Millionaire Bars
These millionaire bars are made with thick layers of buttery shortbread, rich homemade caramel, and decadent chocolate ganache.
It’s a classic flavor combination that truly hits every time!! You can tell I’m a big fan by the fact that I’ve also made millionaire cheesecake, millionaire brownies, and even millionaire rice krispies!
How to Make This Millionaire Bar Recipe
Let’s walk through each step of this recipe to make sure it turns out as amazing as possible.
I’ve also shared a video tutorial below.
Step 1: Make the Shortbread Base
I recommend making the shortbread base first because it needs time to bake and cool.
Use a fork or electric hand mixer to combine the butter, powdered sugar, and fine salt.
Then mix in the flour until just combined. The dough might look a little crumbly at first, but as you keep mixing it should come together and form a soft dough.
Spread the dough evenly into the prepared pan, and prick thoroughly with a fork.
Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Step 2: Make the Caramel
Next, we tackle the caramel! Heat the sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, light corn syrup, and fine salt over medium heat in a heavy saucepan.
Stir frequently and let the mixture just begin to bubble (if you have and are using a candy thermometer, cook until the mixture hits 212 F/ 100 C).
It will start bubbling up on the sides of the pan first. Once this happens, turn the heat down to low to let the caramel simmer.
Continue to stir frequently until the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes). You should be able to drag a spatula through the mixture and see the bottom of the pan for a second or two once it’s ready.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Then pour the filling over the cooled shortbread and spread it in an even layer.
Let this cool completely before adding the chocolate topping (or place it in the freezer for 20 minutes to accelerate the cooling process).
If you make the caramel filling in advance, cover the bowl and store it at room temperature overnight or in the fridge for up to a week.
If you refrigerate the caramel, heat it in the microwave in short 10-second intervals until it reaches room temperature and is a more workable consistency.
Step 3: Make the Chocolate Ganache
The last step is to make the decadent dark chocolate ganache.
Add the heavy cream into a medium-sized bowl and heat it until it just begins to bubble. This can be done in either the microwave (takes me about 45-60 seconds in my microwave) or a double boiler.
Then add in the dark chocolate and let the mixture sit for a minute.
At this point, the chocolate should be softened.
Stir the mixture until the mixture is combined and smooth. If any bits of chocolate aren’t fully melted, heat the mixture again for 15 seconds and stir until smooth.
Then mix in the unsalted butter, corn syrup, and fine salt until combined.
Pour the chocolate ganache over the cooled caramel filling, and top with a sprinkle of flakey sea salt. Set aside to fully cool, then cut and enjoy!
If you want the top to have a bit of texture like mine in the picture below, let the ganache cool and thicken a bit before spreading it over the caramel.
Substitutions & Swaps – Shortbread Base
This recipe uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have all of them on hand.
Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe.
- Unsalted Butter – Salted butter can be used in place of unsalted butter, just omit the salt that the shortbread recipe calls for.
- Powdered Sugar – Adding powdered sugar to the shortbread gives it the perfect hint of sweetness and helps stabilize the crust.
- AP Flour – A good baking gluten-free flour blend can be used in place of the AP flour.
Substitutions & Swaps – Millionaire Bar Toppings
- Granulated Sugar – You can increase or decrease the amount of sugar by a few Tablespoons based on your preferences.
- Light Brown Sugar – I prefer using light brown sugar to make the caramel, but you can also use dark brown sugar.
- Light Corn Syrup – Using a bit of corn syrup in the caramel and ganache gives it a glossy, silky smooth consistency. However, it can be omitted if needed.
- Dark Chocolate – Use good quality dark chocolate chips (at least 60% cocoa) to make the ganache topping (like Guittard or Ghirardelli). If you want to use milk chocolate to make the ganache, use 1/3 cup of heavy cream instead of 1/2 cup.
Making This Recipe in Different Sized Pans
If you want to make this recipe in a square 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch pan, I recommend halving the entire recipe.
The 8×8-inch bars will be the same thickness as the full-sized version, but the 9×9-inch bars will be a bit shorter.
The bake time for the shortbread will be 17-20 minutes at 350 F /175 C.
Making These Millionaire Bars in Advance & Storage Tips
These bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
You can also freeze these bars for up to 3 months in an airtight container! When you’re ready to enjoy them, place them in the fridge overnight to let them thaw gradually, then enjoy them the following day.
Tips for Making the Best Millionaire Bars
- Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature. It helps them mix together better and will give the bars a smoother texture.
- Properly measure the flour! I like to use a scale, but the fluff and level method works great too.
- Let the shortbread cool fully before topping it with caramel and ganache. Otherwise, the layered cross-section of the bars won’t be quite as pretty.
- Chill the bars before cutting them and use a sharp knife to get clean slices. Be sure to wipe the blade as needed after each cut.
- I highly recommend adding a sprinkle of sea salt on top of the ganache. Not only is it beautiful, but it also really helps balance out the sweetness of the bars.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this millionaire bar recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.
Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and #chelsweets if you share on social media! I love seeing your delicious creations.
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Millionaire Bars
Ingredients
Butter Cookie Base
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar 65g
- 2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar 30g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 2g
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 250g
Caramel Filling
- 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk 396g
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 150g
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks 113g
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup 60g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
Chocolate Ganache Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 240g
- 1 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips 240g
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 56g
- 2 Tbsp light corn syrup – optional 40g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
- 2 Tbsp flakey sea salt – garnish
Instructions
Shortbread Butter Cookie Base
- Preheat oven to 350 F / 175 C. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. If you want to bake this recipe in an 8×8-inch pan, make a half batch of the entire recipe.
- Use a fork or electric hand mixer to beat 1 cup of softened butter on medium speed until smooth. Then mix in 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp fine salt on a medium speed until combined.
- Next, mix in 2 cups of all-purpose flour on a medium-low speed until just combined. The dough might look a little crumbly at first, but as you keep mixing it should come together and form a soft dough.
- Spread the dough into an even layer in the prepared pan, and prick thoroughly with a fork. Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Caramel Filling
- While the shortbread base cools, make the caramel filling. Heat 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk, 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup corn syrup, and 1/2 tsp fine salt over medium heat in a heavy saucepan.
- Stir frequently and let the mixture just begin to bubble (if you have and are using a candy thermometer, cook until the mixture hits 212 F/ 100 C). It will start bubbling up on the sides of the pan first. Once this happens, turn the heat down to low to let the caramel simmer.
- Continue to stir frequently until the mixture thickens and becomes a medium caramel color (about 10 minutes). You should be able to drag a spatula through the mixture and see the bottom of the pan for a second or two once it's ready. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract. Then pour the filling over the cooled shortbread and spread it in an even layer.
- Let this cool completely before adding the chocolate ganache (or place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to accelerate the cooling process).
Chocolate Ganache Topping
- As the caramel filling cools, make the chocolate ganache topping. Heat 1 cup of heavy cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until gently bubbling. If you don’t have a microwave or prefer to use the stovetop, you can heat the cream over medium heat in a pan until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
- Pour 1 1/3 cups of dark chocolate chips into the cream. Make sure the chocolate is fully covered by the cream. Let the mixture sit for 1-2 minutes. If you want to use milk chocolate to make the ganache, use 1/2 cup (120g) of heavy cream, and 2 cups (350g) of milk chocolate chips.
- Stir slowly until the mixture is fully combined and the ganache is silky smooth. If any bits of chocolate aren't fully melted, heat the mixture again for 15 seconds and stir until smooth.
- Then mix in 1/4 cup butter, 2 Tbsp corn syrup, and 1/2 tsp fine salt. Stir until combined.
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the cooled caramel filling, and top with a generous sprinkle of flakey sea salt. Set aside to fully cool, then cut and enjoy! If you want the top to have a bit of texture like mine in the pictures above, let the ganache cool and thicken a bit before spreading it over the caramel. These bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
Substitutions and Swaps
If you need to make any substitutions or swaps in this recipe, please check out the section on ingredient substitutions in the post above.Making This Recipe in Different-Sized Pans
If you want to make this recipe in a square 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch pan, I recommend halving the entire recipe. The 8×8-inch bars will be the same thickness as the full-sized version, but the 9×9-inch bars will be a bit shorter. The bake time for the shortbread will be 17-20 minutes at 350 F /175 C.Tips for Making the Best Millionaire Bars
- Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature. It helps them mix together better and will give the bars a smoother texture.
- Properly measure the flour! I like to use a scale, but the fluff and level method works great too.
- If the butter doesn’t get fully incorporated into the caramel (this can happen if the caramel gets cooked at slightly too high a temperature), don’t worry! You can gradually stir the butter into the caramel as it cools, and it will come together once it reaches room temperature. It won’t be quite as smooth as normal, but it will still taste great!
- Let the shortbread cool fully before topping it with caramel and ganache. Otherwise, the layered cross-section of the bars won’t be quite as pretty.
- Chill the bars before cutting them and use a sharp knife to get clean slices. Be sure to wipe the blade as needed after each cut.
- I highly recommend adding a sprinkle of sea salt on top of the ganache. Not only is it beautiful, but it also really helps balance out the sweetness of the bars.
Making These Millionaire Bars in Advance & How to Store Them
These bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze these bars for up to 3 months in an airtight container! When you’re ready to enjoy the frozen bars, place them in the fridge overnight to let them thaw gradually, and enjoy them the following day. The caramel filling can be made in advance, too! Cover the bowl and store it at room temperature overnight or in the fridge for up to a week. If you refrigerate the caramel, heat it in the microwave in short 10-second intervals until it reaches room temperature and is a more workable consistency.Nutrition
Below are some older photos of this recipe from back in 2019, and then way back when I first made them in 2014!! They’re too entertaining to get rid of!
aww! I love first post stories! And these millionaire bars look amazing!
Hi, i am a hobby baker too. I love watching your posts on facebook, you have such great tips for trouble shooting, your recipes are easy and i am sure going to try your millionaire biscuits. I love working with fondant to, i make my own, amd love all your tips that you share. Thank you so much, you dont realise ho much i learn from your shows…. Just love it…… Ps dont stop okay ? thank you….
Hi Iris,
You are too sweet! I hope you love this recipe!! Haha I’m not planning on stopping any time soon 🙂 That’s awesome that you make your own fondant, I need to try that one of these days!
Hi, i am a hobby baker too. I love watching your posts on facebook, you have such great tips for trouble shooting, your recipes are easy and i am sure going to try your millionaire biscuits. I love working with fondant to, i make my own, amd love all your tips that you share. Thank you so much, you dont realise ho much i learn from your shows…. Just love it…… Ps dont stop okay ? thank you….
I totally can relate to your pride in how far you’ve come in your baking journey. I’ve been baking for 30 plus years (as a hobby) and feel such a sense of accomplishment in my baking when it all comes together just right. These millionaire bars look amazing…I’ll be baking them for the holidays for sure.
Hi Carol,
I love that so much 🙂 It really is amazing about much making can fill you with a sense of pride! Happy baking, and happy holidays!!
Thank you so much for sharing some history about you and the bars. Crazy to see how much can change over the years!!
Also, made your recipe this morning, so yummy! The recipe is easy to follow. It was my first time making caramel and ganache! Wish I could say they both turned out great ……my caramel is great but for some reason my chocolate won’t “set”. It’s sat on the counter for 6hrs and freezer for 2hrs and it’s still wet and messy to cut. I’m reading online I might not have whipped enough air into it?? Like I said before, this is my first time attempting ganache so I’d love to hear your input. I mixed the chocolate, cream and butter until evenly combined while the caramel set in the freezer. I stirred the ganache a few times in between while waiting. My milk chocolate was pretty runny after all the waiting (I figured it would harden up after the recipe was all said and done.)
I don’t know if this matters but the caramel wasn’t 100% hard when I poured either, the borders were definitely hard to the touch but the center gave a little to the pressure from my finger, but not much (I honestly thought that was “good enough”.) so what do you think?? Was my big rookie mistake not mixing enough air??
Love your projects and creations, keep up the amazing work!
Hi Rachel,
Thanks, you are too sweet!
What brand of milk chocolate were you using?? Different brands of chocolate use different amounts of cocoa butter, so maybe that’s it?? I don’t think it has to do with the caramel firmness! maybe next time if you use the same chocolate, you can try adding less heavy cream. I don’t incorporate much air into my ganache, so the only real factor is the ratio of heavy cream to chocolate! so I’m not sure why yours didn’t set :/ It should still be a tiny bit soft, so you can cut through it, but it shouldn’t look wet!
Did you heat up the heavy cream, then pour it over the milk chocolate and butter?? hopefully we’ll be able to get to the bottom of this!! <3
Is the cookie base supposed to be hard and crunchy? I was imagining soft and chewy
Hi Marilyn,
It’s supposed to have the same consistency as a shortbread, so def not hard and crunch! it should be chewy and definitely not hard 🙂 hope that helps, happy baking!
They’re very rich but very good. I bought them to work and they loved them!
Hi Jennifer,
They definitely are rich, which is why they have their name 😛 haha so happy to hear everyone loved them! 🙂
My daughter sent me this recipe today, she’s making these for her bake sale this weekend. They look amazing, will post back how they did!
Aw that’s so wonderful!! I hope they’re a big hit Louise!! Please do let me know how they turn out 🙂
Hello there! ? Greetings from Finland! Today I will be making two batches of these for tomorrows Market day. I am always looking forward for all the recipe you shared. Thank you! ??
aw that’s so wonderful to hear! I hope they’re a big hit Josephine!! 🙂
My ganache didn’t set either. Was on the counter for 2 hours and in the fridge for another 2 hours and still way to stick to handle
So sorry to hear that Marisa :/
It isn’t supposed to set hard, it’s supposed to still be a bit soft! However, you should be easily able to cut through it with a warm knife. Did you make any changes to the ganache recipe, or use a different sized pan??
Hi Chels, I made these yesterday and flavour-wise they were delicious! A bit too sweet for me but that’s because Europeans do not use so much sugar. However, I had few technical problems. The cookie crust was very greasy and I had to use paper towel to dry it off a bit during baking also after baking (Maybe because of the butter I used?) and the chocolate ganache was not as firm as I would like so during cutting, I didn’t get nice squares, it was kinda messy.
Hi Eliza,
I totally understand! THe european palette definitely likes things a bit less sweet than we do 😛
I’m so sorry to hear that you ran into some issues! It could be the type of butter you used (european butter usually has less water in it than american!), that’s my best guess! I know it sounds terrible, but I find that cheaper, store brand butter actually works better in this recipe that fancy, high quality butters.
I hope that helps, happy baking!
Is there a reason that you are to make the caramel while the shortbread is cooking? Shouldn’t you wait to make it until after you have an almost cooled shortbread? Can the caramel filling sit? Just making this now and I pre-read recipe before making and then just realized as I have my shortbread cooking that the caramel needs to go onto a cooled cookie ???! I am afraid my now almost ready caramel is going to go to waste because I have started to make it already
Hi Stephanie,
So sorry for the delayed response!
I usually pop the shortbread in the freezer right after it’s done baking to speed up the cooling process, so that’s just the order I usually do things! You can definitely wait to make the caramel filling though. It thickens a bit as it sits, but it can sit for a while before it firms up.
Sorry if this caused any confusion, I hope your bars turned out great!!
Hi!!!
I love your work,
could you give any advise on a substitution of the condensed milk in the filling as my brother cannot eat it
Thanks, Olivia:)
Hi Olivia,
You can use my easy caramel recipe for the filling instead of making the brown sugar/sweetened condensed milk caramel. Here’s the link: https://chelsweets.com/2016/07/23/caramel-without-a-candy-thermometer/
I was in the process of making this and when making the caramel filling the butter separated and is sitting on the top of the sauce?? How did this happen and what should I do about it? I’m in panic mode now, lol! I used Land O Lakes unsalted butter.
Hi Stephanie,
So sorry for the delayed response! usually if you turn the heat up a tiny bit and give it a good stir, the mixture will come bake together. I hope you were able to get your caramel to combine and that your bars turned out great <3
Hi!!
I love your recipes! I really want to make these but I only have self-rising flour at the moment. Would this work?
Hi Sam,
The shortbread recipe doesn’t use any leavening agent, so I’m worried self-rising flour will make it bake up strangely!! You can try it, but I really am not sure if they’d turn out :/ So sorry!!
Chelsey,
Thanks for the great recipe. I have made these three times now to drop off on doorsteps of friends and family as quarantine treats, and everyone who has had them has loved them. They are delicious!
Aw I am so happy to hear that Yaelan! And that is such a sweet way for you to spread a little love during these tough times 🙂
Finally made these and everything was going great until the ganache. I used chocolate Tollhouse morsels. 263 gms is a bit over 9 oz. A 6 oz chips bag was 1 cup dry measure. So I did another 1/2 cup (3oz) as called for but then a bit more. 3/4 c. heavy cream, butter whisked to combine. It spread great but very sticky not hard.
Hi Pamela,
The ganache actually doesn’t set hard! I like it to not be hard, so that it’s easier to cut through and so it doesn’t crack! If you want it to set firm to the touch, you can just spread melted chocolate over the top and it will set firmly. Hope that helps for next time! <3
Thank you!! They did come out great, they were a hit, thank you so much!! Love your recipes and love watching you make them, SO FUN!! Much love from Texas ?
So happy to hear that Stephanie!! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 Happy baking!
Just made these today for Canada Day tomorrow. Everything worked well except the ganache. It looks like I’m not the only one who had the ganache come out very thin. I am worried that it won’t set. I thought perhaps it was the type of chocolate I used (Hershey’s white and milk chocolate chips)
Could you specify which chocolate you used in your recipe?
Same thing happened to me with the caramel. I followed the recipe and watched the video before starting. I took your advise about raising the heat a bit with a good stir and it didn’t work. Looks like I’ll need to search for another recipe to use my shortbread base with so I don’t have to throw it away. Boo boo!
I just made these and they are DELISH!!! Your recipe was so easy to follow, and made me feel like a baking pro after making caramel and ganache for the first time! My ganache was a little messy even after giving them time to set, but I’ve just kept them in the fridge and it helped! Thanks for sharing!!
I had the same problem and it was more lumpy looking, not smooth. I thought maybe it got too got when I boiled it.
Simple, delicious recipe!! Very easy to follow, definitely let each layer cool before adding the next! One of my new go-tos, the ganache in particular is incredibleeeee
I am so happy to hear that Lucy 🙂 I am obsessed with the ganache too!!! Thank you for sharing!!
Made this recipe today and wow these were so yummy. So rich and delectable. Everyone in my family loved them. They were perfect. Followed the directions to a T and they came out great. Even got that great layers shot for my insta lol. The recipe was so easy to understand and even had some tips and tricks that helped me through the caramel layer! Overall will be making these again and again!
Love that!! So happy to hear that Arielle 🙂 And yes – getting the layers right is SO satisfying!!!! Thank you for sharing!
I’ve made these twice now – first time using dark chocolate and second using milk because I just wanted to try it. I can’t decide which is more delicious! Guess it just depends on what you’re in the mood for 🙂 thanks for sharing your recipes with us, they’re 10/10 every single time!
So happy to hear that Jordan!! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂 I really appreciate it!!
I have a question about caramel. In the macaron recipe you use caramel made of sugar, butter and cream but in the millionaire cookies, bars, etc. you use a different recipe. Why is that? Is it the consistency and it’s ability to set better on different types of desserts?
I’m looking for the step to add the white chocolate to make the decorations on the top but I don’t see anything. I swear this recipe used to have it. What are the directions for the white chocolate to add the decorations to the top?
Hi Sara,
The updated version of this recipe doesn’t actually use white chocolate! I wanted to keep things simple since there are already so many components in this recipe. Sorry for the confusion! I think you might be looking at old photos of this recipe.
I made these bars on a whim because I had some salted butter and a can of the condensed milk. (I know the recipe called for unsalted butter in the shortbread base but I went ahead and used salted and omitted the salt and it was perfect once everything was all together.)
I liked that I could prepare ingredients and make a layer, while chilling, prepare the next layer.
These bars are INSANELY good and pretty simple to make. I used a thermometer for the caramel and I had no issues with anything.
I am going to be giving out bars to my in laws, parents etc….so next up will be millionaire brownies LOL!
That is so wonderful to hear Christy! And yes, the millionaire brownies are on of my faves!!!!!! I hope the turn out just as amazing 🙂
Hey Chelsea!
I love this recipe and most importantly everyone that I give them to LOVES them.
Question for you – I can’t seem to get the pan temp right for the caramel and even stirring it constantly get a little dark bits from the condensed milk. They disappear in the final product but… I’m accustomed to making caramel the standard way without the sweetened condensed milk, have you ever tried that version? Maybe the texture isn’t quite as creamy?
Thank you,
David
@David, To clarify, I am thinking a version with heavy cream instead of sweetened condensed milk.
Hi David,
I am so happy to hear that!! And I totally get that, I also prefer a more traditional caramel for desserts. My hesitation to using it is that at the texture isn’t quite as creamy and thick , but I do think you could try using regular caramel! I’d whip it up a bit with a hand mixer once it’s reached room temperature and has thickened a bit (this helps with the consistency and thickens it a bit – I do it with my snickers cake and I love it!), then would pour it over the shortbread crust and chill it in the fridge until it’s firm before adding on the chocolate ganache.
If you try it please let me know how it goes! !Hope that helps, happy baking!