This almond bear claw pastry is the perfect sweet treat to pair with a cup of coffee!

An almond bear claw pastry is a delicious pastry that is shaped a little bit like a bear claw. It’s filled with a sweet almond filling and the pastry itself is flaky and buttery. It’s made with layers of thin, crisp dough that are folded over a rich, nutty filling made from almonds and sugar. The filling is spread generously in the center of the pastry, with some extra filling sprinkled over the top of the pastry.

The pastry is formed into a shape that resembles a bear’s claw, with pointed tips that are pinched to create a slightly curved, three-pronged shape. This pastry is then baked to a golden brown, with the edges becoming crispy and caramelized. The top of the pastry is often sprinkled with coarse sugar or sliced almonds, adding a crunchy texture to the already crispy pastry.

Spread the almond paste mixture over half of the puff pastry sheet.

Why This Bear Claw Recipe Uses Puff Pastry

A real bakery bear claw is made from a laminated yeast dough, which means proofing, rolling, and folding dough over cold butter across two days. It’s a great project. It is not a Tuesday.

Puff pastry gets you the same flaky dough and the same shattery layers without any of the yeast work, because the lamination is already done for you. The one rule: keep it cold. Thaw your sheet in the fridge overnight, not on the counter, and if the butter in the pastry starts looking shiny or the dough goes limp on your work surface, slide the whole sheet back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Warm puff pastry doesn’t puff.

Tips for the Best Almond Bear Claws

Let the almond paste come to room temperature. Straight from the fridge it’s a brick and your food processor will just fling chunks around. Twenty minutes on the counter fixes it.

Almond paste is not marzipan, and it’s not almond flour. Marzipan has way more sugar and will make the filling cloying. Almond flour has no binder, so the filling won’t hold together. Look for almond paste in a tube or can near the pie filling.

A pinch of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract stirred into the filling will make the almond flavor read as almond instead of just sweet. Optional, but it’s what I do.

Don’t skip the egg wash. Beat the reserved half egg in a small bowl and brush it over everything, including the sides. That’s what gives you the golden brown, glossy top instead of a pale one.

Use a sharp knife for the slits. Cut them along the long edge, four slits about three-quarters of the way through, which gives you five fingers. A dull knife drags and presses the layers shut, and sealed layers don’t separate in the oven.

Other Ways to Shape It

Roll the filled pastry into a log instead of folding it over, seal the seam, then slice it into rounds for individual bear paws. Or cut the sheet into strips from the short side, fill each one, and make five or six small claws instead of one big pastry. Smaller strips bake faster, so start checking at 12 minutes.

Optional Almond Glaze

If you’ve got a real sweet tooth, whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon milk and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract in a small bowl and drizzle it over the pastry once it’s completely cool. Glazing while it’s warm just makes it disappear into the pastry.

How to Store Leftover Bear Claw Pastry

Let it cool on a wire rack first so the bottom doesn’t steam itself soggy. Leftover pastries keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5.

Reheating is where it matters. Five to eight minutes in a 300F oven or toaster oven brings the flaky layers right back. The microwave works in a pinch at 10 to 15 seconds, but you’ll get a soft pastry, not a crisp one. Your call on how much you care.