Billionaire Shortbread Cookie Bars (2024)

Author:Erren Hart

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This recipe for Billionaire Shortbread cookie bars has a crisp shortbread base with a salted caramel filling, finished with dark chocolate.

A decadent bake that kids and adults will be asking for over and over. The perfect lunch box snack or after school treat.

If you love Millionaire shortbread than you have to try Billionaire shortbread!Once you try it, you’ll have to agree it’s one fantastic treat!

Before moving to England, I had never heard of Billionaire Shortbread (or millionaire shortbread for that matter), but after my first taste, I was won over, and it’s still one of my very favorite things in the world!

Table of Contents Expand

Why This Recipe Works

  • This pleasing cookie bar is quick and easy to make, even for a first time baker.
  • Adding salt to the caramel makes this a cut above the millionaire shortbread.
  • The combination of a shortbread cookie base, salted caramel and dark semisweet chocolate is one that can’t be beat!

How To Make Billionaire Shortbread Cookie Bars

  1. Bake the shortbread base.
  2. Make the caramel.
  3. Pour the caramel onto the shortbread base.
  4. Melt the chocolate, pour this onto the caramel.
  5. Allow to Cool.
  6. Slice and serve!

Step By Step Instructions

Start with the shortbread base.

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Make the caramel and pour it over the shortbread, leave to cool and set.

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Melt the chocolate (for more information on how to properly melt chocolate, see my guide onHow to Melt Chocolate).

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Pour the chocolate over the caramel.

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Leave to set completely before cutting.

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Serve and enjoy every last bite.

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Erren’s Top Tips

  • Make sure the caramel has set otherwise you might end up with the chocolate and caramel mixing. It’s worth waiting to have the best end product.
  • For a show stopping billionaire shortbread cookie bar, why not add crushed hard pretzels, toasted nuts or candied ginger to the chocolate topping.

Make ahead and Freezing Instructions

  • At Room Temperature: This cookie bar can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
  • In The Fridge: Keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
  • In The Freezer: This billionaire shortbread is perfect for freezing. Wrap tightly in saran wrap and place in a freezer-safe container and put in the freezer for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly before eating.

FAQs

What’s the difference between millionaire shortbread and billionaire shortbread?

Millionaire shortbread has a caramel centre, billionaire shortbread has a decadent salted caramel centre.

Can shortbread biscuits be frozen?

Yes shortbread cookies and biscuits (even with caramel and chocolate) freeze perfectly. Just wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in a freezer safe container for up to three months. Defrost thoroughly before consuming.

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Billionaire Shortbread Cookie Bars (8)

Let’s Make Billionaire Shortbread Cookie Bars

This popular shortbread dessert is in a league of its own with a salted caramel layer sandwiched between a shortbread base and dark chocolate topping.

4.48 from 19 votes

Prep30 minutes minutes

Cook40 minutes minutes

Total1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Serves: 12 Servings

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Ingredients

For the shortbread:

  • 2 cups butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ​1⁄2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
  • 4⅔ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the caramel:

  • ​½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons golden syrup or light corn syrup
  • ​½ cup butter
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the topping:

  • 12 ounces Dark Chocolate chopped

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

For the shortbread

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/160C.

    Grease a 9×13 inch pan.

  • Using a food processor or mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and brown sugar vigorously until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. It’s an important step to beat the butter and sugar well together when making shortbread as this ensures the shortbread is light, crisp and will hold together.

    In a separate bowl, sift the flour and salt. Add it to the butter mixture and mix until blended (forming large clumps).

  • Turn onto a floured surface and using floured hands, press evenly into the prepared pan (including the sides).

  • Bake for 40 – 45 minutes, until lightly browned.

  • Leave to cool completely in the pan.

For the caramel

  • Combine the sugar and syrup in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until it becomes a light caramel color.

    Add the butter, salt & milk stir until smooth. Remove from heat and mix in the vanilla.

  • Set aside to cool slightly, then pour over the cooled shortbread.

    Allow cooling completely.

For the topping

  • Melt the chocolate melt chocolate in a microwaveable bowl for 30 seconds at a time (stirring in between) until the chocolate is smooth and fluid.

    Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel and set aside until the chocolate has cooled completely.

  • Cut into squares and serve.

Tips + Notes

  • Make sure the caramel has set otherwise you might end up with the chocolate and caramel mixing. It’s worth waiting to have the best end product.
  • For a show stopping billionaire shortbread cookie bar, why not add crushed hard pretzels, toasted nuts or candied ginger to the chocolate topping.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 836 (42%)| Carbohydrates: 87g (29%)| Protein: 7g (14%)| Fat: 50g (77%)| Saturated Fat: 31g (194%)| Cholesterol: 102mg (34%)| Sodium: 735mg (32%)| Potassium: 275mg (8%)| Fiber: 4g (17%)| Sugar: 44g (49%)| Vitamin A: 1195IU (24%)| Calcium: 48mg (5%)| Iron: 5.7mg (32%)

Nutritional Data Disclaimer

Author:Erren Hart

Course:Dessert

Cuisine:Baking

Keyword:billionaire shortbread, caramel shortbread, shortbread recipe

Billionaire Shortbread Cookie Bars (9)

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Review

  1. Alison says

    Top notch! So delicious

    Reply

    • Erren's Kitchen says

      Thank you Alison 🙂

      Reply

  2. FatvBillionaire says

    Taste of each element is good but the shortbread quantity is way out of proportion. Halved the shortbread recipe and made the same of everything else and it was still way too thick so maybe cut down to a third a d it will be about right. Anyway, we ate them all!

    Reply

    • Erren's Kitchen says

      I’m glad you still enjoyed them 🙂

      Reply

  3. Judy keating says

    Looks delicious but 4and 2/3 cup of flour seems a lot and in the ingredients for the caramel you have put milk instead of cream.

    Reply

  4. Becka says

    Good, clear recipe to follow, but I like there to be equal quantities of caramel to chocolate, so next time I’m tripling the amount of caramel suggested here.

    Reply

  5. Anne R says

    I tried this recipe and the caramel turned out well- albeit a bit runny. However, the shortbread did not turn out. It was much taller and thicker and drier than shortbread should be. Did you check the amounts on the American translation?

    Reply

  6. Danielle@wenthere8this.com says

    So, these look quite amazing. I’m afraid if I make them I will eat them all though. Decisions, decisions…

    Reply

  7. Sabrina says

    My kids love desserts with gooey caramel! They’re going to devour this one!

    Reply

    • Erren says

      Thanks so much, Sabrina! ?

      Reply

  8. Kim says

    I don’t think these would last long at our house. Delicious!!

    Reply

    • Erren says

      They certainly went quick over here! ?

      Reply

  9. Cathy@LemonTreeDwelling says

    Oh MY….that gooey caramel! Amazing!

    Reply

  10. Michelle Goth says

    Wow!! These are a lot easier than I expected. These seriously look so good. I’m so hungry right now lol!

    Reply

Older Comments

Billionaire Shortbread Cookie Bars (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to shortbread? ›

Tips To Make the Best Shortbread Cookies
  1. Choose High Quality Butter. No matter what brand of butter you buy, if it's real butter, you can rest assured that it's the best. ...
  2. Keep Ingredients Simple. ...
  3. Add Flavor. ...
  4. Don't Overwork. ...
  5. Shape Dough. ...
  6. Chill Before Baking. ...
  7. Bake Until Golden. ...
  8. Add Finishing Touches.

What is the difference between billionaire shortbread and millionaire shortbread? ›

FAQs. What's the difference between millionaire shortbread and billionaire shortbread? Millionaire shortbread has a caramel centre, billionaire shortbread has a decadent salted caramel centre.

How to stop chocolate cracking when cutting millionaire shortbread? ›

Add a tablespoon of oil to the chocolate once it's melted.

So you have no problems cutting the chocolate later once it's set in the fridge. Sometimes cold chocolate can crack but that little touch of oil ensures perfect slices every time. I usually use vegetable oil or coconut oil, but any mild tasting oil should work.

Why is it called billionaire shortbread? ›

The name "millionaire's shortbread" appears to have originated in Scotland. The "millionaire" prefix to millionaire's shortbread or millionaires slice implies a level of decadence and wealth to the sweet treat, that it is an upgrade from regular shortbread.

What is the mistake in making shortbread? ›

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour.

What happens if you don't poke holes in shortbread? ›

Piercing the shortbread with a fork is not only for decoration, but it's meant for more even baking. Poking holes in the shortbread allows the heat to penetrate the cookie, hence more even baking. Notice I'm using powdered sugar here. You'll see lots of shortbread recipes using granulated sugar.

Is Twix the same as Millionaire shortbread? ›

If you google 'homemade Twix' you essentially get a millionaires shortbread recipe. Think about it; the ingredients are exactly the same and a millionaire's shortbread is definitely not a chocolate bar. They come individually wrapped but also in multipacks.

What is the world's famous shortbread? ›

Walker's Shortbread is honoured to carry a Royal Warrant, granted by Her Majesty the Queen, for the supply of Shortbread and Oatcakes. Walker's Shortbread is a gift fit for a king, and a treat befitting any special occasion.

Why is Scottish shortbread so good? ›

The high butter quantity in shortbread (one part sugar to two parts butter) gives it that delightfully crumbly feel. And also its name. This is because the old meaning of the world “short” reflects this crumbliness and so the name 'shortbread' stuck.

What is a substitute for golden syrup in Millionaire shortbread? ›

The best substitution for golden syrup is a light corn syrup, also called maize syrup. It's a refined sugar syrup made from corn starch and usually flavoured with vanilla too. This is usually a bit thinner than golden syrup but should add the same sweetness, with only a slightly different flavour and lighter colour.

Can I freeze Millionaire shortbread? ›

Yes you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following; Make sure that you freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.

Can I use Carnation caramel instead of condensed milk? ›

For my filling, I simply swap the condensed milk for tinned carnation caramel (a.k.a. dulce de leche) instead. This tinned caramel is actually made from sweetened condensed milk so it's essentially the same thing but it's pre-caramelised for you!

What is shortbread called in Scotland? ›

Shortbread or shortie is a traditional Scottish biscuit usually made from one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three to four parts plain wheat flour. Shortbread does not contain any leavening, such as baking powder or baking soda.

What country invented shortbread? ›

It is named shortbread due to its short, or crumbly, structure—which is caused by the high proportion of fat. The traditional recipe, developed in Scotland, consists of one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour.

Why is shortbread expensive? ›

As shortbread was made with butter, sugar and flour, it would be both expensive and difficult to get hold of the ingredients, and so became synonymous with wealth, luxury and celebrations.

How to get shortbread to keep its shape? ›

Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Chilling the dough will help the cookies hold their shape while baking. While the cookies are in the refrigerator preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

How do you get shortbread to stick together? ›

If it is for cookies and needs to be rolled, you can add a little more softened butter, or a few drops of water if you can't get it to come together at all. Try rolling between 2 sheets of waxed paper or parchment, wrapping that in plastic wrap, and then chilling it for few hours before cutting.

What makes shortbread extra short? ›

Shortbread is so named because of its crumbly texture (from an old meaning of the word "short", as opposed to "long", or stretchy). The cause of this texture is its high fat content, provided by the butter. The short or crumbly texture is a result of the fat inhibiting the formation of long protein (gluten) strands.

Why does my shortbread spread when baking? ›

Firstly it's because the butter and sugar have been over creamed and too much air has been incorporated into the mixture. This extra air will expand during baking as it heats in the oven and will therefore make your biscuits spread.

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