It's still quite warm in DC, but I am ready for fall! I've been baking up a ton of fall recipes (like these brown butter apple cider donuts) and I finally got my hands on some pumpkin!! Thus these cute and delicious pumpkin spice macarons were born! The macarons have a bit of cinnamon in the shells and the filling is a light cream cheese and pumpkin frosting. They taste just like fall should!
French Macaron Tips & Tricks
Making macarons from scratch can be tough so setting yourself up for success is key!
- Buy a kitchen scale* if you don’t already have one! Macarons are incredibly finicky, so weighing all your ingredients is super important!
- Clean the mixing bowl and whisk attachment of your stand mixer with white vinegar to make sure there are no trace fats on either (if you don’t, your meringue may not form).
- Invest in some silicone macaron mats*! They aren’t expensive and they will make your life so much easier!
- Also invest in an oven thermometer*! We want our oven as close to 300 degrees as possible to make perfect macarons but just because your oven says it’s 300 degrees, doesn’t mean it actually is. My oven tends to run hot, so I usually end up having it set to about 290.
- Always use gel food coloring*! Since macaron batter is so finicky, we don’t want to add any extra liquid to the batter. So gel food coloring is the way to go! The color is also even more concentrated so you need less.
- For the same reason as above, use vanilla bean paste* instead of vanilla extract!
- For these fun frosting swirls, I used a Wilton 4B* piping tip.
If you make these pumpkin spice macarons, please leave us a star rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. Happy baking!
Ingredients
Macarons
- 100 grams egg whites, room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 90 grams granulated sugar
- 140 grams almond flour, sifted
- 120 grams powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- orange gel food coloring
Pumpkin Filling
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
Macarons
- Sift together almond flour, powdered sugar, and cinnamon into a large bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on medium speed until they become foamy, then add in the cream of tartar.
- Turn the mixer up to medium-high and gradually add in the granulated sugar (make sure to add the sugar in very slowly so that the meringue doesn’t deflate).
- Once all the sugar is added, turn the mixer to the highest setting and whisk until soft peaks form. Add in the vanilla bean paste and 1-2 drops of orange gel food coloring and continue to whisk on high until stiff peaks form.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in half of the dry ingredient mixture until fully combined. Then gently fold in the remaining dry ingredients. Continue to gently fold the batter until it reaches a “flowing lava” consistency. You should be able to make a “figure 8” with the batter before it breaks. As soon as you reach this consistency, stop mixing! If you over-mix the batter, the macarons won’t rise properly in the oven.
- Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Scoop batter into a large piping bag fitted with a round tip. Hold the piping bag perpendicular to the silicone mat and pipe 1 inch rounds.
- Pick up the baking sheet and drop it onto the counter 3-4 times to help bring any air bubbles to the surface of the macarons. Then use a toothpick to pop any visible air bubbles to make a smooth surface.
- Let the macarons sit at room temperature for 30-40 minutes or until a skin forms on the surface. You should be able to lightly touch the surface without any batter being disturbed.
- While the macarons are resting, preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 15-17 minutes or when they do not move on their “feet” when touched.
- Let the macarons cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They should easily peel off when fully cooled.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time until fully combined.
- Add in the pumpkin, vanilla and spices and mix until smooth.
- Match up your shells before piping, and then turn one side over. Pipe a small amount of the filling into the center of one shell, then top with the other.
- Put the assembled macarons in an airtight container, then place them in the fridge for mature for 12-24 hours before eating for the best taste/texture. Or just eat them all immediately. You do you.
Notes
Tip: Clean mixing bowl and whisk attachment of your stand mixer with white vinegar to make sure there are no trace fats on either (if you skip this step, your meringue may not form).
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 2filled macarons | Calories: 133kcal | Carbohydrates: 15.5g | Protein: 2.2g | Fat: 7.6g | Saturated Fat: 3.7g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 51mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 14.4g
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