This Millionaire Shortbread is a rich holiday treat, made with a shortbread base, rich caramel filling, and topped with dark chocolate!
Millionaire Shortbread is an easy cookie bar that usually pops up around the holidays, but it’s a treat we enjoy year-round! With rich salted caramel, crunchy shortbread, and dark chocolate, they are rich but they’re worth every indulgent bite.
It’s that time of year when many get the urge to head to the kitchen and whip up their favorite cookies and Christmas treats. Millionaire Shortbread bars need to be on your baking list!
I love making a few cookie bars with my holiday baking because, with a little prep, you can get a lot of squares to add to your holiday baking trays or boxes to share with neighbors and family.
Some of our other favorite bars are Nanaimo Bars, Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars, and Scotcheroos!
How to Make Millionaire Shortbread
- Make the crust: combine the butter, sugar, and flour until crumbly.
- Press into pan and bake until lightly golden or dried on top.
- Combine the caramel ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Pour over the crust and let set completely before adding chocolate.
- Melt chocolate with butter then pour over the caramel and chill to set.
Variations on Millionaire Shortbread
- Swap a couple tablespoons of flour in the shortbread base for cocoa powder for a chocolatey twist!
- After the caramel has boiled, stir in coconut, rum, or almond extract for an extra hit of flavor.
- Sprinkle chopped nuts, dried cranberries, or raisins on the crust before pouring in the caramel
- Swap the dark chocolate for milk or white, or add a drizzle to the top after the topping sets.
How to Store Shortbread
This Millionaire Shortbread is best stored in the refrigerator or freezer. It can be refrigerated in an airtight container for one week or frozen for up to 3 months.
I like to make a batch and keep it in the freezer so that I have some ready whenever I want to take a box of goodies to a friend in need!
More Bars and Squares You’ll Love!
- Butter Tart Squares – a classic made easier
- Chocolate Mint Nanaimo Bars – perfect for the holidays
- Easy Lemon Bars – we love these in winter citrus season
- Peppermint Brownies – kids love these chocolatey squares
- No Bake Chocolate Crunch Bars – so easy and everyone loves them
Did your family love this Millionaire Shortbread? Be sure to leave a comment and a rating below!
Millionaire Shortbread
Equipment
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Caramel:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 1 can
- 4 tablespoons corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Ganache:
- 1 ½ cups chopped dark chocolate or chips
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream or any kind
- flaked sea salt for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9x13" pan with parchment paper or grease lightly.
Crust
- Combine flour, butter, and sugar with a mixer or pastry cutter until crumbly. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake 12 minutes or until slightly puffed and dry. Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the caramel.
Caramel
- Combine butter, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and corn syrup in a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil, watching carefully and stirring continually.
- Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in salt and pour over the crust. Let chill completely in the refrigerator before adding the chocolate.
Ganache
- Place chocolate and cream in a small pot over low heat. Stir constantly until melted and pour over firm caramel layer and spread evenly. Optional: sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
- Chill in the refrigerator until chocolate layer is set before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
I’ve made this recipe in the past with great success, they are delicious. however, I tried to double it this time around as I wanted to gift them, however the caramel did not turn out right. My suggestion would be to stick with single batches.
Hi. Made these tonight. They look amazing, however the shortbread bottom seems not thoroughly cooked.
I even cooked 5 min longer, and likely could use another5.
I thought bottom should be more crisp? Am I incorrect?
Hubby said delicious but it scares me if this will make us sick. I am quite experienced baker but don’t think I can remedy the bottom.
Any info or reassurance would be appreciated.
If the crust has baked as long as directed, it will not make you sick. The bottom isn’t entirely crisp on these bars.
Am trying this recipe now. Looks delish! Do I need to use cold butter? I couldn’t find where it said.
Hi Judy, no the butter does not need to be cold. We would love to hear how this recipe turns out for you!
Do these freeze well?
Hi Samantha, yes you can freeze these! Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and/or place in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge when you’re ready to enjoy them!
Hi – I made these for friends this year and was asked for the recipe by several. Thanks for the great instructions. I love cooking but am not a baker and find ways to mess baking up frequently – these however, were great the first try!
Thank you Ashley for your many wonderful recipes. All have turned out wonderfully. I’m wondering if you or any other followers have tried halving the top two layers (or doubling the cookie base), for those who would prefer a little less richness. Thank you!
We have only tried the recipe as written.
Amazing! So rich and decadent, and easy to make!
Delicious!! These are by far the easiest Millionaire’s Shortbread recipe I’ve ever made. Everything came together in about 20 minutes of active time. After just a couple hours of chilling, they were ready to eat. I have never made cookies by cutting in butter (I’ve made plenty of pie crusts, scones, and biscuits, but never cookies this way!), so I was worried these would be really crumbly, but they’re not! They’re perfect. A good way to check that you’ve cut the butter in enough is to grab a handful, squeeze it, and make sure it sticks together like a dough. My only criticism is that I do think that a more traditional caramel tastes better and has a better texture than this one, but the convenience and ease of this recipe more than makes up for that, and no one will notice the difference except the most avid and picky bakers out there (and there aren’t many of those!). Try this! You won’t be disappointed!
Oh my goodness!!! Heavenly!!! I read many “Millionaire’s Shortbread” recipes online and decided to try yours Ashley. (I love the addition of flaked salt for that salty/sweet taste, so that was a plus also!) I followed the recipe exactly and weighed everything in grams. I lined the baking pan completely with parchment and the shortbread took about 14 minutes. The caramel was cooked slowly, over a really low/medium heat to 230-232 degrees. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips and heavy cream for the ganache. As your recipe states, I chilled completely after adding the caramel layer and chilled completely again after adding the ganache and before cutting it with a warmed, dry knife. It cut perfectly and the taste is phenomenal! They look just like your photos, and I am more than pleased. I will be freezing half of them (otherwise I will eat them all) and hoping they defrost nicely. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!!
Sounds fabulous Char!
Is there anything I can substitute for corn syrup other than golden syrup? I heard that you can use honey, would that work?
We have only made this recipe with corn syrup as written. It adds flavor and helps with consistency. Let us know if you try it with honey Ally!
I used maple syrup. it worked perfectly.
The receipes all look so yummy!!
Hi! Do you use light or dark corn syrup?
Either will work in this recipe.
Very tasty. I ate way more of this than I care to admit…
I know what you mean Jordan! I ended up making a second batch just so I had enough to share!
Make sure your butter for the shortbread is softened before trying to mix, otherwise you’re not in for a good time.
it looks your cookies – half sliced and the other half whole – are sitting on a slab/counter. how did you get it out of the pan? do you cut the cookies while in the pan? should the parchment paper go up the sides of the pan? and by “pan” you mean metal and not glass, correct?
If you line the pan with parchment, you can lift them right out if you allow the parchment to overhang. If doesn’t have to go up the sides (although it’s ok if it does). You can use metal or glass in this recipe.
cat again! these turned out great! came out of the pan easily, looked beautiful, and tasted wonderful! got many compliments. they’re so good in fact i’m making another batch today – some to share, some for ourselves
So glad these were a big hit Cat! Thank you for the review.
This is amazing! Made it to add to the cookie tins I was gifting people and they were a hit. Thank goodness I gifted most of it because it isn’t going to last long in my house! SWP Employee
can i use coconut rum “Malibu” ?
Hi Paul, You could try adding that once the caramel has finished boiling. We would usually add a flavored extract but I’d love to hear how it turns out with coconut rum!
Do you need to corn syrup? What does that do to the caramel?
We have only made this recipe with corn syrup as written. It adds flavor and helps with consistency.
This looks delicious. I must try it !
Let us know how it works out for you!