Whole Wheat Bear Claws

Create delicious, soft, and sweet freshly milled whole wheat bear claws as a breakfast, dessert, or snack! Enjoy the sweet taste of a bear claw, without sacrificing the nutrients by using freshly milled whole wheat flour.

Benefits of Freshly Milled Whole Wheat Flour

By milling your own flour at home, you are able to enjoy both the taste and the nutrients of the entire head of grain. Store bought whole wheat flour contains the endosperm of the grain (all-purpose flour) with bran (outer layer of the wheat kernel) and synthetic nutrients added back in, unlike the actual freshly milled whole wheat, which contains all of the wheat grain head and the nutrients.

Due to the fat (oil) in the germ of the grain, it is not shelf stable, and goes rancid quicker. Stores remove the germ in order to maintain a longer shelf life. However, by taking out the germ, you are losing essential nutrients including: magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and vitamins: niacin, folate and vitamin E. By milling your own flour, you are able to keep and consume all parts of the grain, its nutrients, and avoid synthetic additives.

I will be creating a whole post soon all about the benefits of freshly milled whole wheat. Stay tuned!

Whole Wheat Bear Claw Ingredients

Activate Yeast Mixture for Dough

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons yeast

Dough

• 5 cups whole wheat flour (4 cups wheat berries)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup oil (avocado)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs

Filling

• 1/4 cup (half stick) of butter (softened or at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring

Icing

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

*If you choose to dunk your entire bear claws into the icing as you would a donut, double the recipe for the icing

Whole Wheat Bear Claw Instructions

Dough Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine warm water, brown sugar, and yeast. Set aside for five minutes, it should become bubbly.
   • 1/2 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 4 teaspoons yeast
2. In a small saucepan or Dutch oven, heat water and whole wheat flour on low to medium heat until it begins to thicken. Continuously whisk to ensure the mixture remains smooth.
   • 1 1/2 cup water, 1 cup whole wheat flour
3. Add cooked flour to a stand mixing bowl, or large bowl. Add oil, brown sugar, salt, and eggs and mix.
   • 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs
4. In a small bowl, combine dry milk with flour. Add to the stand mixing bowl and mix.
   • 1/2 cup dry milk, 1 cup whole wheat flour
5. Add yeast mixture to the dough ingredients, along with the remaining amount of flour.
   • yeast mixture, 3 cups flour
6. Mix in your stand mixer for roughly 10 minutes. The dough will be sticky (this is necessary for whole wheat recipes). Cover and allow 1-2 hours for bulk rise time (or until doubled in size).

Shaping, Filling and Icing Instructions

1. Once dough has doubled in size, remove the dough onto a well floured surface.
2. Knead the dough until smooth and tacky (you don’t want dough coming off onto your fingers).
3. Cut the dough into 16 pieces.
4. Roll each dough piece into an oval (roughly 5 inches long x 4 inches wide).
5. Mix softened butter, brown sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl.
   • 1/4 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla

6. Spread a tablespoon of the brown sugar butter mixture in the bottom center of the rolled out oval dough.

7. Fold the top of the oval over, and close the edges by tightly pressing the top and bottom dough together.
8. Using a knife, scissors, or a razor, cut 5 slices into the rounded edge of the dough, creating “bear claws”.

9. Allow an additional hour to rise. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes (rotate after 7).
10. While the bear claws are still hot, glaze them icing with a silicone brush or by immersing the whole bear claw into the icing.
11. Enjoy! Store for 3-5 days at room temperature.

Other Recipes

• Whole Wheat Vanilla Scones
• Whole Wheat Bread