Mother’s Day is just around the corner! To celebrate, I’m excited to share these delicious bear claws inspired by the movie Brave. I first saw Brave at a point in my life where I was creating a life for myself in college but also relying on my parents and so Merida’s struggles to be strong and independent while still respecting her familial responsibilities really resonated with me.
I also loved the focus on Merida’s relationship with her mom Queen Elinor. It was refreshing to see a “princess” movie that veered away from a romantic plot and instead showed a story about the connection between a mother and daughter. While it does take a turn for the dramatic when Elinor becomes a bear, I think the overarching theme is very relatable, whether it’s a child struggling to be understood by their parent or a parent struggling to connect to their child.
Thinking about Merida and Elinor’s relationship reminded me how grateful I am for my mom and how strong, supportive, and loving she is, even when we may disagree on something. And so, to celebrate Queen Elinor (both in human and bear form) and all of the strong, supportive, loving, and protective moms, I’m excited to share these delicious bear claws!
Bear claws have been one of my family’s favorite pastries for as along as I can remember. The flaky pastry, almond filling with a touch of cinnamon, and sweet icing make them perfect for breakfast, afternoon snack, or dessert.
I made these bear claws over two days. The first day, I made the dough and then refrigerated it overnight so on the second day, I only had shape and bake them. While it is possible to make them in one day, breaking up meant there was less waiting around for the dough to chill and proof.
To make the dough, I used a food processor to cut the butter into the flour. I don’t usually use a food processor to do this, but it did go a lot faster. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use two knifes and physically cut the butter in the flour until it’s in tiny pieces or you can use a pastry cutter.
Traditionally, bear claws are filled with almond paste but I like mine with a touch of cinnamon. To make the filling, combine the almond paste, cinnamon, sugar, and egg and beat until smooth. I recommend using an electric beater as the almond paste is a bit hard to beat by hand and you want a nice smooth filling to spread out.
Once the dough is ready to be shaped, simply cut into four strips and spread the filling down the center. To make the claw shape, roll the strips lengthwise and flatten gently with a rolling pin. Then, just cut each strip into 5-inch pieces and make 3 slits to create the bear toes. If you want to make cub claws, cut the 5-inch pieces in half and then make two slits. Once they’re cut, let the pastries proof for 20 minutes before covering with egg wash and adding a sliced almond to each toe.
After baking, while the pastries are still warm, drizzle the icing on top and enjoy!
Brave Bear Claws
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, cold
- 1 package active dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm water, 100-110 F
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Filling
- 1 egg white
- ⅓ cup almond paste
- 6 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Decoration
- 1 egg, beaten
- sliced almonds
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ – 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Dough
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Add flour to the bowl of a food processor. Cut butter into ¼ inch pieces and add to the flour. Process until the mixture looks like large crumbs, some butter pieces should still be visible.
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In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the cream, salt, eggs, and sugar.
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Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture. Mix, using a spatula, until combined.
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Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
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Once the dough is chilled, place on a floured surface. Pound dough out with a rolling pin and then roll into an 8×10 inch rectangle.
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Fold the dough into thirds, making three layers. Turn the dough and roll out again.
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Fold the dough into thirds again and then place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Filling
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In a small bowl, beat the egg white, almond paste, powdered sugar, and cinnamon together until it is very smooth. Place in the refrigerator while shaping the bear claws.
Assembly
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Preheat the oven to 400 Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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On a floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into an 8×10 inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into 4 strips.
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Remove filling from the refrigerator and spread evenly down the center of each strip.
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Roll each strip lengthwise, placing the seam-side down. Roll lightly with a rolling pin to flatten and seal the edges.
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Cut each strip into 5 inch pieces. If you want to make cub paws, cut the 5 inch piece in half again. To add toes, cut the 3 slits in the larger paws and 2 slits in the smaller paws.
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Place onto prepared baking sheets, curving them slightly. Place sheet in a warm place and let the bear claws rise for 20 minutes.
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Beat the egg and brush each bear claw with the egg wash. Place a sliced almond on each toe.
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Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
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Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on a wire rack.
Glaze
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In a small bowl, combine sugar, honey, and milk. Stir until smooth, adding more sugar or milk if needed.
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Drizzle over the warm bear claws.
Recipe Notes
adapted from Sprinkle Bakes