Millionaire’s Shortbread or Caramel Shortbread (Authentic Scottish Recipe)
Millionaire’s shortbread, or caramel shortbread, is a classic Scottish treat. Buttery shortbread is covered with caramel and topped with a glorious chocolate. Make this authentic recipe and you’ll never look back!
Originally published January 23, 2014
If you have a sweet tooth, or know someone who does, then this authentic millionaire’s shortbread recipe is sure to be a recipe you’ll want to try.
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I’ve seen lots of recipes for what is supposed to be authentic millionaire’s shortbread, but they simply don’t make the cut. In fact, one of the top recipes from a google search brings up a recipe which is called “millionaire’s shortbread”.
What is Millionaire’s Shortbread?
Millionaire’s shortbread is a rich shortbread topped with caramel and chocolate. While proper millionaire’s shortbread should have only shortbread, caramel and chocolate, some other recipes think that more is more. I’m here to tell you that as a Scot–it is not. The other name it goes by in Scotland is caramel shortcake.
Authentic Scottish shortbread is made with only 3 ingredients.
However, the shortbread shouldn’t have 7 ingredients in it. The caramel shouldn’t have corn syrup in it, and the chocolate topping isn’t just chocolate, but a ganache and it’s topped with salt. JUST NO. I’m not saying the recipe is bad, I’m saying it’s not millionaire’s shortbread which is a Scottish recipe.
This is a simpler, more “well-adjusted” shortbread recipe, because the shortbread is, well–actually shortbread. Why call something a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when there’s no peanut butter in it? It makes no sense.
Speaking of peanut butter, try these peanut butter cookies next!
This recipe is the Scottish standard, and given to me by Melanie Andrews, a Scottish baker, and tea room owner for over 25 years in Helensburgh, Scotland. How much better can you get?
Another classic tea room recipe: Scottish red lentil soup.
It’s my duty as a Scot to let you know things like this about mangled Scottish recipes, the same as I do when I find ridiculous recipes pretending to be “Italian”.
Another classic shortbread shape: petticoat tails.
These millionaire’s shortbread bars are great in lunch boxes, for bake sales, cookie exchanges, holiday gifts and so much more. They keep well for more than a week if they’re kept in an airtight tin. Below is a photo of whisky and caramel shortcake in my room at Northland’s Pitlochry, Scotland.
Authentic Millionaire’s Shortbread
or Caramel Shortbread
(aka Caramel Shortcake)
Slightly adapted from Craigard Tearoom recipe Makes 20 pieces
Full printable recipes below
Ingredients
For shortbread base
- butter
- sugar
- flour
For caramel and chocolate layers
- butter
- sugar
- Lyle’s Golden Syrup
- condensed milk
- chocolate
Make the Millionaire’s Shortbread Base
Press the shortbread dough right into the tray. and bake. Allow to cool.
Make the Caramel
Use a candy thermometer for best results.
Spread the Caramel on the Shortbread Base
Once the shortbread is cool, spread the caramel on top and allow to cool again. Patience is a virtue.
Top Millionaire’s Shortbread with Good Quality Melted Chocolate
Please don’t go to all the trouble to make this delectable treat and use subpar chocolate! Good quality chocolate is key. Callebaut is just an example, but there are many less expensive chocolate brands that are still very good (Trader Joe’s).
When Cool, Cut Millionaire’s Shortbread into Bars
Enjoy the this crunchy, chewy, chocolatey treat. I think this is how Twix was invented, to be honest!
You know this isn’t the last time you’re going to make these millionaire shortbread bars, right?
Love caramel? Here’s another decadent recipe for you to try: Guinness stout dark chocolate pudding cakes with salted caramel sauce. Or sticky toffee pudding, which has a gorgeous caramel topping.
Authentic Millionaire's Shortbread or Caramel Shortcake (Shortbread with Caramel and Chocolate)
Ingredients
- 1 recipe shortbread see recipe card below
Caramel Layer
- 6 oz butter (1 1/2 sticks)
- ¾ c sugar
- 3 Tbsp Lyle's Golden Syrup available in British or specialty shops (omit if you cannot find it)
- 7 oz condensed milk (½ of a 14 oz can)
- 8 oz chocolate (for top layer) good quality, dark (or milk)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F (170º C)
Make the Shortbread
- Make the recipe and lightly prick with a fork and bake for about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Make the Caramel
- Put the butter, sugar, Golden Syrup and condensed milk in a heavy bottomed pan and heat to bubbling, then simmer, stirring constantly, until thick and golden brown in color. If you have a candy thermometer, bring it to the soft ball stage 235-240F (113-115C). Otherwise, test a drop in a cold glass of water, and when it forms a soft ball, it's ready.
- Pour caramel over cooled shortbread, and set aside to cool.
Finish the Millionaire Shortbread Bars
- When the caramel has set, melt the chocolate (I put it in the microwave on "defrost") and spread it evenly over the top of the caramel layer.
- Refrigerate before cutting into slices, and store in an airtight tin or freeze.
Notes
- Use milk chocolate if you prefer it to dark.
Nutrition
How to Make Shortbread (Easy Scottish Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 c butter salted, softened (you can use unsalted, which is the norm for baking, but add a good pinch of salt)
- 2 ½ c all-purpose flour
- ½ c sugar
- ½ tsp sugar to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375º F (190 ºC)
- Start by mixing the butter and sugar together, but DO NOT CREAM them (see notes). The butter shouldn't be too soft, but also not straight from the fridge, especially if you use a mixer.
- Add the flour and mix to a stiff consistency. Don't overwork the dough; stop when it just comes together. That's it, you've just made shortbread dough: I told you it was easy!
- Roll out into the shape of a pan or tin you want to bake them in. I baked this in an 8 x 8 pan. Trim the edges to the approximate size.
- FINGERS: Place it in the pan of your choice. One mistake many people make is rolling the shortbread too thin. Proper shortbread should be quite thick (no less than 3/4" or 2cm if making fingers). Tip: make sure your fingers are wide enough that a fork can prick them. Use a bench scraper or knife to cut the dough into fingers. Next, prick the shortbread with a fork, about half way through.
- ROUND: You can also shape the dough into a ball, roll it out into a round, and score into triangles, then prick with a fork.
- MOULD: (brush the mold with a little oil, and sugar first to ensure it comes out nicely). Roll out the dough, place over the mould and roll again to press into it. Remove the excess dough then turn out onto a tray. If your shortbread mould doesn't have a pretty design, prick it with a fork
- CUT OUT SHAPES: roll out more thinly (as with sugar cookies) and cut with cookie cutter. Place onto prepared baking sheet and prick evenly.
- Place in preheated oven for 15 to 30 minutes (depending on which thickness or shape) or until slightly brown on edges. Sprinkle with sugar immediately upon removing from the oven. Shortbread shouldn't be darkly colored. Let your shortbread cool on or in the pan or tray before moving to rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Quality ingredients are KEY, especially the butter.
- The butter and sugar should be thoroughly amalgamated, but not creamed (as when making a cake and the result becomes light and fluffy-shortbread dough takes only a few minutes to make.)
- PLEASE USE A SCALE FOR BEST RESULTS.
- If for some reason your mixture doesn't come together, press it into a pan or use to make a crumble topping - there is no reason to throw it away.
- Store in a sealed container (an old Walker's tin is excellent) and keep in a cool, dry place. Shortbread will keep well for weeks, but is also excellent after being frozen.
- If you plan to keep your shortbread for more than two weeks, I'd suggest freezing it.
Nutrition
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I have a question about the shortbread, you use an 8×8 pan, that doesn’t make a lot of shortbread for the amount of caramel and chocolate that we have. could I use a bigger pan and if so how much would I scale the ingredients up by? If I’m going to make this I want to end up with enough to share. Thank you so much.
(I found many other recipes for millionaire’s shortbread and they all have egg yolks in the shortbread, it’s almost impossible to find a recipe that doesn’t add something to it)
Hi Janice, it depends on what size pan you use. If you did 9×13 then I would probably increase the shortbread to 1.5x the recipe. Yes, you are correct, classic shortbread doesn’t have eggs.
Hi Christina,
I grew up in Scotland so I was very excited to find this recipe for millionaires shortbread. We called it caramel shorty.
I tried to make it yesterday. Unfortunately the caramel ended up being very hard toffee. I coooked it for 25 minutes on low simmer. I was very disappointed. I want to try again but I will be more careful with the caramel. Is there a temperature that I should cook it to? I have a candy thermometer
Thanks,
Penny
Oh Penny, I’m so sorry! Yes, you are correct, it was overcooked into toffee. I should have the temperature on there, so I’ve edited it to add that it’s the soft ball stage. Using a candy thermometer will definitely avoid overcooking. Next time’s a charm!
Hi Penny, I wanted to send you something to apologize for the hard caramel, but I don’t have your email address. Can you please send it to me via my email or social media messages, please?
Hi Christina,
Thank you so much! That will help. Can’t wait to try it again!
Penny