Pumpkin Macarons

5 from 13 ratings

Learn how to make perfect pumpkin macarons! They taste just like Fall with a delicious, spiced frosting & pumpkin pie filling.

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Additional Time30

Total Time1 10

Course: Macarons

Cuisine: French

Servings: 20 macarons

Calories: 191kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Pumpkin Macarons

110 g aged egg whites, room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar - optional
110 g granulated sugar 1/2 cup + 2 tsp
orange gel food coloring - optional
140 g superfine almond flour - blanched 1 1/2 cups
125 g powdered sugar 1 cup

Spiced Buttercream Frosting

113 g unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup
4 g vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 1 tsp
2 g fine salt 1/4 tsp
3 g ground cinnamon 1 tsp
1 g ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp
1 g ground cloves 1/4 tsp
250 g powdered sugar 2 cups
15 g heavy whipping cream, room temperature 1 Tbsp

Pumpkin Pie Filling

125 g pumpkin pie filling 1/2 cup
50 g packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup
6 g ground cinnamon 2 tsp

Equipment

Instructions

Pumpkin Macarons

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats. Set aside.
Pour 110g of aged egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk and mix on a medium speed until the surface of the egg whites is covered in small bubbles. Add 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and continue to mix until it reaches the soft peak stage and leaves visible tracks.
Gradually mix 110g of granulated sugar into the egg whites over a few minutes while mixing on a medium-low speed. Increase the mixing speed to a medium-high speed (6 on a KitchenAid). Keep mixing until stiff, glossy peaks form.
Sift 140g superfine almond flour and 125g powdered sugar into the meringue. Use a rubber spatula to break up any big clumps and press them through the sieve.
Add in a generous squirt of orange gel food coloring to give the shells a vibrant orange color.
Fold the ingredients together with a rubber spatula. Use a circular motion that sweeps around the edge of the bowl and then pulls through the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is getting mixed together. Don't forget to scrape off the inside of the spatula intermittently. Sometimes meringue can get stuck there and not get mixed in properly.
Fold the batter until a thick ribbon of batter runs off the spatula when it's lifted. You should be able to draw a couple figure 8's with the batter running off your spatula in a continuous stream when it's the right consistency. If the stream of batter breaks before you're able to do this, you may need to stir it a bit more.
Pour the batter into a large piping bag fit with a medium-sized round piping tip and pipe 1 3/4-inch rounds on the prepared baking sheets. Space them about 1 inch apart.
Bang the pans firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, then pop any remaining air bubbles that come to the surface with a toothpick.
Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes, or until they develop a skin. The macarons should look matte once the skin has formed. While the macarons rest, preheat the oven to 320 F / 160 C.
Bake one tray of macarons at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 18-21 minutes and rotate the pan halfway through to help the macarons bake evenly. Bake time can vary based on the size of your shells, so if you pipe them smaller than 1 3/4-inch, they may be done a few minutes earlier.
Remove the macaron shells from the oven and let them cool fully on the pan (about 30 minutes), then gently peel them off the Silpat mat. If they're properly baked, they should peel off the mat cleanly and have a shiny bottom.

Spiced Buttercream Frosting

Beat 113g of room-temperature butter on a medium speed for 1-2 minutes with a whisk attachment until it becomes lighter in color and smooth.
Mix in 4g vanilla extract, 2g salt, 3g cinnamon, 1g nutmeg, and 1g cloves on a low speed.
Slowly mix in 250g of powdered sugar and 15g of heavy cream on a low speed.
Continue to mix on low for a couple of minutes until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting is too thick, add in additional heavy cream or milk (1 tsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1 Tbsp at a time).
Place in a piping bag with a small round tip, and set aside.

Pumpkin Pie Filling

Mix 125g pre-made pumpkin pie filling, 50g of brown sugar, and 6g cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Place in a small piping bag and set aside.

Assembling These Pumpkin Macarons

Pair up the macaron shells, then pipe a thick ring of spiced buttercream or frosting of your choice around one macaron shell and fill the center with the pumpkin pie filling. Gently press a second shell on top of the frosting to create a sandwich.
Place the finished macarons in an airtight container and chill in the fridge overnight, then let them warm to room temperature and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Recipe Yield:

This recipe makes about 36 macaron shells, which can be used to make 18 macarons. You can double or half this recipe if needed.

The yield and bake time can vary based on how large you pipe your shells. I piped these shells with a diameter of 1 3/4 inches, so they're about the size of a standard macaron.

Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Macarons

Measure your ingredients in grams with a kitchen scale! You really need to be precise with this recipe. Your macarons will turn out best if the ingredients are weighed.
Separate your own eggs and age them if possible! Do not use egg whites from a carton.
Carefully read through the directions before making these macarons. There are quite a few steps and it's good to know your game plan before you start!
Use a macaron mat or print out a template to help you pipe consistently sized macarons.
FIRMLY bang your pans on your counter after piping your macarons. This helps release any air bubbles that may be trapped and prevent cracked or hollow shells.
Rest the macarons for 30 minutes before they're baked to allow them to develop a skin.
Let your filled macarons mature in the fridge overnight! This softens them (in a good way) and allows the flavors to develop.
If your macarons don't turn out, please check out my macaron troubleshooting guide for help!

Making These Pumpkin Macarons in Advance & Storage Tips

These macarons need to mature overnight in the fridge before being eaten. This gives them time to develop the best texture and taste.

Filled macarons can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to a month in an airtight container.

Unfilled macaron shells can be frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight container.

The pumpkin pie filling and spice buttercream frosting can also be made ahead of time, or you can save any leftover filling! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

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