This Peanut Butter Millionaire's Shortbread speaks for itself. With melt in the mouth shortbread base, peanut butter caramel with hidden salted peanuts for a bit of crunch & chocolate topping with swirls of peanut butter - it's pure heaven!
Millionaire's Shortbread is pretty much a classic and as much as I love it I decided to tinker with it a tiny bit. Tablespoon of peanut butter here and there, sprinkling of some salted peanuts, et voilà, Peanut Butter Millionaire's Shortbread!
I decided to be really careful with peanut butter cause as much as I love it, I still wanted to keep the essence of the caramel flavour itself. I think my attempt worked really well and you get enough salty deliciousness from peanut butter and peanuts but also some lovely caramel sweetness.
Condensed Milk Caramel
I must admit I have cheated a bit with my caramel and went for the version that uses condensed milk but I do prefer it like that. Do not expect to achieve the same colour as you would if you were to make it traditional way. When it comes to doneness look for thickening consistency and not the colour to guide you.
Few Extras for Peanuts & Peanut Butter Fans
As we are slightly nuts about peanuts I decided to add a handful of salted peanuts sprinkled over the caramel for a bit of unexpected crunch! Feel free to leave these out if you want but they do add a delicious extra touch and saltiness. A bit more peanut butter was added to the chocolate topping itself to create pretty swirls I was really quite happy with.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes you can! I have made gluten-free version of my peanut butter millionaire's shortbread on numbers occasions for my gluten-free friend and it worked a treat. Simply substitute plain flour with any gluten-free flour of your choice. I tend to use supermarket own plain gluten-free variety. Expect for shortbread base to be crumblier than when made with regular flour.
How to make Peanut Butter Millionaire's Shortbread - Step-By-Step Instructions.
To make shortbread base
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
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Put flour, sugar and butter into food processor and mix until you start getting sand/crumbs like consistency. Mix for a bit longer until it starts to look more like a dough. You can also do it by hand if you prefer rubbing cold butter together with mixed flour and sugar.
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Tip the mixture onto baking tin lined with greaseproof paper and press the dough with your fingers until it covers the bottom of the pan.
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Bake in preheated oven for approx. 25min, until light golden. Leave to cool slightly.
To make peanut butter caramel
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Put sugar and butter in a saucepan and heat up gently until dissolved.
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Add condensed milk and peanut butter and mix well.
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Bring mixture to boil and keep stirring for about 10 minutes until it thickens and darkens slightly in colour (this caramel will be much lighter though).
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Pour caramel over cooled shortbread base and sprinkle over salted peanuts (if using). Set aside to cool slightly.
To make chocolate topping with peanut butter swirl
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Melt chocolate gently in a bowl set over the pan of simmering water (Bain Marie)until shiny and smooth and pour it over the caramel layer, smoothing out gently with a spoon.
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Heat the peanut butter in a microwave until runny and drizzle over the chocolate. Swirl together with a toothpick to get pretty, marbled effect!
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Chill in the fridge for at least couple of hours or until firm.
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Cut into 16 squares and enjoy!
Peanut Butter Millionaire's Shortbread
Equipment
Ingredients
Shortbread
- 175 g plain (all-purpose) flour see notes
- 125 g unsalted butter cold
- 50 g vanilla sugar or caster sugar
Caramel
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 397 g tin condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon (heaped) peanut butter
- 50 g salted roasted peanuts optional
Chocolate topping
- 100 g milk chocolate
- 100 g dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon (heaped) peanut butter
Instructions
To make shortbread base
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
- Put flour, sugar and butter into food processor and mix until you start getting sand/crumbs like consistency. Mix for a bit longer until it starts to look more like a dough. You can also do it by hand if you prefer rubbing cold butter together with mixed flour and sugar.
- Tip the mixture onto baking tin lined with greaseproof paper and press the dough with your fingers until it covers the bottom of the pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for approx. 25min, until light golden. Leave to cool slightly
To make peanut butter caramel
- Put sugar and butter in a saucepan and heat up gently until dissolved.
- Add condensed milk and peanut butter and mix well.
- Bring mixture to boil and keep stirring for about 10 minutes until it thickens and darkens slightly in colour (this caramel will be much lighter though).
- Pour caramel over cooled shortbread and sprinkle over salted peanuts (if using). Set aside to cool slightly.
To make chocolate topping
- Melt chocolate gently in a bowl set over the pan of simmering water (Bain Marie)until shiny and smooth and pour it over the caramel layer, smoothing out gently with a spoon.
- Heat the peanut butter in a microwave until runny and drizzle over the chocolate. Swirl together with a toothpick to get pretty, marbled effect!
- Chill in the fridge for at least couple of hours or until firm.
- Cut into 16 squares or as per your tin and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate, per serving and should be treated as a guideline only.
- Feel free to substitute plain flour with your choice of gluten-free variety. I tend to use supermarket own plain gluten-free flour. Expect for shortbread base to be crumblier than when made with regular flour.
- Store in airtight container and consume within a week. In hot weather, keep in the fridge.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in September 2017 and updated in February 2020 with updated recipe card, useful info and better layout improving user experience.
Some more recipes you might want to try
Biscoff Millionaire's Shortbread (No-Bake, Vegan)
White Chocolate & Raspberry Blondies
Chocolate Banana Cake (Traybake)
Italian Plum & Almond Cake with Amaretti Crunch
Best Buttery Apple Pie with a Twist
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Linkies:
Cook Blog Share with Recipes Made Easy, Brilliant Blog Posts, Great British Bake Off Bloggers 2017, Treat Petite , We Should Cocoa
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Sarah says
Hello!
I made this yesterday and unfortunately the caramel has stayed very runny, although I cooked it for 20 minutes or even more. I followed the instructions exactly. Do you think there is anything I can do to save it? I have read that some recipes use some flour to thicken the caramel - any thoughts on that?
Thank you!
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Sarah, Sorry to hear that you've been struggling with your caramel. Just to check, you definitely used the sweetened condensed milk and not evaporated (unsweetened one)? If so I really am not sure why it didn't start to thicken. It should get to the consistency of pourable custard (it will then set further in the fridge). You could try a little test with your caramel and put a teaspoon worth on the small plate that you had in the freezer (as you would if you were making jam). You push caramel with your finger and if it runs back it's not ready and needs a bit more cooking. To salvage what you've got you could try mixing some cornflour with a bit of milk or water and add it to the caramel ( a bit at a time) stirring constantly until it starts to thicken. Good luck and hopefully that helps a bit.
Jo says
I made my own version of this recipe with cashew butter and cashews instead of peanut, and white chocolate instead of milk and dark. They came out great! Very sweet, with a thick and crunchy biscuit and a chewy caramel. Cashew is a mild flavor so hard to pick out among the other flavours so I think the stronger flavor of peanuts would be better. Also I see now why you used milk and dark chocolate together, as white was too sweet and I suspect milk would be too sweet on its own without the dark. So this is a very sensible well thought through recipe and I wouldn't recommend getting over-excited and tweaking it like I did haha!
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Jo, There is nothing wrong with experimenting when it comes to food, you took a recipe and you made it your own 🙂 Let me know how you like the peanuty version if you try it next time. 🙂
Adrianne says
Oh boy! These look delicious. You me drooling at peanut butter, yum there is so much to love about this recipe and I love the photos. Cheers
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Adrianne! 🙂
Helen of Fuss Free Flavours says
Millionaire's shortbread is one of those delicious treats that is always worth making, but you've just stepped it up another notch with the peanut butter. Such a great idea, and adding the extra flavour sounds utterly yummy!
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you Helen! 🙂 I adore peanut butter so it was just a natural step to incorporate it into another great favourite which is millionaire's shortbread. 🙂
Danielle says
The photos look incredibly inviting and delicious. And thank you for the steps on chocolate topping with swirls - looks extra nice.
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Danielle! 🙂
Paula Montenegro says
Oh, it definitively speaks for itself! So tempting is this recipe I wish I had a piece in front of me. The idea of adding peanuts to the caramel is wonderful!
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you Paula! 🙂 I love that bit of crunch from the peanuts, just lovely!
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
This looks like the perfect sweet treat! We love peanut butter in our house so these wouldn't last long!
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Bintu! 🙂 They never last long here either lol.
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
WOW! This is pure perfection! It sounds like a mixture between a Millionaires shortbread and a Snicker bar. Yes please, I'll have a huge chunk! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Kirsty! I never thought about it like this but I think you are spot on! 🙂 x
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
This sounds amazing! I need to make this! Thanks for linking up to #TreatPetite
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
Wow wow wow! They look sooo amazingly yummy Jo, and I love that you used vanilla sugar in the mix too! I'll have a slice, no make that two, to go please 😀 Thankyou so much for joining in with #BakingCrumbs Jo.
Angela x
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Angela, it’s a pleasure! ? I absolutely love my vanilla sugar lol as it is so subtle but definitely makes a difference in flavour. x
Jenny Paulin says
oh my ! these look sooooo delicious! peanut butter and peanuts are a popular flavour for millionaires shortbread. I really like your marbling on the chocolate. so pretty. I would happily dig in and try one or two!±
thank you for linking to #GBBOBloggers2017 x
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you! 🙂 These turned out to be such a hit and I would be tempted to make them again and again if only I had a willpower and could stick to a single square, perhaps every other day lol (like that's going to happen). x
jenny walters says
Oh Jo,this bake is one of my faves.The addition of peanut butter is something I haven't tried but sounds incredible. i love the blinkin stuff!Gorgeous!
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Jenny! 🙂 I love peanut butter too, way too much! It really works nicely here and it is subtle enough at the same time. It's salty peanuts though what makes it for me here, absolutely delicious together with sweet caramel! x
choclette says
Oh my lord, this looks so good. The peanut butter sounds like a brilliant addition as I usually find MSB a bit on the sweet side. Thanks for sharing with #WeShouldCocoa.
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you! Lovely to be back! I know what you mean hence salted peanuts and peanut butter which mellowed the sweetness nicely without going full on salted caramel.
Rebecca Beesley says
i adore your swirly swirly pattern and what a lovey thick layer of caramel - gorgeous! #gbbobloggers2017
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you! 🙂 The caramel turned out really lovely and I like how peanut butter cuts through all the sweetness too! x
Cat says
Your recipe uses similar flavours to the one I did, I'm glad I'm not the only person who saw the need to add peanut butter to it! These look really delicious and I love the marbling on the top x
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Cat! Peanut butter works so well here doesn't it? Briefly saw yours and they look oh so pretty being individual ones! My cutting skills have lots to be desired lol and if there is a secret to cutting millionaire's shortbread neatly I would love to know it! x
Louise Fairweather says
I love the marbling! I had wanted to make a peanut one but can you believe Tescos had run out of peanuts! I would love this millionaire's shortbread.
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Louise! I was quite pleased with the marbling and the fact that it is so easy to do! That's the first time I went peanut butter and peanuts route and we all love it. x