These Vegan Millionaire Bars are a healthier version of the classic millionaire shortbread, a no-bake vegan dessert bar 100% gluten-free and refined sugar-free.
You will love the buttery coconut flour shortbread base, and soft peanut butter caramel topped with a crunchy chocolate layer. Keep reading to learn more!
What Are Vegan Millionaire Shortbread Bars?
A classic millionaire shortbread bar is a rich dessert bar made of three layers: a crumbly shortbread crust, sticky soft caramel, and a crunchy chocolate top layer.
Usually, they are made with lots of sugar, dairy, and processed ingredients like sweetened condensed milk, white sugar, white flour, and butter.
Here I am sharing healthy millionaire bars, the vegan version of this classic dessert 100% refined sugar-free, dairy-free, and no-bake to preserve all the nutrients.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All you need to make these healthy no-bake vegan dessert bars are:
- Coconut Flour – or almond flour. Coconut flour contains 4 times more fiber than almond flour, it is also sweeter in flavor, and therefore you can’t swap one flour for the other with the same ratio. That’s why I am providing 2 different recipes for the bottom layer of these no-bake millionaire bars. One recipe is using coconut flour, and one uses almond flour. Of course, you are free to choose the one you prefer based on your diet requirement. But I personally prefer coconut flour. The shortbread texture is way more intense. If you are concerned about eating raw flour, read my article about the raw flours that are safe to eat.
- Maple Syrup – or any liquid sweetener you like. You can also use agave syrup or brown rice syrup – it has a lower GI or, if you watch sugar closely, use Monk fruit syrup. It is a great sugar-free keto option.
- Coconut Oil – You can use refined coconut oil to avoid coconut flavor.
- Peanut Butter or almond butter – make sure you choose pure peanut butter with no added oil, no added sugar. Feel free to use salted peanut butter if you want to make healthy salted caramel bars.
- Vanilla – for flavor.
- Dark Chocolate – I recommend 85% cocoa chocolate simply because the other layers are already sweet, and strong dark chocolate balances the sweetness better.
How To Make Vegan Millionaire Shortbread
Call these as you like, caramel bars, millionaire bars, or chocolate caramel bars! They are simply delicious no-bake shortbread bars with a soft peanut butter caramel and dark chocolate layer.
- Line a 9-inch x 5-inch rectangle baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour (or almond flour, ensuring proper ingredient ratios if using almond flour), maple syrup, and melted coconut oil.
- Initially, use a spatula and then knead the dough by hand until it transforms from a soft, wet consistency to a dry one, becoming easier to shape into a ball.
- Place the ball in the center of the prepared dish, pressing it with your fingers to evenly cover the bottom. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the top. Freeze for 10 minutes while preparing the soft caramel.
- In a small bowl, mix fresh runny peanut butter, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla until a consistent, smooth caramel forms.
- Pour the caramel over the shortbread layer, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Return the dish to the freezer for 10-12 minutes or until firm.
- Meanwhile, melt chocolate and coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat or microwave them in a bowl in 30-second bursts, stirring between, until fully melted. Pour the melted chocolate over the caramel layer, spreading it with a spatula. Return to the freezer for 2-5 minutes or until the chocolate sets.
- Remove from the freezer, use parchment paper to lift the bar from the dish, and slice into 16 squares with a sharp knife. To ease cutting, you can slightly warm the blade under hot water.
Step-by-Step Video
Frequently Asked Questions
A classic millionaire shortbread bar has a crumbly baked shortbread crust.
If you are looking for a similar sensation and texture, you can definitely bake the crust on it is own before adding the raw caramel.
I recommend baking the crust at 350°F (180°C) for 15 minutes and cooling the crust for 15 minutes before adding the caramel layer.
Millionaire bars are no-bake vegan desserts so these bars are dairy-free and egg-free, and therefore they can be stored easily in the fridge for up to 5 days.
It is better if you store these in an airtight container to prevent the caramel from drying.
If you want to freeze them, I recommend you place a piece of parchment paper between each bar.
It makes it easier to defrost the bars one by one. You can then keep them for up to 3 months.
Thaw them in the fridge or eat frozen!
More No-Bake Vegan Desserts
If you love no-bake vegan desserts, I recommend you also try:
Did You Like This Recipe?
Leave a comment below or head to our Facebook page for tips, our Instagram page for inspiration, our Pinterest for saving recipes, and Flipboard to get all the new ones!
No-bake Vegan Millionaire Shortbread
Ingredients
Option 1: Coconut Flour Shortbread crust – gluten-free + nut-free
- 1 ⅓ cup Coconut Flour
- ½ cup Coconut Oil - melted
- ½ cup Maple Syrup - or sugar-free monk fruit syrup if keto
Option 2: almond flour shortbread crust – gluten-free + grain-free + keto
- 1 ½ cup Almond Flour - fine, blanched
- 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil - melted
- 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup - or sugar-free monk fruit syrup if keto
Caramel layer
- ⅓ cup Maple Syrup - or sugar-free monk fruit syrup if keto
- 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil - melted
- ½ cup Peanut Butter (Unsalted) - or almond butter, fresh jar, no added sugar, no added oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
Chocolate layer
- 4.2 oz Dark Chocolate - 85% cocoa or 70% cocoa
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil - melted
Instructions
- Cover a 9-inch x 5-inch rectangle baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add coconut flour (or almond flour; if so, make sure you respect the correct ratio of ingredients based on the flour you choose), maple syrup, and melted coconut oil.
- Combine with a spatula at first, then knead the dough with your hands. The dough is soft and wet at first and dry as you go, becoming easier to shape into a ball.
- Gather the dough into a ball and place it in the center of the prepared dish.
- Press the ball with your fingers to evenly cover the bottom of the dish. You can smooth the top of the layer using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Freeze for 10 minutes while making the soft caramel.
- In a small bowl, add fresh runny peanut butter, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.
- Combine with a spatula until it forms a consistent, smooth caramel.
- Remove the dish from the freezer and pour the caramel on top of the shortbread layer.
- Spread the caramel evenly with the spatula and return the dish into the freezer for 10-12 minutes or until firm.
- Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and melted coconut oil in a saucepan under medium heat. Otherwise, you can microwave chocolate and coconut oil in a small bowl, by 30 seconds burst, stirring between, until smooth and fully melted.
- Remove the dish from the freezer and pour the melted chocolate on top of the caramel layer.
- Spread with a spatula and return to the freezer for 2-5 minutes or until the chocolate layer is set.
- Remove from the freezer, use the pieces of parchment paper to lift out the bar from the dish.
- Slice with a sharp knife into 16 squares. You can slightly warm the blade under hot water before cutting to make this easier.
Storage
- Store the bars into an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze and defrost 2-3 hours before. It can be eaten half-frozen as well.
Would using a refined (liquid) coconut oil work?
Yes sure the good part about refined coconut oil is that this kind of oil has no coconut flavor. Enjoy, XOXO Carine
This recipe is fantastic! Not only is it super easy to follow and requires minimal ingredients, but it’s insanely delicious & out of this world! The shortbread tastes exactly like a traditional baked version, and the peanut butter caramel stays super luscious and soft even when left in the freezer. Really appreciate that there is a delicious alternative to the standard millionaire bar recipe. I would 100% say that this recipe far surpasses! Using coconut flour is a great way to cut out gluten and wheat, and anything vegan/dairy-free is ideal! The ingredient ratios always produce the perfect sweet treat! MUST TRY!
Thank you so much for he lovely feedback! I am glad you found my blog and enjoy the recipes around here. XOXO Carine
I’ve made these three times now since I discovered this recipe! They are the best no bake dessert I’ve come across in a very long time. I use the almond flour recipe for my base. I absolutely adore these millionaire bars!!!!
Thank you so much ! XOXO Carine
These are seriously the BEST no bake bars I have ever made and so simply to make!! Literally obsessed with them and will never go back to anything else! Can not wait to try the other recipes from The Conscious Plant Kitchen!
Yeah! Thanks a lot, XOXO Carine
Can almond flour be used instead?
Yes sure, as you can see in the recipe card there is 2 options to create the shortbread layer. Option 1 is using coconut flour an option 2 is using almond flour. Follow measurement in option 2 if you want to use almond flour. Enjoy, XOXO Carine
So delicious! Just made my second batch.
What if you don’t have no sugar added peanut butter available? Will regular skippy work?
It will work too but it will be very sweet or you will have to decrease maple syrup to keep the sweet balance right.
Could i use an 8×8 for this? I don’t have a 9×5 pan!
Sure, the layers will simply be thinner but the recipe will work. Enjoy, XOXO Carine.
Can you freeze them? I want to make it but it’s too much for one person to eat so wanted to freeze the rest for later. Thanks!
Sure! they freeze really and defrost in 30 minutes at room temperature. Freeze them slices and defrost one piece at a time. Enjoy, XOXO Carine.
Can I use oat flour instead?
I didn’t try oat flour in this recipe and usually you need way more oat flour to replace coconut flour because it contains 4 times less fiber. It won’t soak the liquid as well. Enjoy the recipe. XOXO Carine
These are sooooo good. Even my mother who is not really into healthy living and stuff loves them so much.
Making them like every week, thank you so much for you recipes and please keep going
Thanks so much for the lovely comment! Glad you love it, XOXO Carine