This homemade Bakery Style Buttery Almond Filled Pastry Braid is easy to make and makes a delicious breakfast treat. 

Buttery Almond Braid

I love breakfast pastries, especially if they are made with almonds. I am forever searching for a pastry that tastes like my childhood favorites, bear claws. This buttery almond braid comes pretty close to the flavors that I remember. The recipe is a little more complicated than just using puff pastry sheets but I promise it will be worth the extra time it takes to make.

If you like almond pastry add these recipes to your file, Almond Kringle and Cherry Almond Crumble bars.

How to Make a Buttery Almond Braid Pastry

This Buttery Almond Braid is just like the pastry that you get at the bakery. The pastry is light and flaky and the inside is buttery, sweet, creamy and has a delicious almond flavor. Add the glaze and the slivered almonds and I think this is a breakfast treat that you will want to have in your recipe file to make for holidays and special weekend brunches or breakfasts.

Dough Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

Filling Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• dash of salt
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 large egg
• 7 ounces almond paste, frozen until firm and then grated with hand grater
• 1 cup sliced almonds, divided

Icing Ingredients

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
• 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• sliced almonds for topping

​

Directions for Buttery Almond Braid

MAKE THE Sweet Almond FILLING:

Cream together the butter and sugar until light fluffy and pale yellow. Mix in the salt and almond extract. Beat in the egg until just combined and then stir in the almond paste flakes and about 1 cup of the slivered almonds. Set aside.

MAKE THE DOUGH:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, mix the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then add the cream cheese and butter to the dry ingredients and pulse about 6 times. Next, add the milk and almond extract and blend until it’s just starting to come together into a loose dough.

Turn the dough out onto a Silphat baking mat or a piece of parchment paper and knead very lightly for just 4-5 strokes. DO not to overwork the dough or it will be tough, don’t worry about getting it smooth.  Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour and roll it out to a 10- by 12-inch rectangle. Measure and mark the dough lengthwise into thirds. Spread the butter mixture down the center of the dough.

MAKE THE BRAID:

Using a sharp knife make diagonal cuts at 1″ intervals on each side of the long sides of the dough(on either side of the almond filling) making wide strips. Do not cut into the center filling area. Fold strips, one from one side and then one from the other side in diagonal strips, over the filling. Pinch ends so the filling doesn’t spill out. It will look like a large braid. Using the  Silphat baking mat or the parchment paper carefully transfer your braid to a baking sheet. At this point you can cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate the braid overnight, or you can bake it. Brush the pastry braid with the egg wash mixture and bake in the 425 degree oven for 20-22 minutes, until the dough golden brown on top and the filling is set.

Let the the warm braid cool for about 30 minutes on a wire rack, while it is cooling make the almond glaze.

Make the Almond Glaze:

To make the glaze: whisk together the powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk in a small bowl or measuring cup. ONCE the braid has cooled for 30 minutes, drizzle the glaze over the over the top of the braid. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, slice, serve and enjoy!

​

Tips for Making an Almond Braid

• This makes a very soft dough and it seems like it won’t work. You can add a little flour to make it more workable but do not add a lot because it will end up tough.
• If your dough is really sticky put it into the freezer for 10 minutes or so.
• FILLING: Eye the filling, if you think you have too much do not use it all otherwise you will have a sticky mess.
• Make extra glaze and sprinkle almonds over the top if your almond pastry comes out a little wonky looking.

How to store almond braid pastry

Should you have any pastry left, wrap in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

UNTIL Next Time

Do you like to make pastry? Do you have a recipe for bear claws or an almond bread that you absolutely love that you think we need to make? If so please leave the recipe link in the comments.

The next time that you feel like a bakery treat I hope you enjoyed the buttery almond braid.

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Have a great week and thank you for spending part of it with me.

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Buttery Almond Braid

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This homemade Bakery Style Buttery Almond Filled Pastry Braid is easy to make and makes a delicious breakfast treat.

• Total Time: 0 hours
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dough Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg whisked with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

Filling Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• dash of salt
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 large egg
• 7 ounces almond paste, frozen until firm and then grated with hand grater
• 1 cup sliced almonds, divided

Icing Ingredients

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
• 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• sliced almonds for topping

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Instructions

MAKE THE Sweet Almond FILLING:

Cream together the butter and sugar until light fluffy and pale yellow. Mix in the salt and almond extract. Beat in the egg until just combined and then stir in the almond paste flakes and about 1 cup of the slivered almonds. Set aside.

MAKE THE DOUGH: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In the bowl of a food processor, mix the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then add the cream cheese and butter to the dry ingredients and pulse about 6 times. Next, add the milk and almond extract and blend until it’s just starting to come together into a loose dough.

Turn the dough out onto a Silphat baking mat or a piece of parchment paper and knead very lightly for just 4-5 strokes. DO not to overwork the dough or it will be tough, don’t worry about getting it smooth.  Sprinkle the top of the dough lightly with flour and roll it out to a 10- by 12-inch rectangle. Measure and mark the dough lengthwise into thirds. Spread the butter mixture down the center of the dough.

MAKE THE BRAID:  Using a sharp knife make diagonal cuts at 1″ intervals on each side of the long sides of the dough(on either side of the almond filling) making wide strips. Do not cut into the center filling area. Fold strips, one from one side and then one from the other side in diagonal strips, over the filling. Pinch ends so the filling doesn’t spill out. It will look like a large braid. Using the  Silphat baking mat or the parchment paper carefully transfer your braid to a baking sheet. At this point you can cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate the braid overnight, or you can bake it. Brush the pastry braid with the egg wash mixture and bake in the 425 degree oven for 20-22 minutes, until the dough golden brown on top and the filling is set.

Let the the warm braid cool for about 30 minutes on a wire rack, while it is cooling make the almond glaze.

Make the Almond Glaze:

To make the glaze: whisk together the powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk in a small bowl or measuring cup. ONCE the braid has cooled for 30 minutes, drizzle the glaze over the over the top of the braid. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, slice, serve and enjoy!

Notes

Recipe From Willow Bird Bakery

• This makes a very soft dough and it seems like it won’t work. You can add a little flour to make it more workable but do not add a lot because it will end up tough.
• If your dough is really sticky put it into the freezer for 10 minutes or so.
• FILLING: Eye the filling, if you think you have too much do not use it all otherwise you will have a sticky mess.
• Make extra glaze and sprinkle almonds over the top if your almond pastry comes out a little wonky looking.

• Author: Elizabeth
• Prep Time: 15
• Cook Time: 22-35
• Category: Breakfast
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American