Millionaire’s Shortbread
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This decadent millionaire shortbread features a buttery shortbread, creamy caramel layer, and topped with a soft chocolate ganache—a perfect, indulgent treat! All three layers are simple to make and come together for an irresistible dessert bar.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love It
- Grab These Ingredients
- Tips & Tricks
- Step-by-Step: How To Make Millionaire’s Shortbread
- FAQ
- More Caramel Recipes
Let’s kick off the new year on a delicious note– melt-in-your-mouth buttery shortbread with a thick layer of chewy caramel, and topped with a decadent chocolate ganache. Bake sale, teacher gift, new neighbor, and birthday, you name it– these millionaire’s caramel shortbread recipe are perfect for any occasion.
Why You’ll Love It
- Basically a homemade Twix
- Just 3 layers– shortbread base, caramel in the center, topped with chocolate
- Made with simple pantry ingredients
- Perfect for holidays, teacher gifts, parties, and so much more
Grab These Ingredients
- Butter: Using unsalted butter allows for more control when it comes to the salt. It’s creamed together with the sugar for the shortbread base.
- Sugars: Both white sugar and powdered sugar are used in the recipe– the shortbread and the caramel layer.
- Egg: adds richness to the shortbread layer, one large egg yolk is needed.
- Vanilla: vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste can be used. It adds a layer of flavor.
- Flour: Like most of my bars and brownie recipes, all-purpose flour is my go to.
- Salt: Adds flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Corn Syrup: It’s a very important in the caramel as it helps prevent it from crystalizing and seizing up. The recipe calls for light corn syrup, but you can substitute with dark corn syrup, just know the caramel will be darker.
- Water: Not shown above, it helps dissolve the sugar.
- Heavy Cream: There’s no skimping on the heavy cream– you want a high fat content for a chewy caramel and a soft chocolate ganache.
- Chocolate: You want quality baking chocolate for the chocolate layer. Make sure you chop up the chocolate to allow for even melted.
Tips & Tricks
- Line the baking dish with parchment paper with enough overhang for it to be easily removed. It also helps prevent the caramel from sticking to the sides of the dish.
- It’s important to use room temperature butter when making shortbread.
- Keep a close eye on the caramel sauce– while it’s easy, it can go from perfect consistency to burnt within seconds.
- Remember to chill the caramel layer before adding the layer of chocolate, that way you have defined layers.
Step-by-Step: How To Make Millionaire’s Shortbread
The full printable recipe is outlined below. Before starting, let’s walk through the steps in photos.
Step 1: Begin with the shortbread, creaming together the butter and sugar then, add the egg and vanilla. Finally, beat in the flour and salt.
Step 2: Press the shortbread dough into the baking pan in an even layer. Then poke holes into the dough all over with a fork.
Step 3: Bake until lightly golden brown, about 25-28 minutes.
Step 4: Just before or once the shortbread is done, make the caramel. If you want step-by-photos, follow my salted caramel chocolate tart recipe.
Step 5: Melt the heavy cream and chocolate together over a double boiler. Stir together until smooth.
Step 6: Spread the chocolate on top of the caramel layer and allow it to set before cutting into squares.
FAQ
It’s important to cook the caramel until it reaches a 245ºF. Using a candy thermometer makes this incredibly easy, but if you don’t have one, you’ll start to see the caramel pull away from the edges and should be very thick.
Originated in Scotland, the “millionaire” implies a level of decadence and wealth to the dessert in that it’s an upgrade from regular shortbread.
They are similar and often called a homemade Twix bar.
After the layers have chilled, set it at room temperature for 30-45 minutes so that it’s slightly softer which will prevent cracking when slicing.
Piercing the shortbread helps with even baking and allows the heat to penetrate into the cookie.
More Caramel Recipes
Millionaire’s Shortbread
Ingredients
Shortbread
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Salted Caramel
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water, room temperature
Milk Chocolate Ganache
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 ounces chocolate, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Start with the shortbread: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper with about 1 inch of overhang on the sides. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and powdered sugar on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the bottom and sides as needed. Add the egg yolk and vanilla, beating together for 1 minute. With the mixer on low, add the flour and salt, and beat together until just combined. (Try to not overmix, just until all ingredients are combined).
- Press the shortbread dough into an even layer into the prepared baking pan. Using a fork, pierce the dough all over the top. Bake until the edges are lightly golden brown, about 25-28 minutes.
- While the shortbread finishes baking, make the caramel: In a small saucepan, or in the microwave, heat the cream, butter, and salt together over medium heat until the butter has melted. Set aside.
- In a separate medium saucepan, heat the sugar, corn syrup, and water together over medium heat until the sugar mixture begins to boil. Keep cooking until the bubbles get smaller and begin to turn amber-colored. Reduce the heat to low, and carefully pour in the warm butter/cream mixture, whisking constantly to avoid lumps or crystals.
- Add a candy thermometer to the side of the pot and simmer the caramel while continuously whisking until it reaches 245ºF. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Carefully pour the hot caramel over the shortbread crust. Place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour before adding the chocolate ganache topping.
- Make the chocolate ganache: In a small saucepan over a double boiler, or in the microwave, add the cream and chocolate. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate has melted and is smooth.
- Remove from the heat and carefully pour over the cooled caramel layer. Gently smooth it over the top in an even layer using an offset spatula. Allow the ganache to set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. If desired, before chilling, garnish with flaky sea salt.
- Leftovers stay fresh covered tightly at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The shortbread layer can be made up to 2 days in advance. The assembled bars can be made up to 3 days in advance. Cover tightly and store at room temperature.
- Caramel: See my recipe and step-by-step photos on how to make caramel.
My Carmel didn’t solidify is there any reason as to why that happened?
Yes- you need to cook it to the precise temperature of 245 degrees F in order for it to solidify as it cools. If it doesn’t get to that temperature it will remain as a sauce.
Question-Does corn syrup need to be used?
Hi! Yes, corn syrup plays an important role in the caramel as it helps prevent it from crystalizing and seizing up.