Millionaire Brownies are a spin-off on millionaire shortbread, a shortbread biscuit that’s topped with caramel and chocolate. Obviously, millionaire brownies are much richer than shortbread!
Mom and I saw something similar on a T.V. show that featured a bakery that makes them. We both agreed that I’d have to post the recipe, because they looked so incredible! (This post may contain Amazon affiliate links for your convenience, at NO additional cost to you.)
Even though I couldn’t find a recipe on the internet, the description was enough to recreate something pretty spectacular! Instead of a layer of shortbread, mom baked up a batch of fudgy brownies from a recipe on King Arthur’s website.
The brownies are topped with a layer of warm caramel, a layer of ganache, and some chopped pecans. I like to use a straight sided baking pan like this one from Amazon. (Affiliate link)
The original millionaire brownies have chopped hazelnuts on them, which I’m sure is delicious, but I prefer pecans.
It’s important to chill each layer before adding the next, so the layers don’t run together. You can melt caramel squares, or make your own caramel. The chocolate ganache is easy to make, taking just a few minutes.
Chocolate Ganache can be chilled until firm and used to make Chocolate Truffles.
Mom buys caramel in bulk but you can certainly use melted caramel squares, thinned with just one tablespoon cream. (Jarred caramel sauce will be too runny). affiliate link.
I hope you enjoy the millionaire brownies. Here is the recipe!
Millionaire Brownies
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 3 3/4 ounces Dutch cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces unsalted butter
- 15 3/4 ounces sugar
- 6 1/4 ounces Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 12 ounces chocolate chips
- 1 pound caramel squares
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream for caramel layer
- 2 cups chopped nuts pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" x 13" pan
- Line pan with parchment paper, for easy removal.
- Crack eggs into a bowl, add cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla, and beat until smooth.
- In a medium-sized saucepan set over low heat, melt butter, then add sugar and stir to combine. Continue to heat, just until mixture is hot (about 110°F), but not bubbling; it'll become shiny as you stir. Heating the mixture to this point will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.
- Add hot butter/sugar mixture to the egg/cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth.
- Add flour and chips, stirring until smooth.
- Spoon batter into prepared pan.
- Bake brownies for 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look moist, but not uncooked. Remove pan from oven and cool.
- Top cooled brownies with warm caramel. For caramel layer, melt caramel squares with 1 Tablespoon heavy cream, stirring until smooth. Chill until caramel is set.
- Top brownies with warm ganache. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Chill until set.
Nutrition
Top the millionaire brownies with chocolate ganache.
Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces chopped chocolate or chocolate morsels
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan over a low heat, melt 1 cup heavy cream.
- Stir in chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth.
Some of the items I used for this post. (This is an affiliate link of which I make a small percentage, at no additional cost to you which helps off-set the cost of running this site. Thank you!)
Caramel in bulk. This is great if you’re making caramel apples for the holidays.
I love this straight-sided baking baking pan for sharp edges.
Meagan @ A Zesty Bite says
Oh wow these brownies look heavenly and I can’t wait to make them.
Victoria says
Oh wow. WOW. That is all I have to say.
I want to dig into these NOW!
Susan | LunaCafe says
I had to jump over to your blog to see what millionaire brownies look like. Okay, now I get it. 🙂 Friends and family will go nuts over these. No way to eat one, or even two or three. Fabulous!
cristina says
You and your Mom did good…decadent, deliciousness! Wow, fantastic and what a treat. These Millionaire Brownies are sure to be a hit for any hostess serving them! 🙂
The Food Hunter says
I’d give a million dollars for these 😉
Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze says
Oh my goodness these look amazing!! I caramel and ganache is calling my name! Yum!! 😉
Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze says
**That.. not I. 🙂
Holly N @ Spend With Pennies says
Oh.. my.. YES!! I so need these in my life!
Catherine says
Oh these do look marvelous!! I love all the layers…such a fantastic treat. Pinning. xo, Catherine
Christie says
These brownies look amazing. I love all the layers!
heather @french press says
now that is one serious brownie! SO yummy
Paul Anderson says
WOW . . . these look incredible. I’ll definitely make time to try this one out. I have to scroll away from the pictures – my salivary glands can’t stay in overdrive this long !
Kristy @ Chocolate Slopes says
Wow! These look awesome! My husband’s favorite sweets are anything with chocolate and caramel – he would love these!
Sarah Averett says
Umm, I’ll have five please. Looks so good, girl! XOXO
Cynthia says
haha Sarah!
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
I’ve always loved millionaire bars, but millionaire brownies? Be still my heart!
Cynthia says
I know, that’s what WE thought!
Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine says
These look to-die-for! The brownies look so moist and fudgy, exactly how we like them! I love that you invented these after hearing about them on a TV show. So creative!
Cynthia says
Thanks so much Chris!
Catherine says
Dear Cynthia, these brownies are fabulous! What a decadent treat…I love the name too! xo, Catherine
Jeannine says
Ok, if I counted right, 15 commenters on what the brownies LOOK like, and NOBODY MADE THEM, to comment on the TASTE? I didn’t know recipes were for looks rather than taste, lol! Yes, they look decadent and luscious! Is this the new diet plan, to savor the calorie free picture?
And it’s not just this site. I’m not much of a cook, and live on small fixed income, so I can’t waste money on something untried or “yukky” or unworkable. But food sites are LIADED with 5 star recipes never MADE by any reviewer. Very odd. Fun shopping though.
Cynthia says
Hi Jeanine,
I can sense your frustration and I totally agree with you. I can’t really control what other people write or rate. But I think you’re right, people tend to rate a recipe by the way it looks.
Thank you for stopping by. What you can do, is take YOUR favorite recipe for brownies, and top it with jarred caramel sauce and hot fudge if you don’t want to take a chance on homemade ganache
and caramel. You should be able to re-create the recipe somewhat.Cynthia
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
Seriously drool worthy!
Cynthia says
Thank you Rachel!
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
These brownies are simply swoonworthy!
Cynthia says
Thank you Shashi!
Aimee Shugarman says
I’m loving that gooey caramel layer!!
Cynthia says
how can you go wrong with caramel and nuts?
Heather Kinnaird says
I’ll take these over shortbread any day! they look amazing
Nicole Taggart says
well, damn… these look epic
Cynthia says
haha!
Catherine says
Dear Cynthia, I would love one of these! What a decadent treat to indulge in after a long day. xo, Catherine
Cynthia says
Definitely decadent Catherine!
Ana says
I just made these! Super easy, and the brownie batter is delicious, I licked the spatula a few times after I poured the barter on two 8×8 pans. I decided it was easier for me to make two of them.
Love brownies, caramel and ganache, and combined it’s just the best idea ever!!
Cynthia says
awesome! Thanks for writing!
Arielle says
Could you tell me the Flour, Sugar, and Cocoa in Cups?
Cynthia says
Unfortunately, cups are not as accurate as ounces. Here’s a good conversion chart which should help. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/ingredient-weight-chart.html