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Bear Claws- Attempt 2 (The Easy Way)

Easy Bear Claws with Nutella and Chocolate Chips

Flaky store-bought puff pastry filled with hazelnut spread or cookie butter, crushed walnuts, and mini chocolate chips — shaped into bear claws and baked golden. Incredibly easy and ready in under an hour
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, French inspired
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • ⅓ cup hazelnut spread (Nutella) or cookie butter, plus more for drizzling
  • ¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped or crushed
  • ½ cup mini chocolate chips
  • powdered sugar for finishing (optional)

Method
 

Prepare
  1. 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
  2. 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
Shape the Bear Claws
  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. Moisten the edges of each rectangle with a pastry brush or your finger dipped in water to help them seal
  4. 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
  5. 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
Bake
  1. 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
  2. Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container

Notes

Do not skip refrigerating the shaped bear claws before baking — cold pastry is essential for proper puffing and prevents burning. If you want a chocolate element without chocolate puff pastry, drizzle melted chocolate over the top after baking, or dust with a mixture of cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Cookie butter and hazelnut spread can be used together for an even richer filling. Store leftover bear claws in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days