These Low-Carb Bear Claws make a delicious breakfast treat or afternoon snack. This recipe can be part of a low-carb, ketogenic, Atkins, gluten-free, grain-free, lc/hf, or Banting diet.
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While I don’t eat high sugar treats anymore, I do enjoy window shopping in coffee shops and pastry cases. I don’t do this to make myself hungry or resentful about eating low-carb, I do it to get ideas for recipes to make. I know that pastry displays can be tempting and I want to give my followers low-carb choices.
I love to give my followers low-carb choices because eating a treat should be pleasurable. It shouldn’t bring about feelings of guilt or worry about health effects.
The idea for these bear claws came straight from peering into a pastry case. This pastry is commonly made from yeast dough and filled with an almond filling. It is shaped to look something like a bear claw. Of course, the traditional version isn’t low-carb and would be a disaster for someone trying to achieve ketosis.
So, I decided to makes a bear claw that my followers and I could enjoy with no guilt. My low-carb version features my trusty mozzarella dough (a version of what some people call “fathead” dough). I roll out the dough and fill it with almond meal made from scratch using a food processor.
The final result is a bear claw shaped pastry with a tender, lightly sweetened dough. The almond filling makes a tasty center with just the right amount of almond flavor and just enough sweetness to make it delectable.
While these pastries look and taste like a traditional bear claw pastry, they are much more filling. While most people could devour and entire traditional bear claw, I find I’m satisfied with less than half of one of these low-carb bear claws. Because of this, I recommend slicing them for serving. I use the “claws” as a guide and slice them crosswise.
Each bear claw makes five slices. I have calculated the nutritional information per slice to make it easy on everyone. You may choose to eat 2-3 slices for a satisfying serving. If this is the case, simply double or triple the nutritional information as appropriate.
I love eating these pastries warm. They are amazing straight out of the oven, but refrigerate well. Before eating, I simply place them on a baking sheet and put them in a 200º Fahrenheit oven for 15-20 minutes. This brings them back to their just out of the oven goodness. I don’t have a microwave, but if you use one, you could reheat in a microwave.
This recipe for Low-Carb Bear Claws makes a delicious, guilt-free treat for breakfast of an afternoon snack. Kids will love their fun shape and adults with love the almond filling. They would make a perfect holiday morning breakfast. Enjoy!
-Annissa
This recipe for Low-Carb Bear Claws makes a delicious, guilt-free treat for breakfast of an afternoon snack. They would make a perfect holiday morning breakfast. 😋❤️
Low-Carb Bear Claws
These Low-Carb Bear Claws make a delicious breakfast treat or afternoon snack. This recipe can be part of a low-carb, ketogenic, Atkins, gluten-free, grain-free, lc/hf, or Banting diet.
Ingredients
For the almond filling:
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 tablespoon granulated stevia/erythritol blend
- 2 tablespoons butter cut into large chunks
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
For the dough:
- 1 cup super fine almond flour
- 1/4 cup granulated stevia/erythritol blend
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese grated
- 1 egg whisked, to use as an egg wash
- 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Have a rolling pin and 2 sheets of parchment, about 18" long, within reach.
For the almond filling:
Place all filling ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture reaches a mealy texture. Set aside.
For the dough:
In a large heavy sauce pan, whisk together the almond flour, granulated stevia/erythritol blend, xanthan gum and baking powder until well blended.
Add the egg and vanilla extract. Whisk together.
Stir in the shredded mozzarella cheese. Mixture will not be homogenous.
Place sauce pan containing the dough mixture over very low heat. Stir constantly until cheese melts and the mixture becomes dough-like.
Turn dough out onto one of the sheets of parchment. Shape into a rectangle.
Cover the dough with the second sheet of parchment. Roll dough out into a rectangle about 13" x 8.5".
Spoon the almond mixture on half of the long side of the dough. Leave about 1/2 inch to seal the dough together later.
Brush a bit of egg wash on the uncovered 1/2 inch of dough. This will help seal the dough. Fold the dough in half length-wise, so the almond filling is covered. Press gently to seal the dough together.
Cut the pastry crosswise into 3 equal sections. On each section, make 4 slits in the sealed area to create the 5 "toes".
Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment. I use one of the parchment sheets I used for rolling out the dough. Arrange the pastries on the baking sheet.
Brush the pastries with the egg wash, then sprinkle a few sliced almonds on each.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown--about 23-26 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack. Slice before serving using the "toes" as a guide so that each claw makes 5 slices. A satisfying serving is 2-3 slices. Please note that nutritional information is per slice.
Recipe Notes
Each bear claw makes 5 slices
Per slice:
Calories: 166
Fat (g): 14
Carbs (g): 4
Fiber (g): 2
Protein (g): 8
Net carbs (g): 2
I am so excited that I found your site!!!! Yeah! Thank you! Can’t wait for my husband to try these recipes!! Lol! He is an excellent cook and photographer! Just trying to get him cooking low carb! Your photographs are awesome! What a blessing to see mother and daughter creating together! My daughter is my best friend! Thankful! Will let you know what recipe I love the best! I have a feeling it will be hard to choose a favorite for they all look amazing!
Donna,
Thanks so much for your feedback! This blog has been such a great project for Harper and me. Harper has been a huge help with getting this blog started. She’s the one who took all of the photos when we first started out. Now, she’s been teaching me how to take them and edit them. She’s trying to bring me up to speed before she leaves to go on a 6 month mission trip in January.I will miss her so much! I hope you enjoy the recipes.
-Annissa
Absolutely Delicious…..I’m used to bear claws with apple filling so I change the filling to an apple and I got to tell you even my husband enjoyed it and he’s not into low carb or keto.
3 fiji apples peeled and diced small
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp fresh nutmeg
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup Swerve Brown( brown sugar sub)
1/16 tsp xanthum gum
cooked everything on the stove except for the xanthan gum until apples were soft. Took off the stove and then added the xanthan gum and allowed to thicken once I made the pastry.
Thanks so much for sharing your version!
-Annissa
Can you add cream cheese to the filling?
I haven’t done this, but you could experiment! Sounds like it might be good.
Annissa
These are amazing. Thank you so much for sharing. I am thinking about adding a bit of cinnamon for the filling next time.
Wish I could share a pic.
You’re welcome! I’m glad they turned out well for you.
Annissa
This looks delish!!!!! Do you by any chance have any recipes that are nut free?
Hi Nikki,
I do have some nut-free recipes. One that you might be interested in is Low-Carb Nut-Free Pizza Crust. You can definitely taste the sunflower seeds in this crust, so be sure to use toppings that work with that flavor. I like it with Spinach and Feta . I often tag my nut-free recipes so if you go to the search box and search for nut-free, you should pull up several nut-free recipes.
-Annissa
These came out beautifully! I added a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, and drizzled the top with honey after they baked. It was like baklava,mmmmmn. Thank you for sharing your inspirations.
I’m so glad they turned out well! Thanks for sharing your alterations! People always ask if they can add or take things out, so it’s always good to see what people have done.
-Annissa
Holy cow… Keto bear claws!?!?! My grandma would make these when ever I was able to travel from my home in California, to hers in North Dakota. I’d wake that first morning and smell them baking. My grandma didn’t use recipes when she baked the dough based treats of her own childhood… and since the bear claws were baked before I woke, I never was able to document her recipe for my all time favorite pastry. To find a recipe that is keto and made with wholesome ingredients is a dream come true! So happy I stumbled into this blog, while looking through your brain health blog, Thank you!
Glad you found us! I hope you enjoy the bear claws!
-Annissa
These look so good! Is there any way to make them chocolate-filled?
Yum! I like your thinking. I would have to experiment a bit, but I think chocolate filling would be delicious!
-Annissa
These were wonderful! Such great flavor and dough consistency was perfect. When making the filling, should the butter be cold or soften?
Hi Sandy,
Glad you enjoyed the bear claws! I used cold butter when making this recipe. The food processor seems to chop through it just fine.
-Annissa