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.
Julie Lewis
I just got finished making the caramel layer, I don’t know what I did wrong, but the closest thing I can think of is that it curdled. I was good until about 5 minutes into the stirring and simmering when it started to look grainy and it never got darker in colour or thinker.
Sam
Hi Julie! I’ve never seen it curdle but I’m wondering if maybe the heat was too high? Was the butter separating from the mixture?
Julie Lewis
Yes.
Sam
Unfortunately it sounds like the heat was too high, I would keep it lower next time and you shouldn’t run into the same issue.
Adela
Hi Sam have you double the recipe -and dose it come out good- i would like to double it -i quess i will try it -my family loves it will be part of my Christmas gift or any other time if i can just stop eating it all. Thank you
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Adela! I am happy that your family enjoys the Millionaire’s Shortbread Recipe. Others have double it and have had success. I hope that everyone you gift it to this holiday season enjoys it just as much. Happy Baking. 🙂
Nicole
Hi Sam! I need to make these 3 days prior to the event that I’m bringing them to. How long are these bars “good” for? What’s the best way to store them to keep them fresh? I was thinking refrigerator due to the ganache, but wasn’t sure. Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Nicole! I recommend separating the stacks of cookies with parchment paper to prevent smearing or sticking and placing them in an airtight container. You can store them at room temperature for about one week or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. I hope that everyone enjoys the Millionaire’s Shortbread Cookies. 🙂
Cheryl
Shortbread and chocolate ganache were fine but caramel layer was too gooey…tasty but messy. I’m guessing I didnt cook it long enough…cooked about 15 min…was afraid it would burn if I went longer. I have a gas stove…perhaps I need to increase heat just a bit?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Cheryl! I am glad that you enjoyed the shortbread cookies but sorry that your caramel layer did not turn out as well. It sounds like the caramel just needed to cook a few minutes longer. Regardless, I hope that they still tasted delicious. 🙂
Jamie
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I sorta screwed up and then saved the caramel. My gas stove burner has a hot spot and one side of the pot was burning before I realized it. Anyhow, I strained it and carried on much more carefully. They turned out wonderful. I actually have never had a millionaire bar before and then I saw someone post a billionaire bar recipe and thought, sheesh I better catch up, these things are really appreciating in value!! Anyhow, I don’t know how it compares to others, but I was surprised it turned out as thick as it did. I liked the cookie bottom a lot and I did not add the sea salt on top cause I didn’t have any.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Jamie! I’m so happy that you were able to save the caramel and that your shortbread cookies turned out well. I am glad that you enjoyed them. 🙂
AO
Hi, Sam. Have you tried freezing the finished product? If so, does it freeze well? Thank you!
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Angela! I have not tried it. If you do, let me know how it turns out. 🙂
Emma
Hi Sam, cant wait to try this – Could one add a little swirl of white chocolate on top of the Ganache for decoration?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Emma! Yes, you can! Let me know how it turns out. Enjoy! 🙂
Emma
Hi Sam, one other question just with regards measurements, on the light corn syrup, I use grams but when I look up the conversion online for 1/3 cup of the light corn syrup, its telling me its more along the lines of 110g rather than the 80g above, is it possible to clarify? 🙂
Sam
Sorry Emma, that’s 80ml not grams. Thanks for pointing that out!
Rene
Just making sure it is supposed to be 14 Tablespoons if butter in the caramel layer?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Rene! Yes, you will need 14 Tablespoons of butter for the caramel layer. I hope that you enjoy the shortbread bars. 🙂
Todd
Made these for my work team. They all think I am a super baker now. The recipe is so easy to follow and turned out wonderfully. Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Wow! What a compliment to receive, now they will be expecting you to bake more! lol. Thank you so much for your comment, Todd. I am so happy that the Shortbread was enjoyed by all. 🙂
adela
Great recipe Millionaire Shortbread i have made it 4 times now -i mix all wet ingredients by hand and then all the dry ones it works. thank you again
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that you enjoyed the shortbread recipe, Adela! Thank you for your comment. 🙂
adela Uribe
Hi They also freeze great i covered them in parchment paper and put them in a candy box that you buy for gifts like for a shirt etc. 5 stars thanks again
Charlene Grech
what size of tray did you use please?
Sam
Hi Charlene! This recipe uses a 9×13 pan (see step 1).
Charlene Grech
are the measurements in cm or inches please? if it is slightly larger will be good? and this should be kept in the fridge?
Sam
The measurements for the pan are in inches. If your pan is slightly larger, the bars will just be a little bit thinner. You don’t have to refrigerate it. 🙂
Charlene Grech
thanks alot for your help. I will try it over the weekend
Wendy Thomas
I love these bars! I have been to England many times and eaten Millionaire’s Shortbread in several tea rooms. This recipe makes the best MS I have ever eaten. The recipe is fool-proof. If your bars don’t come out right you are doing something wrong.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you loved this recipe, Wendy!
Wendy Thomas
😊
Nolee
Sooo good! Easy to make just takes time and patience.
Sam
Thank you so much, Nolee! I am so glad you enjoyed the millionaire’s shortbread! 🙂
Jason
I love this recipe! Though I have to agree with the Facebook posts! We don’t need an entire essay, just the recipe!
Sam
Glad you like the recipe! I really didn’t need the commentary on the post though, just the comment on the recipe!
Amy
And we don’t need a 10 page dissertation on the recipe. Short and sweet does the trick. Jason is right.
Sam
I wasn’t going to respond, but you do know that I can see the email address and IP address that you used to leave this comment, right? So I can see that you changed your name to “Amy” and left a comment to agree with “Jason”, but it’s a little fishy that both “Amy” and “Jason” have the same exact e-mail and IP address. Awkward…
I might recommend finding something else to do with your time rather than criticizing the way that I run my completely free personal website where I share FREE recipes at my own expense. I really can’t apologize that you couldn’t either scroll or bring yourself to hit the “Jump to Recipe” button, which is about as short and sweet as it gets 🤷🏼♀️
Robin Davis
I’m glad to see the recipe and the explanation..it helps me take notes on my recipe cards..looking forward to making these..Thanks Sam!!😁
Sam
I hope you love them, Robin! 🙂
Marina
I’m mid-recipe and followed your ingredients to a T but my shortbread mixture is so wet! I used the grams measurements and I’m sad now 🙁 Should I add more flour?
Sam
That’s really strange, it should be dry and crumbly. Yes, add more flour and see if that helps, good luck!!
Akash Banerjee
Shortbread and chocolate ganache were great, but my caramel was so hard it was impossible to chew through. Any ideas what I might’ve done wrong?
Sam
Hi Akash! My best guess would be that it might’ve cooked for too long.