By: Jill Mills Updated: Oct 1, 2024

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Millionaire Shortbread Bars feature a soft shortbread crust, creamy caramel filling, and rich chocolate topping, with a hint of sea salt on top. Easy & addicting.

A millionaire shortbread bar on a spatula

These millionaire shortbread bars are so good. We can’t stop making them! I learned a while ago to just make two batches at a time so we at least have some leftovers and, if I’m lucky, a few bars to freeze. Enjoy the at room temperature for the gooey caramel filling.

Why You’ll Love This Millionaire Shortbread Recipe

Here are just a few things that make these bars so addicting.

Salty & sweet. You would think these bars would be overly sweet but they really aren’t. The semi-sweet chocolate and salt on top offer the perfect balance of sweet and salty.
Perfect combination of textures. The chocolate is silky smooth with a gooey rich caramel interior and crunchy buttery shortbread crust, this dessert hits all the right elements in both taste and texture.
Easy to make. Millionaire shortbread is super easy and simple to make. The key is just to be prepared to let it cool for at least 2 hours between each layer. I promise they’re worth the wait!
Store well. But once you’ve made these bars, they will store for a week or so in the fridge and months in the freezer.

Overhead view of millionaire shortbread ingredients

What You’ll Need

Each layer of these millionaire shortbread bars is made with just a few simple ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements.

Crust

Unsalted butter – Softened but not melted.
Sugar – Sweetens the shortbread crust.
All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure it accurately to prevent a too-dry crust.
Sea salt

Filling

Unsalted butter – Cut into tablespoons.
Brown sugar
Sweetened condensed milk – Adds the sweet, creamy texture.
Light corn syrup – Helps give the filling the pourable, sticky texture and shine.

Topping

Semi-sweet baking bars – Finely chopped for easy melting. Be sure to use a good quality chocolate here.
Unsalted butter – Helps create the perfect texture for the melted chocolate.
Flaky sea salt – Optional but adds a nice final touch.

Millionaire shortbread bars on parchment paper

Topping Ideas

I kept this millionaire shortbread recipe classic, with sea salt as the only topping. But if you want to get fancy, there are lots of options! Here are some ideas:

Reese’s pieces
Chopped peanut butter cups
Chopped Rolos
Toffee chips
Mini M&Ms
A drizzle of white or dark chocolate
Crushed pretzels

How To Make Millionaire Shortbread Bars

These bars are pretty easy to make, just make sure to allow plenty of time for each layer to cool. You can find the printable version of the instructions in the recipe card below.

Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
Make the dough. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and sea salt until no dry patches remain.
Bake. Press the dough into the baking dish. Bake for 23-28 minutes. It should be golden brown along the centers and the center should appear dry. Let cool completely.

Adding brown sugar to a saucepan with butter

Pouring caramel over shortbread in a baking dish

Make the filling. Bring the butter, brown sugar, condensed milk, and corn syrup to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Turn the heat to low and continue simmering for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and continue to stir for about 4 minutes to cool it slightly.
Chill. Pour the caramel layer over the crust. Freeze for 2 hours.

Make the chocolate ganache. Microwave the chopped chocolate and butter in 15-second intervals, stirring between each one, until smooth. Spread the chocolate over the filling. Refrigerate for up 2 hours to set.
Cut the bars. Remove the bars from the baking dish. Cut into squares, sprinkle with sea salt, and enjoy.

Tips for Success

Here are a few important things to keep in mind as you make these millionaire shortbread bars.

Do not overheat the caramel. You really have to be careful and make sure it doesn’t boil because a bubble may pop and burn you. If it looks like it is starting to simmer more rapidly, take off the heat for a few seconds while continuing to stir, then place it back on the heat.
Stir the filling constantly. Similarly, you want to continuously stir the caramel filling while it cooks as it will burn easily.
Cool between layers. The reason these bars are time-consuming is simply because each layer needs to cool before adding the next. If you don’t wait, you won’t have the clean layers you want.
Leave parchment paper overhang. When you line the baking dish with parchment paper, leave overhang on at least 2 sides. This will help you easily remove the bars from the baking pan to cut.

Millionaire shortbread bars stacked on each other

Proper Storage

These are best served slightly chilled or at room temperature. The chocolate and caramel filling will soften slightly at room temperature and be more gooey than when chilled it is more solid.

Fridge. I would suggest storing the bars in the fridge if there are any leftovers. They will keep for up to a week in an airtight container. If you prefer them at room temperature, just let them sit on the counter for 30 minutes or so.
Freezer. You can also store millionaire shortbread bars for up to 3 months in the freezer. Use parchment paper to separate layers and keep them in a freezer-safe container. Thaw on the counter or in the fridge.

Millionaire Shortbread Bars

Why You’ll Love This Millionaire Shortbread Recipe