These vegan millionaire shortbread bars are rich and decadent and insanely delicious! Made with a buttery shortbread crust, vegan caramel filling and a chocolate topping.
If you’re a fan of rich desserts then these vegan millionaire shortbread bars are right up your street. They are also known as a vegan caramel slice or vegan caramel shortbread.
They are as rich and decadent as you can get! And they’re easy to make too. We have some tips and tricks to really make the dessert foolproof. No more runny caramel, it sets perfectly every time!
And if you love delicious homemade dessert bars, you’ll also love our vegan twix and vegan snickers.
Ingredients You’ll Need For Vegan Millionaire Bars:
Ingredient Notes
- Vegan condensed milk – we tested this recipe with condensed coconut milk, condensed oat milk and our homemade vegan condensed milk. All worked beautifully. The standard size can for the condensed coconut milk and condensed oat milk is an 11.25 ounce (320g) can, so you can just go ahead and use one full can. If you make our homemade vegan condensed milk, you can just use the full batch (it makes around 1 and ½ cups (360ml)). If you happen to get a can of vegan condensed milk that is 14 ounces/400g then you can also just use the whole can – there is no need to remove some of it first.
- Vegan chocolate chips – are melted down for the topping. You can use chocolate chips or just chop up some high quality vegan chocolate.
- Canola oil – is added to the chocolate chips before melting. This prevents the chocolate from setting so firmly that it cracks when you cut the millionaire shortbread into squares. You can also use vegetable oil.
- Dessicated coconut – is finely shredded coconut, not large flakes.
How To Make Vegan Millionaire Shortbread
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
Shortbread Crust:
- Add vegan butter to a microwave safe bowl and melt it in the microwave in 30-second intervals until melted.
- Add all purpose flour, white granulated sugar and dessicated coconut to the melted vegan butter and mix together.
- Transfer this to an 8×8 square baking dish (sprayed with non-stick spray and lined with parchment paper so that there is overhang on either side) and press down into the pan with your fingers.
- Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes until the top is lightly golden.
- Set aside while you prepare the filling, but leave the oven on.
Caramel:
- Add vegan butter, light brown sugar and vanilla extract to a thick bottomed saucepan or pot.
- Heat over medium low heat and stir until it has melted together. Then just leave it until it comes to a simmer. If the oil from the vegan butter appears to separate don’t worry about it.
- When it comes to a simmer with bubbles all over the top, add in the vegan condensed milk.
- Stir constantly (use a hand whisk if you need to bring it together, as sometimes the mix separates a bit) until it boils.
- When it boils with bubbles all over the top, set a timer for 10 minutes and keep stirring while it boils for 10 full minutes.
- The caramel will thicken and will be boiling rapidly so be careful with it.
- After 10 minutes of boiling take it off the heat and pour it over the shortbread base. Tilt the dish to spread it out evenly.
- Place into the oven and bake at 350°F for 12 minutes.
- Then simply let it cool on the countertop for 30 minutes and then place into the fridge for 30 minutes. The caramel should be firm to the touch before you add the chocolate topping. If it needs more time in the fridge that’s fine too.
Chocolate Topping:
- When the caramel layer has set, it’s time to prepare your chocolate topping.
- Add vegan chocolate chips and canola oil to a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals bringing it out to stir every 30-seconds until melted.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel and tilt the dish to spread it out evenly, or use a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Place it into the fridge for 1 hour to set.
- When set, use the parchment paper overhang to lift it out of the dish.
- Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes (for the chocolate to soften a bit more) and then cut into squares and serve.
Baker’s Tips
The filling is prepared on the stovetop AND baked. We bake the filling to make SURE that it sets. This is how we get this recipe to be foolproof. The added step of baking the filling is totally worthwhile for a guaranteed perfect result. You still need to boil it for long enough on the stovetop though, but if you follow the directions AND bake it you get a perfect set caramel.
Add canola (or vegetable) oil to the chocolate. This keeps the chocolate just soft enough to stop it from cracking when you cut your millionaire shortbread into squares.
Let it sit on the countertop for 5 minutes before cutting into squares. This also ensures that the chocolate won’t crack when you cut it.
Recipe Q&A
Why are they called millionaire shortbread? Because they are just so rich! It’s a perfect name really for something as rich and indulgent as these bars.
Can they be made gluten-free? We haven’t tested these bars as gluten free, but my best guess is that switching the regular flour for a gluten free all purpose blend would likely work.
Can they be made coconut free? If you’d like to make the shortbread crust without coconut then follow the proportions of our recipe for vegan shortbread cookies. Everything else stays the same. Your base will just be slightly thinner, but it will still work perfectly here.
Can you double the recipe? If you’d like to make a bigger batch then double the recipe and make them in a 9×13 baking dish instead.
Storing and Freezing
Keep your vegan millionaire shortbread stored in the fridge in a covered container and enjoy within a week.
They are also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and enjoy!
More Vegan Dessert Bars
- Vegan Lemon Bars
- Vegan Bounty Bars
- Vegan Peanut Butter Bars
- Vegan Tiffin
- Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies
- Vegan Rice Krispie Treats
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Millionaire Shortbread
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust:
- ½ cup Vegan Butter (112g) Melted
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour (125g)
- ½ cup White Granulated Sugar (100g)
- ½ cup Dessicated Coconut (40g) Finely Shredded Coconut
Caramel:
- ½ cup Vegan Butter (112g)
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar (100g)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ⅓ cups Vegan Condensed Milk (11.25 ounce/320g can)
Chocolate Topping:
- 1 cup Vegan Chocolate Chips (175g)
- 1 Tablespoon Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil
Instructions
Shortbread Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and spray an 8×8 square dish with non-stick spray and line it with parchment paper so that there is overhang on either side.
- Add vegan butter to a microwave safe bowl and melt it in the microwave in 30-second intervals until melted.
- Add all purpose flour, white granulated sugar and dessicated coconut to the melted vegan butter and mix together.
- Transfer to your prepared 8×8 square dish and press it down into the pan with your fingers.
- Bake for 15 minutes until the top is lightly golden.
- Set aside while you prepare the filling, but leave the oven on.
Caramel:
- Add vegan butter, light brown sugar and vanilla extract to a thick bottomed saucepan or pot.
- Heat over medium low heat and stir until it has melted together. Then just leave it until it comes to a simmer. If the oil from the vegan butter appears to separate don't worry about it.
- When it comes to a simmer with bubbles all over the top, add in the vegan condensed milk.
- Stir constantly (use a hand whisk if you need to bring it together, as sometimes the mix separates a bit) until it boils.
- When it boils with bubbles all over the top, set a timer for 10 minutes and keep stirring while it boils for the full 10 minutes. The caramel will thicken and will be boiling rapidly so be careful with it.
- After 10 minutes of boiling take it off the heat and pour it over the shortbread base. Tilt the dish to spread it out evenly.
- Place into the oven and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 12 minutes.
- Let it cool on the countertop for 30 minutes and then place into the fridge for 30 minutes. The caramel should be firm to the touch before you add the chocolate topping. If it needs more time in the fridge that's fine too.
Chocolate Topping:
- When the caramel layer has set, it's time to prepare your chocolate topping.
- Add vegan chocolate chips and canola oil to a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals bringing it out to stir every 30-seconds until melted.
- Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel and tilt the dish to spread it out evenly, or use a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Place it into the fridge for 1 hour to set.
- When set, use the parchment paper overhang to lift it out of the dish.
- Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes (for the chocolate to soften a bit more) and then cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Dessicated coconut – is finely shredded coconut, not large flakes.
- Vegan condensed milk – we tested this recipe with condensed coconut milk, condensed oat milk and our homemade vegan condensed milk. All worked beautifully. The standard size can for the condensed coconut milk and condensed oat milk is an 11.25 ounce (320g) can, so you can just go ahead and use one full can. If you make our homemade vegan condensed milk, you can just use the full batch (it makes around 1 ½ cups (360ml)). If you happen to get a can of vegan condensed milk that is 14 ounces/400g then you can also just use the whole can – there is no need to remove some of it first.
- Canola oil – prevents the chocolate from setting too firmly, so it doesn’t crack when you cut them into squares.
- The filling is prepared on the stovetop AND baked. We bake the filling as an extra step to make SURE that it sets. This is how we get this recipe to be foolproof. The added step of baking the filling is totally worthwhile for a guaranteed perfect result. You still need to boil it for long enough on the stovetop though, but if you follow the directions AND bake it you get a perfect set caramel.
- Make them gluten-free: We haven’t tested these bars as gluten free, but my best guess is that switching the regular flour for a gluten free all purpose blend would likely work.
- Make them coconut free: If you’d like to make the shortbread crust without coconut then follow the proportions of our recipe for vegan shortbread cookies. Everything else stays the same. Your base will be slightly thinner, but it will still work perfectly here.
- Storing: Keep your vegan millionaire shortbread stored in the fridge in a covered container and enjoy within a week.
- Freezing: They are freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and enjoy!
How do you know for sure when the caramel is ready to be poured over the crust? I boiled it for the ten minutes and stirred but it didn’t seem very thick when I took it off the heat. I’m afraid it may not set.
If it boiled for 10 minutes solid, and then bakes in the oven, then it really should set! If it doesn’t then it would mean it came off the stove a bit too soon, but I tested this many times and as long as it boils (proper boiling, bubbles all over the top) for the full 10 minutes and then bakes, it sets.
Did you mean sweetened or unsweetened coconut? When I click on the link it takes me to an amazon page for unsweetened coconut. I have Bob’s Red Mill Unsweetened Shredded Coconut, do you know will that work for this recipe?
Hi Rachael, if it’s finely shredded then it will work perfectly! It’s more about how finely shredded it is, then whether it’s sweetened or unsweetened. You can see in our ingredients pic how it looks so if it looks the same as (or close to) that then it’s perfect, you just don’t want the large flakes.
That’s great! Thanks 🙂 I will be making it tomorrow so I will let you know how it goes.
Did you make it yet Rachel
Definitely rich and decadent. Absolutely delectable!