramel. Combine all the caramel ingredients (make sure your butter is cut into pieces!) and stir gently but constantly over medium-low heat until the mixture bubbles and is thickened and golden in color (look for 225F on your thermometer). Once you hit this point, remove it from heat immediately, stir in your vanilla, and pour over your shortbread layer.
- Step 4: Make the ganache/finish. Heat chocolate and cream until it’s silky smooth, then spread over the cooled caramel. It’ll be glossy, smooth, and beautiful! Once the ganache has firmed up, add a sprinkle of sea salt on top for good measure (non-negotiable!).
SAM’S TIP: I recommend using a metal pan for cooking your shortbread. A glass pan will take longer to bake and the shortbread may not be as crisp.
Caramel Troubleshooting Tips:
While this is a shortcut caramel that I definitely consider to be an easier version, it’s still possible for things to go wrong. The most common issue people run into is their butter separating while the caramel is cooking, or the caramel looking oily. Here’s how to prevent this:
- Watch the heat! Heating the ingredients too quickly is the quickest way to break your caramel, which is when you’ll notice a separation of the butter. Cutting your butter into pieces so it melts evenly can also help the ingredients heat evenly.
- Stir consistently, but gently. Not stirring enough can cause the caramel to scorch (burn) and can make the caramel lumpy or cause it to separate. Don’t whisk too vigorously or use an electric mixer, though, as you can also break the caramel that way!
- Choose a quality saucepan. Use a heavy-bottomed, quality pan (nothing thin/flimsy) to avoid hot spots that can cause the caramel to cook too fast (which causes the emulsion to break).
Can I save my caramel if it separates?
Sometimes you can still save your caramel. If it looks separated or broken, you can try to fix it. To do this, immediately remove from heat, then whisk in a splash (1-2 Tablespoons) of warm milk or warm water. Do this just a little at a time, whisking gently but quickly to try to bring things back together. If the caramel is scorched or has gone too far, you may not be able to salvage it and will just have to start over.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s called millionaire’s shortbread because it’s shortbread… only rich! The name is just a fun nod to the super indulgent layers: a buttery crust, a chewy, soft caramel, and that glossy luxe chocolate ganache. Classic shortbread is simple and humble, but this version is upgraded to millionaire status.
Not exactly, but they’re definitely related. Think of my millionaire’s shortbread recipe as a homemade, grown up version of a Twix bar. Both have crisp shortbread bases, a layer of caramel, and a chocolate coating, but millionaire’s shortbread is far more indulgent and more satisfying.
Related Recipes
I’d love to know what you think if you try this recipe! It’s a personal favorite of mine and if you have a sweet tooth like I do, I’m sure you’ll love it too!
Enjoy!
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Millionaire’s Shortbread
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened (but not melty, a little cool still is good)
- ⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (70 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
Caramel
- 2 14-oz cans (792 g) sweetened condensed milk
- 14 Tablespoons (198 g) unsalted butter cut into Tablespoon-sized pieces
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) light corn syrup
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache
- 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (177C) and line a 13×9 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light, fluffy, and well-creamed.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, ⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar, ⅓ cup (70 g) light brown sugar, packed
- Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat well, pausing to scrape down the sides and mixing until ingredients are well-combined.1 large egg yolk, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gradually, with mixer on low-speed, add flour, 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.½ teaspoon table salt, 2 ¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- Distribute dough evenly into prepared pan and gently, firmly, evenly, press dough into the bottom of the pan. To make this easier, I usually lay a piece of wax paper over the dough and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface (and then remove/discard wax paper).
- Transfer to center rack of 350F (175C) preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes, until edges are light golden brown. Allow to cool while you prepare your caramel topping.
For the Caramel Layer
- Combine condensed milk, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat.2 14-oz cans (792 g) sweetened condensed milk, 14 Tablespoons (198 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, ⅓ cup (80 ml) light corn syrup, ¾ teaspoon table salt
- Stir frequently until butter is melted and ingredients are well-combined. Continue to stir constantly until mixture has thickened, turned caramel in color, and begins to bubble (do not turn up the heat too high or the mixture could separate). Temperature on an instant-read thermometer should reach 225F (107C). Note this could take 15 minutes or even longer — depends on the specific heat of your stove!
- Remove caramel from heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour evenly over prepared shortbread.
- 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 low heat.½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, 2 cups (340 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- Stir frequently until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
- Remove from heat and allow chocolate to cool just slightly for about 5 minutes, and then evenly spread over prepared caramel layer. Wait several minutes/until chocolate begins to set and then sprinkle with sea salt.flaky sea salt
- Allow chocolate to firm up (I recommend placing in refrigerator for about 30 minutes — my family prefers these treats refrigerated anyway) before cutting and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Thomas M Gaffy
I am not a baker. I’m just trying this out. It really worked perfectly for me a older novice. The shortbreak went OK just a little trouble mixing. The caramel took a little while but I have an electric stove glass top and had to change to a larger burner but after that it worked great. I’m giving it out to my various family members for Christmas treat. Thanks for a great recipe.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Thomas! 🙂
Susan
Instead of making the caramel from scratch, can I just buy a bag of Kraft caramels and melt them?
Thank you,
Susan
Sam
That should work. 🙂
Maureen Pritchard
I love this recipe! I followed it carefully and it turned out amazing. Thanks for the great instructions for temperature.I have never made caramel but this was easy to follow.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Maureen! 🙂
Lee
Can you use golden syrup instead of light Bork syrup?
Sam
Hi Lee! I understand that golden syrup is very similar, but not having tried it I can’t say for sure if it will work. If you do try it I would love to know how it turns out. 🙂
Lee
Worked out great with the golden syrup! Great recipe!
Lester
If I want to half this recipe, what size pan would I use?
Sam
You could use a 7 x 11. 🙂
Nico
I’m planning on making these and your peanut butter squares next week. I’m also making lemon and grapefruit squares. Do you think I could use this shortbread recipe base for the citrus bars?
Sam
Sure that will work just fine. 🙂
Nicole
I am looking forward to making these with my son. Thank you for the idea!
Sam
You’re very welcome, enjoy! 🙂
Morgana
Hi sam I really wanna make this recipe but unfortunately corn syrup is not available here in Australia..do you know what I can substitute it with?
Sam
Hi Morgana! Is glucose syrup available? I believe that is essentially the same thing.
Tatiana
Lyles Golden Syrup is the same – Woolies or Coles carries it.
Cary Allen
Hi Sam, I just finished making these for my hubby and sons to munch on this Christmas. They can hardly wait. The turned out beautifully. Thank you for a very easy and delicious recipe! PS I think that the pandemic is getting ¨certain¨ people, if you know what I mean. Your log is awesome. Have a Merry Christmas, and the Brightest of New Year´s.
Sam
Thank you so much, Cary! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family. 🙂
Christina
I would give these a zero if I could. This recipe is awful.
Sam
Hi Christina! I already answered your series of emails regarding your troubles with this recipe. Despite the fact that you were extremely hostile, condescending (outright mean, actually) and aggressive, I still offered to help troubleshoot and when you replied (not very nicely, again), I quickly identified the problem. If you recall, you had your heat up much too high, which caused your butter to separate. To this you responded by demanding I delete the recipe, which I just don’t think is fair and don’t plan to do. Next time just turn the heat down a bit and you’ll have better results, as many of the other commenters have had.
PS. I actually want to thank you, your emails were the inspiration for one of my recent instagram videos. You should check it out 😉
Katherine
Thank you for this comment; I had the same problem with my caramel and wasn’t finding an answer for why it was happening. I’ll be redoing the caramel with a careful eye on the heat.
Sam
You’re welcome, and I’m sorry you’re having this issue. While I like this caramel layer because it is an “easier” candy that doesn’t require a candy thermometer, it’s still candy and so can still be a bit tricky. Sometimes cheaper pots (I have plenty of these!) that have thinner bottoms can also make it a bit tricky to get things just right because it’s harder to control the temperature and the bottom heats too fast.
Ken
thoughts on swapping corn syrup with honey? i don’t have any corn syrup at the moment
Sam
Hi Ken! Honestly I’m not sure how it would work. I’m worried the honey would be too thin. 🙁
Roger
Corn syrup helps prevent the caramel from turning sugary. This is information that I obtained from the food Network via Alton Brown.
AM
Can you ship these?
Sam
I haven’t tried it but I think it will work just fine. 🙂
J.L.
I made these last year and shipped to family scattered all over the U.S.
They all loved this decadent cookie!
I lined a small plastic container with plastic wrap, placed cookies in pretty snuggly pulling the plastic wrap over them and securing container’s lid – boxed ’em up and then just sent them via USPS. No problem!
Making some right now to send out (getting a later start than last year!)
kirsten
Can I make these ahead of time and put in the freezer?
Sam
Hi Kirsten! That shouldn’t be a problem. 🙂
Launa
These are a DREAM! They turned out so great. I was nervous to make caramel because I’ve heard that could be a bit tricky, but it turned out so nice and creamy. I like my chocolate layer to be a little more firm, so do you think these would keep okay in the fridge in a covered pyrex? If so, how long will they last?
Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Launa! Yes this will do fine in the refrigerator covered for about a week. 🙂
Brian
Making as I write! Will update when it’s finished.
Question: Do I remove the parchment paper before pouring the caramel over the shortbread? Bit of a baking novice here.
Excited to try this! We stumbled onto this dessert for the first time at a small park in Scotland and knew we had to make it.
Sam
Hi Brian! You can leave the parchment paper in until it’s completed. It actually makes lifting it out of the pan much easier. 🙂
Saundra Moy
I made this before and they came out perfectly!! However this time my caramel seems cloudy and testes chewy and dry. Any suggestions on what caused that?
Sam
Hmm that is so odd. I haven’t ever run into this problem. I wish I could be a little more helpful here. 🙁