What Is a Bear Paw Candy?

If you’ve walked into one of our shops in Keystone or Hill City, you’ve probably seen them stacked in the case: lumpy, golden-edged, a little different every time. That’s a bear paw, and it’s the candy we’re best known for.

So what is it?

A bear paw is a small cluster of nuts topped with soft caramel and covered in chocolate. Look at one from above and you’ll see where the name comes from: the nuts poke out around the edges like toes on a paw.

It sounds simple, and it is. That’s the point. When there are only three ingredients, each one has to be good.

How we make them

Every bear paw is made by hand in our Black Hills kitchens. We set the nuts, pour the caramel over them, and cover the whole thing in chocolate. Because a person does every step, no two paws look exactly alike. Some are a little wider, some have an extra nut sticking out. They all taste the same, which is to say, they don’t last long.

Nine ways to have one

You pick the nut and the chocolate:

• Nuts: pecan, cashew or almond
• Chocolate: milk, dark or white

That’s nine combinations, and every one is $5.50. If you can’t decide, the milk chocolate pecan is the classic place to start. Dark chocolate cashew is the pick for people who like it less sweet.

Sugar-free bear paws

Watching your sugar doesn’t mean skipping the bear paw. We make sugar-free bear paws in milk and dark chocolate, with pecans, cashews or almonds. That’s six kinds, all made by hand the same way, at the same price.

More ways to get the flavor

Caramel, nuts and chocolate work in more than one shape. Try our Bear Paw Fudge or the Bear Paw Truffle if you want the same flavors in a different bite.

Sending some home

Bear paws travel well and make an easy gift from the Black Hills. We ship anywhere in the U.S. by USPS Priority Mail from Hill City, and orders over $50 ship free.

Or stop by either shop and pick out your own. We’ll let you take your time choosing.