Gluten-free Millionaire's Shortbread Recipe - BEST EVER! (2024)

Gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe! The ULTIMATE sweet treat that nobody would ever know was Coeliac-friendly and wheat-free. It’s time for another gluten-free baking session using just 8 simple ingredients.

Gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe – simply whip up a shortbread base, make caramel and melt some chocolate. Easy, right? Of course it is – but most importantly, nobody would ever know it’s gluten-free…

Millionaire’s are an absolute classic that nobody should miss out on. Unfortunately, gluten-free options can be a little lacking when it comes to these!

The shortbread base can be very far from buttery – it can be crumbly to the point of falling apart. Even the chocolate can leave a lot to the imagination.

But none of these should ever be a problem in a ‘proper’ gluten-free Millionaire’s shortbread.

It should be the best thing you’ve ever eaten… it should taste like a million dollars, after all!

Why make my gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe?

• They don’t taste gluten-free AT ALL – muggles will eat these, so make sure you save a slice for yourself!
• All you need to do it make a shortbread base, caramel and melt some chocolate. It’s that easy.
• Not only do they not taste gluten-free, but they taste better than any millionaire’s you’ve ever tried. You just can’t beat homemade millionaire’s.
• This recipe has lots of step-by-step photos AND a recipe video, so you absolutely can’t go wrong.
• This recipe is also beginner friendly and you only need 8 simple ingredients.

So what do my gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread taste like?

The base is a buttery, slightly crumbly (but never falling to pieces in your hand!) shortbread that’s thick, soft and indulgent alone.

Then, you’ve got a layer of thick, sticky caramel with a sweet, but not sickly taste that’s perfectly set and golden.

Lastly, the thin layer of chocolate adds a satisfying snap with a combo of milk and white chocolate that tastes out of this world.

Here’s everything you’ll need for this recipe, keep scrolling until you see the recipe card for the measurements and method…

Gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe: Ingredients

• gluten-free plain flour
• xanthan gum (optional – but it helps!)
• caster sugar
• butter
• golden caster sugar
• golden syrup
• tin of condensed milk
• milk chocolate
• white chocolate

So I thought I’d kick things off with a little frequently asked questions section – if you just want the recipe, then keep scrolling.

But I’ve thrown in some tips here that will be really helpful if this is your first time making this, or you want to adapt it. So here they are!

Gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe: Frequently Asked Questions

Is this recipe gluten-free?

It is gluten-free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!

Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination.

Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make that that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).

Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten-free products.

Can I make your gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe dairy free?

Unfortunately, this is one of those recipes where, by the time you made all the swaps to make this dairy-free… it would be a different recipe entirely!

As this is the case, I’ll be working on a separate millionaire’s shortbread recipe that’s totally dairy-free. So watch out for that one – I’m working on it and it’s coming soon!

Can I make your gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe vegan?

Sadly, the same goes for making this vegan, as I mentioned above.

My future dairy-free millionaire’s shortbread will be vegan too!

Is your gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe nut free?

Yep, this is a nut-free recipe as far as ingredients go, BUT make sure you check the ingredients label on ALL the products you use just to be safe.

Even if the products don’t contain nuts, they may have a ‘may contain nuts’ warning due to being produced in a factory that handles nuts.

You can never be too careful so always read the labels on everything first.

Is your gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe low FODMAP?

Unfortunately, this recipe contains a lot of dairy, so you won’t be able to attempt this until you’ve successfully reintroduced dairy.

Can I make this using a tin of caramel?

No – tinned caramel will never set, even when chilled. When you go to cut these, you’ll end up with a huge mess!

The caramel we’re making in this recipe is one that completely sets and holds its shape once chilled. Unfortunately, you can’t buy a caramel like that!

Can I use a food processor or stand mixer to make this?

You can happily use either a food processor, stand mixer or an electric hand whisk to make the shortbread base.

For me, because there isn’t any prolonged mixing periods, I find an electric hand whisk to be more than sufficient for the job!

Can I make your gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe completely by hand?

Yes of course! Just make sure you really beat your butter and sugar together to ensure it’s all consistently mixed.

After that, all you’ve got to do is mix in the gluten-free plain flour and xanthan gum, which is fine to do by hand.

Just ensure your mixture looks the same as mine does in the step-by-step photos before you stop mixing and you’ll be fine!

Do I need any special equipment to make your gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe?

As I mentioned, you should definitely make this recipe by hand, so you certainly don’t need any crazy appliances or anything like that.

What you will need however is a 9″ square baking tin – here’s the one I use. Apart from that, you’ll just need a little baking paper too!

How do I know when the caramel is done?

You’re looking for a lovely, thick and golden caramel after you’ve turned up the heat and stirred it constantly.

If it’s thin and like the consistency of caramel you’d get into a chocolate bar, it’s not thick enough.

See the video at the top of this post for a visual indicator of how thick it should be and what it should look like!

Can I use caster sugar instead of golden caster sugar for the caramel?

Yes, of course! It doesn’t have quite the same flavour and the caramel will come out looking a lot more yellow and pale.

To be honest, it’s mostly the colour of the caramel that made me use golden caster sugar. So if you don’t mind the change in colour, go for it!

Can I use gluten-free self-raising flour instead of plain?

I wouldn’t recommend it – gluten-free plain flour is the way to go for this recipe.

Why? Well, we don’t want the shortbread base to rise at all! It needs to be flat in order to be the perfect base for your caramel.

Otherwise you won’t get those distinctive layers and it can make the shortbread very fragile.

Can I make this recipe using other gluten free flours like buckwheat flour or coconut flour?

There’s a big difference between ‘gluten free plain/self-raising flour’ and a *singular* type gluten free flour.

When I say ‘gluten free plain or self-raising flour’ in a recipe, I mean a BLEND of gluten free flours, not just one, singular flour. I buy mine down the free from aisle of my local supermarket.

Definitely go for a gluten free flour blend.

Do I need weighing scales to make your gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread?

In short… yes, yes and yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any my recipes without them.

A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities and for me, baking is all about consistency and precision. I want you to make this recipe and for it to turn out EXACTLY like mine did.

I’d recommending using digital cooking scales like these so you know you’re getting an accurate measurement and replicating my recipe as accurately as poss.

How can I tell when my gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread are ready to cut?

Once the chocolate has set, they’re ready to cut.

The caramel should have completely set before you poured on the chocolate, so no need to wait any longer for the caramel or anything like that!

How long can I keep my gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread for?

I’ve kept them for about 4-5 days in an air-tight container with no problems. If you need to keep them any longer than that, I’d highly recommend freezing them (see advice below for doing that).

Can I freeze my gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread?

Of course! I’ve frozen them for up to 2-3 months no problem. Slice them up before freezing – that way you can simply defrost slices as and when you need them.

Plus, they’ll thaw a lot quicker. When you want to eat one, each slice should take around 3 hours to defrost at room temperature. You’d never know they were frozen!

Gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe: Method

Firstly, line a 9in (20cm) square tin with baking/parchment paper, make sure you have excess baking paper coming up over the sides of the tin to make it easier to lift your bake out later. Preheat your oven to around 160C Fan (180C).

Cream together your softened butter and caster sugar using an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy (you can do this by hand it will just take longer!).

Once combined, add in your gluten free plain flour and xanthan gum (if using). Mix together once more. Use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball. It will be a little crumbly but only slightly – its shortbread so it’s not a problem!

Press your dough into your pre-prepared tin. Push it right into the corners and try to make it nice and evenly flat.

Prick the top all over with a fork and place in the oven for about 20-22 minutes until slightly golden on top. Put to one side and allow to cool.

To make your caramel, place all your caramel ingredients into a saucepan on a low/medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and the sugar to dissolve. Mix well to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom and is combined.

Turn the heat up so the mixture starts to bubble a little. Keep stirring continuously for 5-8 minutes, the mixture should have thickened and also developed into a darker golden colour.

Pour the caramel carefully and evenly over the shortbread base and place in the fridge for about 2 hours to set.

Once your caramel is set, melt your milk and white chocolate in separate bowls. Pour the milk chocolate over the caramel, spreading it to the sides. Drizzle over the white chocolate and drag a skewer through it to make a pattern.

Oh and here’s a printable version of my gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe. Please remember to give it 5 stars if you tried it and enjoyed it as it helps people know it’s worth trying too! ⭐️

Thanks for reading all about my gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe! If you make it, I’d love to see how it turned out so don’t forget to take a snap of your creations and tag me on Instagram!

Any questions about the recipe? Please do let me know by following me onInstagram and leaving me a comment on a recent photo!

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

Oh and don’t forget to pin this for later!