Bear Claws – Easy Recipe For Bear Claws – Chocolate Bear Claws
I still plan to conquer puff pastry in the future, but considering the results I got from the store-bought version, I’d have to say that this is definitely one of those instances where the effort you save by buying it pre-made definitely makes up for any slight loss in quality you might notice. The downside is that there doesn’t appear to be any chocolate puff pastry on the market, at least not anywhere I looked. You can make up for this by drizzling melted chocolate on top, like I did, or by mixing a little bit of cocoa powder into some powdered sugar and sprinkling it on top.
For Bear Claws You Need Following Ingredients:
- 1 package frozen puff pastry
- 1/3 cup hazelnut spread (Nutella) or cookie butter (I used Speculoos from Trader Joe’s), plus more for drizzling (optional)
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (ok, I actually just crushed them with my hands because I didn’t want to clean another knife)
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- powdered sugar (optional)
For baking ambiance
This time, I remembered the Weird Al. Obviously, it made all the difference. While photographing the steps adds some time, I’d say that putting these together probably took less time than listening to Albuquerque one time through. Fortunately, I was doing other things in the kitchen while making these, so I was still able to listen to the whole album in all its nerdy, parodic glory. If you plan to make a day of it, I suggest adding Mandatory Fun, as well. Particularly if you’re going to be using aluminum foil.
Now that you’ve gathered your ingredients, put down that box of starving, crazed weasels and let’s get baking!
Thaw your puff pastry according to the package directions. It should be soft enough not to crack when you unfold it, but still cold. If it gets warm enough to droop and stick to things, put it back in the fridge until it hardens up a bit.
While your puff pastry thaws, prepare the filling. Stir together the cookie butter or nutella (or both if you’re feeling saucy), crushed walnuts, and chocolate chips in a small bowl. That’s it- it’s ready to use.
When your puff pastry is ready, lay it out on your work surface (I used a piece of parchment paper for easy cleanup). Cut the puff pastry into rectangles with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. My pastry sheets were roughly 9″ square, so I cut them into six 3″ by 4.5″ rectangles.
Drop approximately a teaspoon of filling onto one side of each rectangle (vary the amount depending on the size of your rectangles).
Moisten the edges of each rectangle with a pastry brush or your finger to help them hold together when folded.
Fold each rectangle in half, gently pressing the edges together to seal them. Make three or four 1/2″ cuts in the long seam to form the toes. Place your finished bear claws on a lined or greased cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Do not skip this step! Your pastries might burn or refuse to puff up if they’re too warm to begin with.
While your pastries are chilling, preheat your oven to 400°F. When it’s ready, bake the bear claws for approximately 20 minutes, or until the tops are puffed and light golden-brown.
I know this part is hard, but now you have to let your bear claws cool. If you don’t, you will release a flood of boiling-hot lava into your mouth when you bite into one. For once, this is not firsthand knowledge, but I have enough experience with impatient pastry eating to know exactly what’s going to happen. Trust me, it won’t end well.
You can decorate your bear claws with more hazelnut spread/cookie butter, powdered sugar, or both once they have cooled. To use a drizzle of the spread, spoon 1-2 Tbsp. of hazelnut spread or cookie butter (or, again, both) into a small bowl. Microwave this for 10-15 seconds, watching it like a hawk so it doesn’t explode in the microwave.
Once it drizzles nicely when poured, give it a good stir and drizzle it over your bear claws. Alternatively (or additionally), sprinkle some powdered sugar over them. Now enjoy the fruits of your labor!
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Easy Bear Claws with Nutella and Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
Method
- Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions. It should be soft enough to unfold without cracking but still cold and firm. If it becomes warm enough to droop or stick, return it to the fridge until it firms back up
- While the pastry thaws, make the filling. Stir together the hazelnut spread or cookie butter, crushed walnuts, and mini chocolate chips in a small bowl until combined. Set aside
- Lay the thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface or parchment paper. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut into rectangles approximately 3 inches by 4½ inches — each standard sheet yields about 6 rectangles
- Drop approximately 1 teaspoon of filling onto one half of each rectangle. Adjust the amount based on the size of your rectangles — do not overfill
- Moisten the edges of each rectangle with a pastry brush or your finger dipped in water to help them seal
- Fold each rectangle in half over the filling and press the edges gently together to seal. Make 3–4 cuts about ½ inch deep along the long sealed edge to form the bear claw toes
- Transfer the shaped bear claws to a lined or greased cookie sheet. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Do not skip this step — warm pastry will burn or fail to puff properly
- Once cooled, decorate as desired. For a drizzle, spoon 1–2 tablespoons of hazelnut spread or cookie butter into a small bowl and microwave in 10–15 second intervals, stirring between each, until it pours smoothly. Drizzle over the bear claws
- Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container
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