High Altitude Brownie Shortbread Bars with Ganache (Shortbread Brownies)

These high altitude brownie shortbread bars have a buttery, shortbread cookie layer, thick fudge brownies, and rich dark chocolate ganache. You’ll love the combination of the shortbread cookie crust with the moist, chewy brownies and creamy, bittersweet ganache. And for the ultimate, decadent dessert, you can even add a layer of caramel or dulce de leche to make millionaire shortbread brownie bars. If you’ve never made shortbread brownies before, these will be your new favorite brownie recipe!

Looking for more high altitude cookie bar recipes? Don’t miss these chocolate chip cookie brownies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bars, hazelnut maple sugar cookie bars, and gooey pecan pie bars.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy but Impressive. Don’t be put off by the multiple layers in this recipe. Each part comes together quickly and easily, and the finished brownie shortbread bars are as beautiful to look at as they are delicious.

All the Best Textures. I love a dessert with different textures, and this one has everything I want in something sweet. With the salted, buttery crumbly shortbread crust, the dense and chewy fudge brownies, creamy ganache, and chopped chocolate on top, what’s not to love?

Stays Moist for Days. The best thing about my fudge brownie recipe is how moist, soft and chewy they are. Even leftover for days, they don’t dry out, which makes them perfect for making the night before and serving the next day.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

• Flour. All-purpose flour gives the crust structure and strength.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness.
• Salt. Balances the sweetness.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
• Butter. Unsalted butter adds richness and makes the crust crisp and flavorful.

Brownies

• Butter. Adds richness and moisture. Use unsalted butter so you can control the saltiness of the brownies.
• Granulated Sugar. All that bitter cocoa powder needs to be balanced by some sweetness.  The sugar is also what creates the shiny, crackly top on the surface of the brownies.
• Chocolate Chips. Melted chocolate chips add to the fudgey texture of the brownies and a deeper chocolate flavor.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
• Eggs. The eggs help to emulsify the batter and provide structure and leavening.
• Cocoa Powder. Use a good-quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder for the best chocolate flavor and rich color.
• All-Purpose Flour. Gives the brownies structure and strength.
• Salt. Enhances the flavor of the chocolate and balances the sweetness.

Ganache

• Chocolate. Use a good-quality bar of chocolate, around 55-60% cacao. Don’t use chocolate chips, as they contain ingredients that prevent them from melting very smoothly, which makes a lumpy ganache.
• Heavy Whipping Cream. You need the high fat content of heavy whipping cream for a rich, creamy consistency to your ganache.

Instructions

Make the shortbread crust.

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line an 8×8 inch square baking dish with two sheets of parchment paper, so that they completely line the bottom and sides of the pan. Crease the paper at the top edges of the pan to help keep it in place.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and vanilla. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until well incorporated, and the crumbs are moist and crumbly.

Tip: This step is really easy to do with a food processor. Just pulse all the ingredients until you have fine, moist crumbs.

• Dump the dough crumbs into the prepared pan. Spread out evenly in the pan, then use your hands to press the crumbs down firmly against the bottom of the pan.
• Bake the crust on the center oven rack for 15 minutes, until pale golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325 F.

Tip: For step-by-step photos of how I make my brownies, see my original Fudge Brownies post.

Make the brownie layer.

• While the crust is baking, you can start on the brownie batter. In a large saucepan, melt the butter and sugar over medium heat.  Once it begins to bubble, cook for two minutes.  Remove from the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla until melted and shiny; the mixture will be grainy.  Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until the mixture comes together into a smooth batter.
• In a bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, flour, salt and espresso powder.  Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until no dry streaks remain.  The batter will be thick but spreadable.
• Spread the brownie batter evenly over the baked shortbread crust.

• Bake at 325 F on the center oven rack for exactly 25 minutes – don’t over-bake!  The brownies will be browned and crackled on top and slightly puffed.  Cool the brownies completely.

Spread with chocolate ganache.

• Finely chop the chocolate and scrape it into a bowl.Tip: Reserve 1-2 teaspoons of the chopped chocolate to sprinkle on top of the brownies for a pretty finish.
• Measure the cream into a saucepan, and warm the cream over medium heat, just until hot and it begins to simmer around the edges. Remove from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate.

• Stir the ganache until the chocolate is melted, smooth and shiny.

• Spread the ganache over the cooled brownies, using a knife or small offset spatula to swirl it around.

Tip: For this look, use a spoon to make a bunch of small swirls in the ganache before it sets, then drag a knife across the ganache in diagonal lines.

• Let the ganache set and firm up for about an hour. If you like, sprinkle the top with the reserved chopped chocolate.
• To cut the brownie shortbread bars into neat squares, lift the brownies out of the pan by grabbing the edges of the parchment paper and lifting the whole slab onto a cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the brownies, wiping the knife clean in between each cut.

Recipe Variation with Dulce De Leche

Make millionaire brownie shortbread bars by adding a sweet, creamy layer of dulce de leche! After baking and cooling the brownies, and before adding the ganache, spread a whole can of dulce de leche over the brownies. Finish with the ganache on top, and let the ganache set completely before cutting into bars.

The extra caramel layer makes these bars pretty thick, so you might want to bake them in a 9 inch pan instead of an 8 inch pan.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add nuts to the crust?

Yes, nuts are great in this shortbread crust. Just finely chop a handful of almonds, pecans or walnuts, and add them to the dough crumbs before pressing the crust into the pan.

For the millionaire brownie bars, can I use caramel sauce instead of dulce de leche?

I recommend dulce de leche, which is much thicker than caramel sauce, so you can easily cut the brownies into bars. Decorate the top of the ganache with a sprinkling of chopped toffee bits or chopped chocolate.

What cocoa powder and chocolate did you use?

I used Rodelle Dutch-processed cocoa powder in the brownies, and Chocolove 55% dark chocolate in the ganache.

How should I store leftovers?

Store the brownie shortbread bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also wrap them individually and freeze for 3-6 months, pulling a brownie out to thaw whenever you want a quick treat.

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