Millionaire Bars Are Perfect for the Holidays—They're My Favorite

If I won the lottery, I wouldn’t tell anyone, but there would be signs. Namely, I would spend a large chunk of my time watching Designing Women reruns in a preposterously fluffy robe while eating millionaire bars, one of my all-time favorite desserts.

The millionaire bar, also known as millionaire shortbread, is a rich, decadent cookie of British origin. While Scottish shortbread dates back to the 12th century, the combination of shortbread, soft caramel, and firm chocolate is actually a 20th-century innovation. This is a showstopper cookie/bar that looks complex but is actually pretty simple to make at home. 

How To Make Millionaire Shortbread

Millionaire Shortbread starts with, you guessed it, shortbread. Rather than individual cookies, it’s a thick layer of shortbread crust that’s simply pressed into the pan and baked.

Making the caramel layer feels like the most intimidating element of this dessert, but there’s not really much to it. Combine sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and butter in a saucepan and whisk until it reaches the correct temperature. Keeping the temperature low is important to help melt the sugars as the caramel comes together to avoid scorching and clumping, and whisking constantly means you’ll be watching the caramel’s every move so you can see if and when you might want to reduce the heat.

To finish, simply melt chocolate in a double boiler or short bursts in the microwave. Pour the melted chocolate over the top, chill, and slice to reveal the beautiful layers.

Tips for Making Millionaire Shortbread

• Line the pan with parchment paper with the edges hanging over the side for easy removal.
• Don’t skip the salt! The flaky salt on top is essential for providing a little bit of contrast and making all of the flavors pop.
• Experiment with adding other toppings to the chocolate layer, like sliced almonds or a swirl of white chocolate.
• Allow each layer to cool fully before adding the next layer, and allow the bars to cool completely before slicing.

Bars for Dessert

• Fluffernutter Brownies
  
• Butterscotch Squares
• Cowboy Blondies
• Scotcheroos
  

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Line an 8x8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.

Make the shortbread:

Pulse the flour, butter, and powdered sugar in a food processor or cut together in a bowl with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles moist sand.

Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan to form an even layer.

Bake:

Bake until the shortbread appears slightly glossy with a toasted color, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool the shortbread layer on the countertop, at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator.

Make the caramel:

Once the shortbread has cooled, make the caramel layer. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the sweetened condensed milk, corn syrup, and butter. Constantly whisk until the mixture reaches a temperature of 220 to 225°F on an instant-read thermometer, always cooking over medium-low heat, about 15 minutes. It should be light golden brown.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the caramel on top of the shortbread, using a rubber or offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Cool in the fridge until set, about 30 minutes.

Top with chocolate:

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in 20-second bursts in the microwave, stirring often.

Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel layer, and use an offset spatula to smooth before sprinkling with flaky salt. Chill the millionaire bars in the fridge until set, at least 30 minutes, before slicing with a large knife. Clean your knife between slices to ensure the most uniform bars.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or wrap and freeze individually wrapped for up to 6 months.

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