This bear claw pastry recipe is absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious! It's impossible to resist the delicate dough, rich almond filling and pretty fanned tops sprinkled with sugar and almonds. I made yummy treats like this when I worked in a bakery years ago. —Aneta Kish, La Crosse, Wisconsin
Bear Claw
We won’t lie to you—making a bear claw pastry takes time. This is definitely not a quick and easy kitchen task. But once you’ve got one of these tender, flaky, nutty pastries on your plate all your efforts will have been worth it.
Bear Claw Ingredients
- Butter: Your butter should be unsalted (and cold!) for this recipe.
- All-purpose flour: Learn how to accurately measure flour here.
- Active dry yeast: You’ll need to dissolve the active dry yeast in lukewarm water before adding it in.
- Half-and-half cream: Feel free to substitute for whole milk if desired.
- Sugar: Sugar helps to lock in necessary moisture.
- Salt: Salt helps to enhance all the flavors in this recipe.
- Eggs: Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before using.
- Confectioners’ sugar: Confectioners’ sugar is ultrafine sugar; there’s no graininess or clumping.
- Almond paste: Follow this recipe to make homemade almond paste.
- Water: When water is mixed with a bit of egg and brushed over the bear claw pastry, this creates a nice glossy color.
- Sliced almonds: Sliced almonds add a nice nutty texture to the finished product.
Directions
Step 1: Toss butter and flour
In a bowl, toss the butter with three cups of flour until well-coated; refrigerate. In a large bowl, combine the yeast and remaining two cups of flour.
Step 2: Heat cream mixture
In a saucepan, heat the cream, sugar and salt to 120°F to 130°. Add to the yeast mixture with one egg. Beat until smooth. Stir in the butter mixture just until moistened.
Step 3: Fold the pastries
Place the dough onto a well-floured surface and roll into a 21×12-inch rectangle. Starting at a short side, fold the dough in thirds, forming a 12×7-inch rectangle. Give the dough a quarter turn; roll into a 21×12-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds, starting with a short side. Repeat, flouring the surface as needed. (Do not chill dough between each rolling and folding.) Cover and chill until firm for anywhere from 4 to 24 hours.
Step 4: Make the filling
In a bowl beat the egg white until foamy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and almond paste; beat until smooth. Cut the dough in half widthwise. Roll each portion into a 12-inch square; cut each square into three 12×4-inch strips. Spread about two tablespoons of filling down the center of each strip. Fold the dough over the filling starting with a long side and pinch the seam to seal. Cut it into three pieces.
Step 5: Cut and chill
Place two inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, seam side down. Cut each piece four times, with scissors, along a long side within 1/2 inch of edge; curve and separate the strips slightly. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one hour.
Step 6: Bake
Preheat the oven to 375°. Lightly beat the water and remaining egg. Brush the mixture over the dough. Sprinkle with the sugar and almonds. Bake until golden brown, for about 15 minutes. Remove from the pans to wire racks to cool.
Bear Claw Recipe Variations
- Top with poached eggs: Poached eggs turn this pastry into a mighty savory breakfast.
- Add raisins: Though almond paste is the traditional filling for bear claws you could opt for raisins or apples.
How to Store Bear Claws
Bear claws should be stored in a single layer in an airtight container. They will last up to a week in the refrigerator or two months in the freezer. Let the bear claws come to room temperature before serving.
Can you make this pastry ahead of time?
To make bear claws ahead of time, prepare the bear claw pastry and filling and freeze them separately. Thaw the components in the refrigerator overnight when you’re ready to serve. Shape the bear claws and let them rise before baking. You can also make baked bear claws ahead of time and store them in the fridge or freezer. When freezing bear claws use the same technique as freezing doughnuts, layering the bear claws between sheets of wax paper in a freezer-safe bag.
Bear Claw Tips
Can you reheat this recipe?
You can gently reheat these pastries in the oven before eating because this bear claw recipe does not contain a sugary glaze.
When can you serve with bear claws?
Bear claws can be enjoyed as a sweet snack or dessert. We also love serving them for breakfast or brunch. Almond recipes like bear claws taste fantastic with coffee or breakfast tea. They also look gorgeous when arranged on a platter next to the other breakfast pastries for a special occasion brunch.
Can I double this bear claw recipe?
Yes. Just treat it as two separate batches, rather than trying to combine double the ingredients in one batch.
Watch How to Make Almond Bear Claws
Almond Bear Claws
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
15 min
Yield
1-1/2 dozen
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
- 1-1/4 cups half-and-half cream
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature, divided use
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup almond paste, cubed
- 1 tablespoon water
- Sugar or coarse sugar
- Sliced almonds
Directions
- In a bowl, toss butter with 3 cups flour until well coated; refrigerate. In a large bowl, combine yeast and remaining 2 cups flour.
- In a saucepan, heat cream, sugar and salt to 120°-130°. Add to yeast mixture with 1 egg. Beat until smooth. Stir in butter mixture just until moistened.
- Place dough onto a well-floured surface; roll into a 21x12-in. rectangle. Starting at a short side, fold dough in thirds, forming a 12x7-in. rectangle. Give dough a quarter turn; roll into a 21x12-in. rectangle. Fold into thirds, starting with a short side. Repeat, flouring surface as needed. (Do not chill dough between each rolling and folding.) Cover and chill until firm, 4-24 hours.
- For filling, in a bowl, beat egg white until foamy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and almond paste; beat until smooth. Cut dough in half widthwise. Roll each portion into a 12-in. square; cut each square into three 12x4-in. strips. Spread about 2 tablespoons filling down center of each strip. Starting with a long side, fold dough over filling; pinch seam to seal. Cut into 3 pieces.
- Place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets, seam side down. With scissors, cut each piece 4 times along a long side to within 1/2 in. of edge; curve and separate strips slightly. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly beat water and remaining egg; brush over dough. Sprinkle with sugar and almonds. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
Nutrition Facts
1 claw: 352 calories, 19g fat (11g saturated fat), 73mg cholesterol, 207mg sodium, 38g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 1g fiber), 6g protein.
Loading Popular in the Community
This bear claw pastry recipe is absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious! It's impossible to resist the delicate dough, rich almond filling and pretty fanned tops sprinkled with sugar and almonds. I made yummy treats like this when I worked in a bakery years ago. —Aneta Kish, La Crosse, Wisconsin
Recipe Creator
Loading Reviews
