Millionaire Shortbread Bars

Millionaire shortbread bars layer golden shortbread, chewy caramel, and glossy chocolate into a bar that means business. You get all that wow-factor with just a few pantry staples and a little stovetop stirring. They slice clean, stack beautifully, and disappear fast – whether you’re serving them at a party or sneaking one straight from the fridge.

Table of Contents

1. Why We Love This Recipe
2. What You’ll Need
3. How to Make Millionaire Shortbread Bars
4. Recipe FAQ’s
5. Tips for Success
6. The Best Way to Slice Cleanly
7. Substitutions and Variations
8. More Easy Bars to Bake and Share
9. Millionaire Shortbread Bars Recipe

Millionaire’s shortbread first showed up in the 1970s as a lavish upgrade to traditional Scottish shortbread. It’s one of those rare desserts that looks like effort but feels like a breeze – no fancy tools, no stress, just buttery shortbread, caramel, and chocolate fulfilling their highest calling. Bring a tray to any gathering and someone’s bound to pull you aside, demanding to know which bakery you bought them from.

If deep, buttery chocolate caramel has you weak at the knees, you’re not ready for Twix Caramel Popcorn, Turtle Cake, Pretzel Bark, Cornflake Brownies, and Chocolate Salted Caramel Whoopie Pies.

Why We Love This Recipe

• It starts with everyday ingredients and ends up as something genuinely impressive.
• The steps are straightforward, the layers behave, and the final result slices like a dream.
• The sprinkle of flaky salt perfectly balances the sweetness of the caramel and richness of the shortbread and chocolate.

What You’ll Need

Here’s what you need to make these millionaire’s shortbread bars, and the full recipe with measurements is down in the recipe card.

• Salted Butter – Used in both the shortbread base and the caramel for richness and structure. If using unsalted butter, just add a pinch more salt.
• Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the shortbread and helps it bake into a golden, tender crust.
• Egg Yolk – Adds richness and helps the shortbread hold its shape without turning cakey.
• Vanilla Extract – Adds warmth and depth to both the crust and the caramel layer.
• Salt – Balances the sweetness and brings out the full flavor in every layer.
• All-Purpose Flour – The base of that buttery shortbread crust with just the right crumb.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk – The key to making thick, creamy caramel. I like using Eagle Brand for consistent results.
• Light Brown Sugar – Enhances the caramel with a rich, toffee-like depth.
• Light Corn Syrup – Keeps the caramel smooth and helps prevent crystallization. You can swap in lyle’s golden syrup or maple syrup if you prefer.
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate – Forms the rich chocolate topping. You can mix in milk chocolate or white chocolate for a twist.
• Heavy Cream – Helps melt the chocolate into a silky ganache that slices beautifully.
• Flaky Sea Salt – Optional, but adds that perfect sweet-salty finish on top.

How to Make Millionaire Shortbread Bars

1. Cream the butter, sugar, and egg yolk: In a large bowl, beat the butter, and sugar together until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the dry ingredients: Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla, salt, then add the flour until the dough is crumbly but evenly combined.

3. Press and dock the crust: Line a 9-inch pan with parchment paper, press the dough into an even layer, and prick it all over with a fork to keep it from puffing up in the oven.
4. Bake and cool: Bake the crust at 350°F for 24-26 minutes, until the edges are golden. Let the baked shortbread cool completely.

5. Combine caramel ingredients: In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt.
6. Cook the caramel: Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly until the caramel thickens and reaches 236°F on a candy thermometer (affiliate link).

7. Pour and set the caramel: Pour the hot caramel over the cooled crust and spread it into an even layer. Let it cool at room temperature for 2-3 hours, or chill for 1 hour until firm.

8. Make the ganache: Heat the cream in the microwave for 60 seconds until very hot but not boiling. Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips in a small bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes.
9. Melt until smooth: Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and you have a smooth ganache. If the chocolate doesn’t melt entirely, you can microwave the mixture in short bursts, stirring well after each burst of heat until the chocolate is fully melted and glossy.

10. Spread and sprinkle: Pour the ganache over the cooled caramel, spread into an even layer, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
11. Set and slice: Let the top layer set completely before slicing into individual squares.

Recipe FAQ’s

Tips for Success

• Use a light-colored metal pan – It bakes more evenly than a dark one, which can brown the crust too fast and mess with the caramel.
• Keep the heat low for caramel – High heat turns it gritty or greasy fast. Medium-low and steady stirring will keep things smooth and stress-free.
• Line the pan with parchment and leave an overhang – Makes lifting the bars out a breeze, and keeps slicing from becoming a wrestling match.
• Let each layer cool completely before adding the next – Especially the caramel. Patience here pays off with those clean, defined layers.
• Chill before cutting – Once everything’s set, a short chill in the fridge (15 to 20 minutes) firms things up just enough to slice cleanly without dragging or smudging the layers.

Substitutions and Variations

• Use unsalted butter instead of salted – just add a pinch or two of extra salt to the shortbread and caramel layers to keep the balance.
• Try dark chocolate or milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet for a more intense or creamy topping. You can even do a half-and-half swirl for a visual twist.
• Add a handful of crushed pretzels or toasted coconut to the chocolate layer before it sets for a little crunch and contrast.
• Add a thin layer of peanut butter between the caramel and chocolate for a salty-sweet twist that plays perfectly with the richness.

More Easy Bars to Bake and Share

• Lemon Bars
• Cherry Pie Bars
• Peach Crumb Bars
• Classic 7 Layer Bars
• Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars
• Pecan Pie Bars
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Fresh Cranberry Shortbread Bars