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.
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. This recipe comes from 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”.
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.
Authentic Millionaire’s Shortbread
or Caramel Shortbread
(aka Caramel Shortcake)
Slightly adapted recipe by Melanie Andrews 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 fruits of your labor!
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)
Classic and authentic Scottish Shortbread recipe containing only three ingredients: flour, butter and sugar.
Ingredients
- 340 g (2 ¾ cups) all-purpose flour
- 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar
- 227 g salted butter (2 sticks) softened (you can use unsalted, which is the norm for baking, but add a good pinch of salt)
- (extra 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. The butter shouldn't be too soft, but also not straight from the fridge, especially if you use a mixer. These two ingredients should be thoroughly amalgamated, but not creamed.
- Then 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.
Notes
- Quality ingredients are KEY, especially the butter.
- PLEASE USE A SCALE FOR BEST RESULTS: no one in Scotland is making shortbread with cups.
- 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 Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 275Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 122mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 9gProtein: 3g
Nutrition information is only estimated.
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I’ll eat this and raise you a cup of espresso from the Bialetti Mocha Pot! nom nom! what a perfect pair!
I cannot seem to get the caramel to work right following your directions. Every time I reduce it to a simmer the butter keeps separating and doesn’t incorporate. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Sarah, someone else had their sticky toffee sauce separate yesterday so I looked it up. Apparently, it’s too quick of a temperature change that causes it. Are you putting the heat up quickly?
I put on my “apron” and got to work on this recipe. it was such a favourite of both myself and my husband. I thought as there is just the two of us it would have lasted longer but we gobbled it up quickly. I highly recommend it 😁
Thank you for your fantastic repipe! Had great success, everybody loves it! (From France)
would the layers be too thin if I made this in a 9×13″ pan?
A bit more thin, yes. 9×11 is best suited.
I made this for our Burns night celebrations here in France, it went down really well, thanks.
Love to hear that, thank you so much!
Your directions are terrible. I’ll be going to someone else’s recipe.
I am quite sure you missed the full printable recipe with detailed directions, reed. Just a thought, but maybe you could try starting the new year in a more positive way? You could have written,
“I would really like to make this recipe, but I’m having trouble with the lack of detail in your directions.”
Then I could have directed you to the bottom of the post or given any assistance you might have needed instead of sending you to read this post I wrote about commenting.