Easy Peasy Gluten free and Vegan Millionaire’s Shortbread recipe

Learn to make delicious gluten free and vegan Millionaire’s Shortbread quick and simple recipe!

Hi there, I’ve finally gotten round to finalising this vegan and gluten free recipe so you can make your own free-from chocolate caramel shortbread at home. I’ve adapted the recipe from our Honeybuns gluten-free baking book. I’ve streamlined the ingredients to make it simpler and converted it to vegan.

Honeybuns gluten free baking book front cover
Take a look at Em’s bake-along video 

Please do check out my live time-lapse bake-along video below.

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How quick is it?

This is another one of our one bowl wonders and is speedy to put together. Once you’ve weighed all the ingredients out it will take you a couple of minutes to mix it, plus 20 minutes of baking time.

What is special about this recipe?

You end up with a beautiful tart tin full of delicousness! Cut into squares and stacked up, this will make a fab addition to any coffee morning or tea party. The ‘caramel’ filling is made of super healthy dates rather than masses of sugar and syrup. The addition of almond butter boosts the nutritional profile of the recipe as almonds are rich in vitamin E and selenium as well as being good sources of fibre and protein. For more nutritional information on almonds try The Gluten free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam.

As ever, I’ve included swapsie ingredient ideas in brackets. This recipe makes 8-10 portions. You can keep the finished tray bake in the fridge for 5 days and it will freeze too.

If you don’t have time to make your own, then head over to our online shop where you can buy our vegan and gluten free Millionaire’s Slice.

For the Shortbread base:

Vegan and gluten free shortbread base recipe for Millionaire's Slice

150g vegan baking margarine like ‘Pure’ (or you can use 150ml refined coconut, corn, rapeseed or sunflower oil), plus extra for brushing

140g polenta

170g ground almonds (or any other ground nut or try Linwoods milled flax, sunflower & pumpkin mix)

125g sugar (I love using light Muscovado but anything will do)

Vegan and gluten free shortbread base recipe for Millionaire's Slice

For the ‘caramel’ you need:

250g pitted dates (or raisins, sultanas or prunes)

150g almond butter (or any nut butter)

1tsp vanilla extract/paste or powder

2tbsp water (add more if needed)

Vegan and gluten free recipe for Millionaire's Slice

For the chocolate topping you need:

300g vegan dark chocolate (we like the original Moo Free brand)

What kit will I need?

Traybake tin measuring approx. 30cm x 23cm x 4cm

Electric hand held mixer (or use hands)

Palette knife

Food processor

Microwave, or a bowl and pan

How to make your devilishly delicious vegan millionaire’s shortbread

Here’s my method…

Preheat oven to 160°C.

Brush your tray bake tin with oil.

Place the shortbread ingredients in a bowl and using your hands or electric mixer, mix until clumps are formed. I find that at this stage you need to get your hands in and work with the mix until soft, malleable dough is formed. This can be done in the bowl.

Divide the dough into quarters and place in each corner of your oiled tray bake tin. Hand squidge your dough to cover the bottom of the tin. You don’t want any gaps and you don’t need edges of dough around the sides. You just need a smooth(ish) base.

Vegan and gluten free recipe for Millionaire's Slice

Bake the base for 20-22 mins. You need it to feel firm and it will have turned a darker golden colour around the edges. Once baked leave to cool completely.

Place your ‘caramel’ ingredients in the food processor and blitz until a paste is formed. The variable here is how much moisture your dried fruit contains hence you may need to add more water-.but only a bit at a time. You’re after a thick, spreadable paste. Don’t do what I did and mistakenly use dates with their stones still in-.my Ninja blender complained loudly!

Vegan and gluten free shortbread recipe for Millionaire's Slice

Using a palette knife spread the caramel over the cooled shortbread base as evenly as you can.

Bring a saucepan of water to simmering point, placing a bowl on top of the pan. Place the chocolate in the bowl, ensuring no steam or water comes into contact with the chocolate. Stir gently and occasionally until the chocolate melts. Alternatively use a microwave. Just take care to gently melt the chocolate – if it burns there is no rescuing it.

Vegan and gluten free recipe for Millionaire's Slice

Spread the chocolate over the caramel and allow to set.

Vegan and gluten free recipe for Millionaire's Slice

Top Tip:

Whilst the chocolate is still molten you can scatter cornflowers, rose petals and or free dried raspberries or strawberries over the top for extra ooh la la.