Bear Claws

Total Time

Prep: 1 hour + rising Bake: 10 min.

Makes

9 rolls

Updated: Jun. 27, 2023
You don't have to head to gourmet bakeries to indulge in this sweet pastry. This recipe lets you master rich flaky pastries at home.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Greendale, Wisconsin

Ingredients

  • 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm 2% milk (110° to 115°)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • BUTTER MIXTURE:
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
  • 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
  • FILLING:
  • 6 tablespoons prepared almond filling or filling of your choice
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • GLAZE:
  • 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 2 to 3 teaspoons water

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Stir in sugar, salt and egg; mix well. Add the flour all at once, stirring until mixed. Set aside.
  2. For butter mixture, sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour on a work surface; place butter on surface and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour. Press and roll out with a rolling pin. Scrape butter from rolling pin and continue to work the butter until it forms a smooth mass without any hard lumps. Knead in remaining flour, working quickly to keep butter cold.
  3. Place butter mixture on a sheet of plastic wrap and shape into a small rectangle. Cover with another sheet of plastic wrap; roll into a 9x6-in. rectangle. Set aside.
  4. Turn dough onto a floured work surface; roll into a 14x10-in. rectangle, with a 10-in. side toward the bottom. Unwrap butter mixture; place on dough 1 in. above bottom edge and 1/2 in. from each side edge. Fold top half of dough over butter and pinch edges to seal.
  5. Turn dough a quarter turn to the right; sprinkle lightly with additional flour. Lightly roll into a 16x8-in. rectangle. Fold bottom third of rectangle up and top third down, as when folding a business letter, making a 5-1/2x8-in. rectangle (this is called one turn). Rotate dough a quarter turn to the right. Lightly roll into a 16x8-in. rectangle and again fold into thirds, finishing the second turn. Repeat rotating, rolling and folding two more times for a total of four times. Wrap loosely in plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  6. Roll dough into a 12-in. square; cut square into three 12x4-in. strips. Spread 2 tablespoons filling down the center of each strip to within 1 in. of long edge. Fold lengthwise over filling and pinch seam to seal. Cut each strip into three pieces. With scissors, cut each piece four times from pinched seam to about 1/2 in. from folded side. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Curve folded side slightly to separate strips and allow filling to show. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 1 hour.
  7. Preheat oven to 400°. Brush bear clasws with egg. Bake 10-14 minutes or until puffy and golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Combine glaze ingredients; brush over warm rolls. Cool.

Nutrition Facts

1 each: 369 calories, 20g fat (10g saturated fat), 90mg cholesterol, 447mg sodium, 43g carbohydrate (18g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein.