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Super simple, extra delicious, and perfectly sweet Chocolate Covered Brown Butter Millionaire’s Bars. Easy shortbread, made with nutty brown butter, baked and layered with caramelized sweetened condensed milk caramel, with hints of luscious vanilla throughout. Each sweet bar is then covered in chocolate and finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Similar to a classic Millionaire’s Bar…but with some extra special touches that make them even more delectable. These sweet little bars are perfect for the holidays so be sure to include them on your Christmas table or in your upcoming Christmas cookie boxes. Your friends and family will be so glad you did!

overhead photo of Chocolate Covered Brown Butter Millionaire’s Bars

An extra sweet Tuesday present for you guys in the form of the most delicious brown butter Millionaire’s Bars. Buttery shortbread, topped with chewy, buttery caramel, then covered in rich, creamy milk chocolate, and finished with just the right amount of sea salt.

Two simple words…incredibly delicious.

A Millionaire’s Bar, but better.

And just what is a Millionaire’s Bar? Well, these bars got their name because they taste so rich. From what I’ve read, they originated in Scotland, but have since become very popular worldwide. To me, they seem similar to a Twix Bar or 100 Grand Bar. Either way, they’re truly delicious.

And while my recipe is not traditional, it’s the same concept, just all done up for the holidays.

Soo, that’s the backstory on these bars. But the bottom line – they’re delicious. And very easy to make!!

prep photo of bars before covering in chocolate

The idea, the inspiration, and all my thoughts.

As always, I spend a lot of time thinking about what recipes to share with you guys, but especially my holiday recipes. These are my favorite recipes of the year, so I want them to be extra special. Each and every single one. Because of this, I tend to take way too long brainstorming, developing, and styling each recipe, but it’s worth it to me.

And that was the case with these. I had seen Millionaire Bars on Pinterest. I immediately thought about how cute they could be if made as mini chocolate covered presents. And what a great item to include in a cookie box too!

So I did some digging and then some testing and here is where I landed.

overhead close up photo of Chocolate Covered Brown Butter Millionaire’s Bars

Now onto the details.

Start with the shortbread. I just kept it simple, but I did brown the butter, which is really key to adding delicious flavor to an otherwise flavorless base. Don’t skip! The nutty browned butter pairs so nicely with the flavors of the caramel.

Once the shortbread layer has baked, start the caramel. This is not your average caramel. In fact, it’s actually caramelized condensed milk, which might just be better. It’s sweet, chewy, buttery, and made with just the right amounts of vanilla and salt. And the best part? It’s so easy to make. Just boil the condensed milk until thick and golden in color. It takes about fifteen minutes. You need to stir the mixture often, but there’s nothing fancy or complicated about this caramel.

It’s easy and delicious.

Once the caramel has turned thick and golden in color, immediately pour it over the shortbread and spread it in an even layer. At this point, chill the bars to help the caramel set up. Then cut the bars into cute little rectangles or squares and cover them entirely in chocolate.

Yummm. My mom says this recipe might be one of her favorites for the year. She’s been trying to avoid sugar the last few years. But said to me this morning in a text, and I quote…

“So much for me saying…I don’t really eat sugar anymore…your cookies have completely blown that…thanks so much!”

So you see? These really are that good.

overhead close up photo of Chocolate Covered Brown Butter Millionaire’s Bars

A Couple Tips For Success…

Tip one, make sure the bars are thoroughly chilled before dipping them into chocolate. This is probably my biggest tip. If the bars are frozen, the chocolate will quickly set up on the bars and be easier to work with. Trust me, freeze the bars, then dip them through the melted chocolate.

Tip two, if you want a thick chocolate-coated bar, dip your bars once, re-freeze until set (which will only take a matter of minutes), then dip in chocolate again. This is not NEEDED, but it sure is a good idea. Double the chocolate, please.

My initial thought was that these chocolate presents will be great for our Christmas Cookie Boxes. But that’s when I realized how late into December it’s already becoming.

I’m recognizing just now, as I type this, that I’m a little late this year. Late with what? Late with my 2020 Christmas Cookie Box. I’m not sure why, but I was thinking I had time to post this and get it up for you all. But in looking at my calendar, I’m realizing, I am actually behind. My plan is to get my box up by the end of the week, so be on the lookout for that!

Until then, enjoy these cute little “presents” and start prepping them to include in this year’s cookie boxes. Trust me, everyone you gift these to is going to find them delish!

Or? Simply make them for yourself. It’s December and we all need sweet treats! Just one thing…don’t skip that sprinkle of flaky sea salt at the end. Love a good salty, sweet chocolate dessert, you know?

Yes, yes, let’s take some time to do a little Tuesday night baking. It’s cold, so the extra time next to the oven is always welcome. Enjoy!

overhead photo of Chocolate Covered Brown Butter Millionaire’s Bars

Looking for other holiday dessert recipes? Here are my favorites: 

Salted Caramel and Milk Chocolate Brownies

Salted Milk Chocolate and Peanut Butter Blondies

Slice n’ Bake Bourbon Caramel Pretzel Cookies

Lastly, if you make these Chocolate Covered Brown Butter Millionaire’s Bars be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Chocolate Covered Brown Butter Millionaire's Bars

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 48 squares or 24 bars
Calories Per Serving: 213 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

Shortbread

Caramel

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • 1. Add 1 stick butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat, cooking until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stick in the freezer to chill, 10-15 minutes, but no longer.
    2. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. 
    3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the remaining stick of butter, the cooled browned butter, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add the flour and mix until fully combined. Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. Bake 20-22 minutes, until lightly golden and toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool.
    4. To make the caramel. In a medium pot, combine the sweetened condensed milk, butter, and maple. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking consistently. Cook the mixture until it turns golden brown in color and has thickened, about 15-20 minutes. Make sure to stir often to avoid burning the milk. Little brown bits are OK. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. Immediately pour the caramel over the shortbread and spread in an even layer. Transfer to the fridge to chill, at least 1 hour or 30 minutes in the freezer.
    5. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in the microwave until melted and smooth.
    6. Cut the bars into 24 rectangle bars or 48 square bars. Freeze another 10 minutes to make dipping easier, then cover/dip each bar in chocolate. Return to the freezer to let the chocolate set up, about 10 minutes. Keep stored in a cool dry place or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
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overhead horizontal photo of Chocolate Covered Brown Butter Millionaire’s Bars

This post was originally published on December 8, 2020
4.11 from 628 votes (552 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  2. I made the shortbread and caramel layers last night and left to chill overnight. My caramel layer is super soft, uncutable. I followed the recipe exactly. Would freezing help?

    Reply

    1. Hey Maureen,
      So sorry you are having issues with the caramel! Yes, I would pop it in the freezer for a bit to see if that helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan

      Reply

  3. What kind of chocolate did you use?
    My chocolate was a little thick at first and I thinned with more coconut oil, it also had some bubbles. It’s a little melty if it’s not ice cold out of the fridge. They taste too good though!

    Reply

    1. Hey Tori,
      I like to use Chocolove, it is great quality! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan

      Reply

  4. Thank you so much, I can’t wait to make them! I loved the original version when I lived in Scotland. I am choosing them as my only Christmas cookie this busy year. How much butter to use in grams, and how much ml or grams of condensed milk?
    Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hey Barbara,
      Attached are the metric measurements:

      INGREDIENTS
      SHORTBREAD

      2 sticks (16 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
      2 teaspoons vanilla extract
      73.33 g dark brown sugar
      250 g all-purpose flour
      CARAMEL
      2 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
      1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter
      80.5 g real maple syrup
      1 tablespoon vanilla extract
      680.39 g semi-sweet or milk chocolate, chopped
      2 tablespoon coconut oil
      flaky sea salt

      I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan

      Reply

  5. The thing she used to get the straight lines on the chocolate is called a piping bag, as it’s not very clear from the comments.

    Reply

    1. Hey there,
      I actually just used a ziplock baggie and cut a tiny hole in the corner:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan

      Reply

  6. Anyone doing these gluten free? I’ve made many a cake GF, and had them turn out lovely…but not sure the cookie base in these will work with GF? thoughts?

    Reply

    1. Hey Carly,
      So sorry I have not tested these with GF flour, but if you want to give it a try I would use Cup4cup GF flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  7. 4 stars
    I’ve made a variety of these bars after falling in love with them in Scotland about 5 years ago. I have a simple easy “Twix Bar” version, and a Cooks Illustrated version, neither of which I could find when it was time to bake today, so decided to try yours. They’re unique with the addition of brown sugar in the crust and the maple syrup. I’m not a “pretty baker”, but decided to give the dipping a try, vs smoothing the melted chocolate on top and cutting them afterwards. My problem was the shortbread crust breaking or crumbling, so I’d get crumbs from one all over the chocolate coating of another. I just held them and was dipping the top/trying for the part of a side in the chocolate.
    It wasn’t until going back to your comments/answering questions that I saw that you dunk them and then flip them. I still wonder how you didn’t end up with all kinds of crumbs in the chocolate?! But, I’d had to put my reading glasses on to come back to the computer, but had been “making due” while cooking. Based on the questions, I now see how blind I was! I only used 1 can of s.c. milk, and I only used 1 bag of chips. : ) However, my shortbread actually was correct, and is rather crumbly. Good thing that making caramel with sweetened condensed milk is highly forgiving. It turns out that using half the amount of condensed milk and its still just fine.

    Reply

  8. Perfect addition to my Christmas cookie boxes this year! And I think my right arm grew two sizes after whisking that caramel for 20 minutes lol

    Reply

    1. Hey there,
      Yes dark chocolate will be great. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan

      Reply

  10. 5 stars
    These came out INCREDIBLE! I’m trying to give them as little gifts to people but my family keeps eating them! I did notice that most of my cooking times were significantly longer than posted on the recipe (shortbread took almost half an hour, caramel took 25 minutes), but the caramel set perfectly and I didn’t have too much of an issue with crumbling shortbread. They’re fantastic! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

    1. Hey Kegs,
      I’ve not tested this with vanilla bean paste, but I would use 1 teaspoon. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan

      Reply

  12. 5 stars
    Made these over the weekend and they are Devine! We forgot an extra can of sweetened condensed milk so we cut the Carmel recipe in half, it still turned out Devine! So much to make.

    Reply

  14. 5 stars
    Amazing. Followed the recipe exactly other than I used a bit of paraffin melted with the chocolate for them to set up better. They turned out perfectly!

    Reply

  15. 5 stars
    DELICIOUS—decided not to cover in chocolate because they are so rich but still drizzled them and added the salt! They are DIVINE.

    Reply