This is the easiest version of a Millionaire's Shortbread Cookie Recipe you'll ever make. Mini shortbread cookie cups are topped with a swirl of soft Dulce de Leche caramel, a drizzle of chocolate sauce, and a sprinkling of toffee bits.
What are millionaire's shortbread cookies?
Millionaire's shortbread cookies have layers of shortbread cookies topped with chewy caramel and dark chocolate. They are typically made in a 9x13-inch pan.
I thought it would be fun to change up this recipe and to make it easier to make. With the popularity of our chocolate caramel cookie cups (stuffed with Snicker's Bars), I decided to turn them into cookie cups.
To make these easy millionaire's shortbread cookies, you'll start by baking 3-ingredient shortbread cookies in mini muffin pans.
Caramel Topping
Then, each cookie is topped with a swirl of soft Dulce de Leche caramel. If you aren't familiar with Dulce de Leche, it's caramelized sweetened condensed milk. It's available in cans or jars and has a wonderfully rich caramel flavor.
It holds its shape perfectly and makes a pretty swirl on top of these cookies.
Dulce de Leche is soft instead of chewy so these cookies do have a different texture than traditional millionaire shortbread bars. I personally love the contrast of a crisp cookie with soft caramel. It's really amazing. Plus it makes creating these cookies super easy and they look pretty too.
Caramel shortbread cookie toppings:
Each cookie is then drizzled with chocolate sauce. I used homemade chocolate ganache but any store-bought hot fudge or chocolate sauce will work fine.
To enhance the caramel flavor and to add some bling to the top of each cookie, I sprinkled on some toffee bits. I love the added crunch and the rich buttery flavor.
Let's make some Millionaire's Shortbread Cookie Cups!
If you love these caramel cookies, you might also enjoy our Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars or our Peanut Butter Caramel Cookie Bars.
Millionaire's Shortbread Cookie Cups
Mini shortbread cookie cups are topped with a swirl of soft Dulce de Leche caramel, a drizzle of dark chocolate, and a sprinkling of toffee bits. This is the easiest version of a Millionaire's Shortbread Cookie Recipe you'll ever make.
Ingredients
- SHORTBREAD COOKIE CUPS
- 170 grams (or 6 ounces or 1 ⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
- 50 grams (or 1.76 ounces or ¼ cup) sugar
- 113.5 grams (or 4 ounces or 1 stick) butter, melted
- TOPPINGS
- 170 grams (or 6 ounces or about ½ cup) Dulce de Leche
- 28 grams (or 1 ounce or 1 tablespoon) chocolate sauce or chocolate ganache
- 1 tablespoon toffee bits
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (178° C).
- Grease 19 cavities in a 24-cavity mini muffin tin with baking spray.
- Combine the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl.
- Pour the melted butter into the bowl and mix until the dough forms a ball.
- Scoop 19 tablespoon-size balls of shortbread cookie dough into the greased muffin cups.
- Press the dough into the cups flattening them into an even layer.
- Then, prick each cookie three times with a fork. This will keep your cookies from puffing up as they bake.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown around the edges.
- Allow the cookies to cool in the pan for 45 minutes, then invert the pan and gently tap the edge of the pan on the counter allowing the cookies to fall out.
- Turn the cookies right side up.
- Spoon the Dulce de Leche into a pastry bag fitted with a large (1M) open star tip.
- Pipe a swirl of Dulce de Leche on top of each cookie cup.
- Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the cookie cups.
- Then, sprinkle on some toffee bits.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Storage
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
If you want to freeze these caramel shortbread cookies, do so before you add the toppings. Place the shortbread cookies in an airtight container or zip-top bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove the cookies from the freezer the day you want to serve them and allow them to thaw on the counter for an hour before adding the Dulce de Leche, chocolate sauce, and peanuts.
Weighing your ingredients.
When baking, it is always best to weigh your ingredients, particularly flour. I include measurements in grams, ounces, cups, tablespoons, or teaspoons to make it easier for you.
If you have a scale, weigh your ingredients. You'll get the most accurate measurements using grams.
How to measure flour without a scale?
If you do not have a kitchen scale, spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup then scrape across the top of the cup with a spatula or knife. Do not scoop the flour directly into the measuring cup. You will end up with too much flour. We calculate 128 grams of flour per cup.
Tips for making Millionaire's Shortbread Cookie Cups:
- If you are using aluminum mini muffin pans, be sure to grease the pans really well. You might even want to dust them with flour just to make it easier to remove the cookies from the pan.
- I suggest you use non-stick pans for easier removal. It is best to grease them as well.
- To make a pretty swirl of Dulce de Leche on the cookie cups, spoon the Dulce de Leche into a pastry bag fitted with a 1M large open star pastry tip. Squeeze the pastry bag allowing the soft caramel to flow out into a swirl. Then, stop squeezing and lift the bag away from the cookie to form a tip.
- Pour your chocolate sauce into a small zip-top bag and snip a tip off the bag. Then, squeeze the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the cookie cups.
- Toffee bits will get soft after a day or so. It's best to sprinkle the toffee bits over the cookies the day you plan to serve them.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
19Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 122Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 52mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 2g
HowToMakeEasyCookies.com offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you use to create this recipe.
More cookie recipe ideas:
- brownie mix cookies - June 9, 2023
- Sugar Cookie Cups - May 17, 2023
- Peanut Butter Cookie Cups - May 9, 2023
Did you make this recipe and think it was great or do have any questions? Leave a comment below and rate the recipe using stars (5 stars means you love it!)
Donna Herrington
My dough never formed a ball-what did I do wrong?
Beth Klosterboer
Hi Donna, I'm sorry to hear you had trouble with the cookie dough and sorry for the delay in responding. This shortbread dough is somewhat dry but should hold together. How did you measure your flour? I do highly recommend weighing the flour so you get the most accurate measurement. It's possible there was a bit too much flour in your dough.
Sherry
Love the concept. Will add to my repertoire.
Beth Klosterboer
Enjoy!