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Decadent triple layer dessert bars with shortbread, caramel, and chocolate ganache. Topped with sea salt flakes making them the perfectly sweet dessert bar.

How to make millionaire bars

Millionaire bars have 3 components to them. They’re very easy to make, but there are a couple cooling steps as you layer so just plan ahead. They store extremely well too. It’s a fantastic make ahead dessert.

Shortbread – very easy! You can use a hand mixer to just quickly cream together the ingredients until the crumbly shortbread begins to come together. Press into a lined 9×9 pan and bake for about 22 minutes.

Caramel – this caramel recipe is a modified version of my family’s all time favorite traditional caramels. The main difference is that I like to cook this caramel for just a tad less to make them easier to bite into as a dessert bar. I also added a touch of salt to balance out all the sweetness happening in the bar. Pour the caramel on hot before it sets.

Chocolate ganache – topped with chocolate and cream melted and whisked together, making for a decadent, rich bite. I love topping the whole thing with flaky sea salt to provide that perfect contrast to this rich bar.

I love using a square pan like this USA 9×9 pan to crate those crisp square corners, making for perfectly cut bars.

1. Buttery shortbread crust

2. Chewy caramel layer

3. Rich chocolate ganache & sea salt

Can I double it?

Yes! You can absolutely double this. When you double it, you can double the caramel below or use my normal full batch caramel recipe. You’ll see the amount of sweetened condensed milk isn’t doubled. I’ve tested both and both result in perfectly delicious caramels. I don’t like using “half cans” or excess of unique ingredients I won’t use up so when I tested using the whole can with the “half batch” it turned out amazing!

How to store

Millionaire shortbread bars are easy to make in advance and easy to store! You can store in the fridge overnight before cutting and serving. These also freeze well.

To freeze…

You can either freeze the whole pan and then let it thaw in the fridge OR cut them into squares, freeze separately and wrap up individually. Take out and thaw individually and enjoy!

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Millionaire Shortbread Bars

Lori

Decadent triple layer dessert bars featuring shortbread, caramel, and chocolate ganache. Topped with sea salt flakes making them the perfectly sweet dessert bar.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 16 bars

Ingredients

  

Shortbread

• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Caramel (*see note)

• ½ cup corn syrup
• ½ cup butter unsalted or salted is fine
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 tsp salt

Chocolate Ganache

• 1 ½ cups semi sweet chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• sea salt flakes to top

Instructions

 

Shortbread

• Line a 9x9" pan with parchment paper; set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Using a hand or stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla. Mix together for a couple minutes until light. Add egg yolk then gently mix again.
• Add flour and salt and mix until combined and it transitions from crumbly into a smooth dough.
• Press the dough into the pan evenly. Bake for about 22-25 minutes until lightly golden brown. Set aside.

Caramel

• Prepare the caramel by mixing together all of the ingredients in a large pot over the stove at medium high heat. STIR CONSTANTLY.
• After the first bubble appears, stir constantly for about 10 minutes. The caramel will thicken and begin to get a richer, darker color. If you have a candy thermometer, it should get to 225°F.
• Immediately pour over your prepared shortbread crust. Spread as needed to get a nice even layer. Chill in the fridge to cool and allow caramel to set.

Chocolate Ganache

• Heat up cream in the microwave until boiling. Pour over chocolate chips. Cover and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
• Whisk together until smooth. If it doesn't appear to be warm enough to fully mix in, heat in 10-15 second intervals in the microwave to get to a nice smooth consistency.
• Pour over set caramel. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to partially set, then top with flaky sea salt.
• Chill then cut and serve. These can be made in advance easily, even frozen! You can freeze the individual squares or freeze the whole pan then let it thaw until it's soft enough to cut through.

Notes

This caramel recipe is a modified version from my family's famous caramels. I've modified it slightly to be the right ratio for this size of pan for the recipe. It's also not quite as hot as normal caramels. It's slightly softer then the wrapped up chewy caramels. 

If you want to double this recipe and use it in a 9x13 pan, you can use this caramel recipe and heat to 225 F as directed above. 

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I earn a very small commission when you purchase an item using that link, but at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my kitchen! All opinions and recommendations are always 100% my own. 

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