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Millionaire Bars with Gluten-Free Option

This recipe produces classic Millionaire Bars – delicious cookie wedges with a shortbread base, a layer of creamy caramel and topped with a rich chocolate ganache. These three elements blend so well, be forewarned, you may develop an addiction to the bars!

millionaire bars for dessertswithstephanie.com

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Why are these treats called Millionaire Bars? Presumable the treats are so decadent only the wealthy would consume something so rich!

Making Millionaire bars has a few more steps than most bars – but don’t be dissuaded as each step is quite easy. Also, the bars may be made a few days in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer.

Tips for Making the Millionaire Shortbread Bars

Ingredients:

You don’t need any fancy ingredients to whip up these treats:

  • All-purpose flour (you may use gluten-free flour), light or dark brown sugar, cornstarch
  • Unsalted butter: use cold butter when making the shortbread base
  • Vanilla extract
  • An egg yolk
  • Sweetened condensed milk: this recipe uses one 14-ounce can which is the size sold in most grocery stores
  • Light or dark corn syrup
  • Sea salt
  • Chocolate: preferably a bittersweet chocolate as this will offset the sweetness of the caramel
  • Heavy Cream

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Millionaire Bars

  1. Preheat oven to 350° and prepare pan.

    Prepare a 9″ cake pan or tart pan by spraying generously with non-stick spray. Cut a 9″ circle of parchment paper and place in the pan.

  2. Make shortbread dough.

    Combine flour, cornstarch, brown sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter cubes. Work the butter into the flour by squeezing between your fingers. Continue to work the butter and flour until no large chunks remain and the mixture looks mealy.
    mixing shortbread dough for cookie bars

  3. Add wet ingredients.

    Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is moistened and holds together when squeezed.

  4. Fill pan and bake.

    Pour the dough into the prepared pan. Press evenly into the bottom of the pan. Using a fork, poke 10 – 15 holes in the dough.
    shortbread in pan unbaked

  5. Bake and Cool

    Bake for 18 – 20 minutes. The top will be a light golden color. Allow to cool before proceeding with the caramel layer.

  6. Make the Caramel Layer

    Place brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, butter and sweetened condensed milk in a medium saucepan. Whisk until well combined. Place the pan over medium heat and continue to whisk until the mixture begins boiling.

    Insert a candy thermometer and heat until the mixture reaches 225° (approximately 5 minutes), whisking constantly to ensure the bottom does not burn. Remove the pan from the heat once the mixture reaches 225°. Immediately pour the caramel over the shortbread base. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.

    ingredients for firm caramel layer

  7. Chocolate Layer

    Place chocolate in a bowl and heat on 50% microwave power in 30 second bursts. Stir the chocolate. Repeat the heating process until the chocolate is partially melted.

    Heat the heavy cream until it just starts to boil. Pour over the softened chocolate. Allow to rest for 3 – 4 minutes then stir until smooth. If all the chocolate does not melt, place back in the microwave for another 30 seconds on 50% power.

    Once the chocolate/cream mixture is smooth, pour over the caramel layer and spread evenly. Sprinkle coarsely ground sea salt over the chocolate. Place the pan in the refrigerator until set (approximately 1 hour).

    Cut into wedges using a knife run under hot water (this will create a smoother cut through the chocolate and caramel).

millionaire bars for dessertswithstephanie.com

Millionaire Bars

This recipe produces classic Millionaire Bars – delicious cookie wedges with a shortbread cookie base, a layer of creamy caramel and topped with a rich chocolate ganache.
5 from 17 votes
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Resting Time 1 hr 30 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16

Ingredients
  

Shortbread Crust

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
  • ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar (53 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
  • 4 ounces Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into ¼" cubes 113 grams / 1 stick
  • ½ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 large Egg Yolk

Carmel Layer

  • 1 14-ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • ½ cup Light Brown Sugar (106 grams)
  • 3 ounces Unsalted Butter 84 grams / 6 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons Corn Syrup (light or dark)
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt (finely ground)

Chocolate Layer

  • 226 Grams Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped (8 ounces)
  • 3 fluid ounces Heavy Cream
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt, coarsely ground

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350° F

Shortbread Crust

  • Prepare a 9" cake pan or tart pan by spraying generously with non-stick spray. Cut a 9" circle of parchment paper and place in bottom of pan.
  • Combine flour, cornstarch, brown sugar and salt in a large bowl.
  • Add the cold butter cubes. Work the butter into the flour by squeezing between your fingers, Continue to work the butter and flour until no large chunks remain and the mixture looks mealy.
  • Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is moistened and holds together when squeezed.
  • Pour the dough into the prepared pan. Press evenly into the bottom of the pan. Using a fork, poke 10 – 15 holes in the dough.
  • Bake for 18 – 20 minutes. Allow to cool before proceeding with the caramel layer.

Caramel Layer

  • Place brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, butter and sweetened condensed milk in a medium saucepan. Whisk until well combined. Place the pan over medium heat and continue to whisk until the mixture begins boiling.
  • Insert a candy thermometer and heat until the mixture reaches 225° (approximately 5 minutes) , whisking constantly to ensure the bottom does not burn.
  • Remove the pan from the heat once the mixture reaches 225°. Immediately pour the caramel over the shortbread base. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.

Chocolate Layer

  • Soften chocolate in the microwave: place in a bowl and heat on 50% microwave power for 30 second bursts, stirring between each heating. Chocolate will be partially melted.
  • Heat heavy cream until it just starts to boil. Pour over the softened chocolate. Allow to rest for 3 – 4 minutes then stir until smooth. If all the chocolate does not melt, place back in microwave for another 30 seconds on 50% power.
  • Once the chocolate/cream mixture is smooth, pour over the caramel layer and spread evenly. Sprinkle coarsely ground sea salt over the chocolate. Place the pan in the refrigerator until set (approximately 1 hour)
  • Cut into wedges using a knife run under hot water (this will create a smoother cut through the chocolate and caramel).
Keyword millionaire shortbread bars, salted caramel millionaire bars
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

13 Comments

  1. Vincent Grillo

    Reply

    5 stars
    Great cookies, but the name should be Billionaire Bars… they are delicious. Thanks for the recipe.

  2. Sue

    Reply

    5 stars
    This dessert came out perfectly! So easy to make and even better to eat. Perfect combination of sweet and salty as well as soft and crispy! Will definitely make again.

  3. Kurt

    Reply

    5 stars
    My wife made these and I would have never guessed they were gluten free! Yum yum yum. Thanks for the amazing recipe.

  4. Pedja

    Reply

    5 stars
    This looks so delicious. I love sweets with caramel and butter. I immediately passed on this recipe to my wife…

  5. beth

    Reply

    5 stars
    I love the gluten-free option of this recipe. My husband would love this one too I’m sure. He won’t even notice it is gluten-free.

  6. SONIA SEIVWRIGHT

    Reply

    5 stars
    My dad always buys these in the shops. I can’t wait to bake them for him.

  7. Ntensibe Edgar

    Reply

    5 stars
    Nnniiiccceeeee…I’d love to have these shortbread cookies! As a lover of tea, these will go well, with my tea.

  8. Marysa

    Reply

    5 stars
    This looks delicious! I like the idea of a cookie bar with the shortbread and the other ingredients. I would like to make these with the kids.

  9. Nicole Bertrand

    Reply

    5 stars
    These were great! I don’t like things that are too sweet, and these were just sweet enough!

  10. Rosey

    Reply

    5 stars
    I like the shortbread cookie base on these. They’re rich but not too rich with that neutral base. Simply delicious.

  11. Fransic verso

    Reply

    5 stars
    I haven’t tried these bars but look so yummy. I love that is not that complicated to make as I’m not the best at making cookies and desserts haha. Thank you for sharing!

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