Bear Claws

1. Heat milk and stir in sugar, salt, and margarine or coconut oil. Cool to lukewarm. Pour warm water into large bowl and sprinkle on the yeast. Stir until dissolved. Add the lukewarm milk mixture, baking powder and half of the flour to the yeast mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
2. Put the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Once doubled in size, punch down dough and roll out into a 9”x18” rectangle on a floured surface. Brush the rectangle with 1 tablespoon of the melted margarine. Grease a baking sheet, and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Combine all the filling ingredients except nuts and set aside for 5-10 minutes to let the flavors meld. Once nice and juicy, heat in the microwave or stovetop until the liquid starts to boil and thicken. Sprinkle nuts over the dough, then spread the apple mixture on top of that. Fold outside 1/3 of dough over center. Fold again to make a 3-layer strip 18” long. Pinch ends to seal. Cut and divide the dough into 9 2”x3” sections. Make four 1/4" cuts in one side of each section.
4. On prepared baking sheet, take each piece and shape into bear claws. Do this by spreading the four cut sections in a kind of arc. Brush each bear claw with margarine and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Let rise, uncovered, until doubled in size, about one hour. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Enjoy!