Dairy-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe? Yes, it’s possible! Best of all, nobody would know they’re Coeliac-friendly and wheat-free…

Dairy-free millionaire’s recipe – not to be confused with my regular gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe. I made this version specifically for all the dairy-free/vegan folks who requested it… so here it is!

Dairy-free Millionaire's Shortbread Recipe (vegan + gluten-free)

I’m sure nobody cares, but I actually started out as a gluten-free and dairy-free baker here on the blog. Yes, once upon a time, everything I made was dairy-free as standard!

But one thing I always struggled to make dairy-free was millionaire’s shortbread. It’s so simple to make caramel when you can just use a tin of condensed milk… so what. do you do when you can’t?!

So I always said: ‘I’ll make dairy-free millionaire’s shortbread one day’ or ‘I’m working on it!’

Well, that day has finally come and I’m done working on it – I’m pleased to report that I’ve done it!

Dairy-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe: What you’ll need…

Hard dairy-free margarine or vegan butter: The key word here is ‘hard’ – it must be a hard block like Stork hard margarine or Flora vegan butter.
Caster sugar: Granulated sugar is fine too, but caster sugar is the sugar of choice when it comes to the classic shortbread base. You’ll also need a little for the caramel too.
Light brown sugar: Adding this to the caramel not only makes it more caramel coloured, but also gives it more of a caramel flavour.
Golden syrup: This traditional ingredient is integral to making a dairy-free or vegan caramel. Other syrups often aren’t thick enough, so this is a key ingredient.
Salt: A pinch of salt works perfectly in caramel and helps to emphasise the flavour.
Vanilla extract: A little of this goes a long way and the better quality yours is… the better they’ll taste!
Gluten-free plain flour: I use a simple commercial blend from the free from aisle in the supermarket. If you can’t find a blend like this where you live, you can always make your own using my gluten-free flour recipe.
Xanthan gum: This helps to bind the shortbread dough together so it isn’t too brittle to work with, replacing the gluten that would otherwise do the same job.
Dairy-free chocolate: For this recipe I used a mix of dairy-free dark, white and ‘milk’ chocolate. I found these down the free from aisle. Feel free to use all of one variety instead of all three if you’d prefer.

So why is it suddenly possible now? Because I finally found a way to make a proper dairy-free caramel that, well… actually tastes like caramel!

I tried vegan condensed milk which made the caramel taste like coconut (which is definitely not what I wanted) and I’ve tried lots of dairy-free caramel recipes which never set properly, creating a big mess when I tried to slice them.

So I made my own dairy-free caramel – no vegan or dairy-free condensed milk required! In fact, all the ingredients are extremely simple and you can easily find them in the supermarket.

And the end result actually tastes like proper millionaire’s shortbread – and nobody would know they’re dairy-free, vegan and gluten-free!

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

Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Is it suitable for Coeliacs?

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 sure 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.

I don’t need to eat dairy-free. Can I make your dairy-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe using dairy products instead?

If that’s the case then you’re on the wrong post! This version is specifically for dairy-free and vegan folks.

So if that’s not you, simply head over to my regular gluten-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe.

How do I made your dairy-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe vegan?

It is vegan!

Is this recipe low FODMAP?

Unfortunately, this recipe is not suitable for the elimination phase of the diet due to the amount of golden syrup required. Golden syrup is only low FODMAP in 1 tsp servings and one millionaire’s shortbread would exceed that limit.

Once you’ve successfully reintroduced fructose, you might be ok to give these a try.

Can I use a tin of dairy-free caramel instead of making my own?

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 caster sugar instead of light brown sugar for the caramel?

You can, but it won’t have that depth of caramel-like flavour (it’ll taste more like golden syrup) and the caramel will come out looking a lot more yellow and pale.

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

What you will need for certain, is an 8″ square baking tin – here’s the one I use. You’ll just need a little baking paper too. If you’re using a 9″ square baking tin, just bear in mind that your millionaire’s will be a lot flatter.

When making caramel, a digital cooking thermometer takes away all the guesswork so I’d highly recommend getting one!

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

In short… yes, yes and yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any my recipes without them. One of the worst things you can do in any recipe is alter the quantities by mistake or on purpose.

Why? Well, you’re sort of just gambling with the recipe and praying that it turns out ok, don’t you think? And I’ve generally already done the hard work there for you, so you don’t have to do the guesswork with measurements!

A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities so I wouldn’t mess around with them unless you really know your stuff. 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.

Dairy-free millionaire’s shortbread recipe: Tips for perfection!

Don’t overmix the shortbread dough – once it forms a nice, smooth dough, stop! You don’t want too much air into this dough.
Using a digital cooking thermometer when making the caramel makes the job so much easier.
Be patient when making the caramel! The caramel will get to the right temperature and thickness eventually – if you take it off the heat too soon, it won’t set in the fridge.
If ever your caramel splits after you’ve taken it off the heat, don’t panic! Just pop it back on and stir constantly on a low heat until it comes back together.
When slicing your finished millionaire’s, use a warm knife – they’ll be very cold and a little solid from the fridge, so a warm, sharp knife really helps. Just run it under a hot tap first!