These adorable and delicious pumpkin spice macarons are fun to make and eat! A crispy and sweet macaron shell with a sweet, pumpkin-spiced filling is Halloween all in one bite.
I love it when desserts are cute and delicious, and these pumpkin spice macarons are definitely both!
Decorated with edible markers, these crispy and sweet bright orange macaron shells filled with sweet pumpkin spiced buttercream are the perfect dessert to serve up at a fun Halloween or fall party!
You can leave the decorating portion for your guests to doodle their own fun designs on the macaron shells as a fun party activity.
You’ll love seeing the smiles on your guests’ faces when you serve these darling pumpkin spice macarons.
Looking for even more macaron recipes? Have you tried my Birthday Cake Macarons or my Easter Egg Macarons?
Table of Contents
Ingredients for pumpkin spice macarons
For macarons:
- Egg whites – Be sure to have your egg whites at room temperature for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar – To add sweetness to our macarons.
- Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar is easily dissolved and adds sweetness.
- Almond flour – A classic main ingredient in macarons.
- Edible pens – These can be found at most craft stores and in the baking aisles of most major grocery stores.
For filling:
- Unsalted butter – Our base for our buttercream.
- Powdered sugar – Easily dissolved and adds sweetness to the buttercream.
- Pumpkin pie spice – Feel free to use homemade or your favorite store-bought variety.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla extract helps bring all of the flavors together and adds sweetness.
Using sugar substitutes
After a bit of research, I’ve yet to find anyone having been successful at making macarons with any sugar substitute, therefore I would not suggest using any sugar substitutes here.
What happens if my macaron shells crack?
If you find that your macaron shells have cracked during baking, it might be because your oven is too hot.
It’s worth getting an oven thermometer to ensure it’s at the perfect temperature for these little cookies.
When do I stop folding my macaron batter?
The biggest thing to watch while making French-style macarons is the folding of the macaron batter.
It is definitely one of those things you need to be careful about and not get overly eager to keep folding.
The first tip I learned about folding macaron batter was to stop when you reach the molten lava stage. The first time I heard that I was super confused. But after I explain what you’re looking for you’ll see why this stage was given its “lave” based name.
You are looking for a batter that is thick and moves slowly when you pull a spatula through. It should resemble what you see when you see flowing molten lava. It makes sense when you see it in batter form.
The second tip to check if your macaron batter is ready is to pick up some of the batters on your spatula and draw a figure 8. The batter should not break off and flow solidly back into the batter.
Make your own pumpkin spice
Pumpkin pie spice can be found easily in the spice aisle of most major grocery stores.
But there’s nothing wrong with wanting to make your own at home!
My favorite blend is cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Storage and leftovers of macarons
Any leftover macarons can be kept on the counter at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
If it’s humid where you live, they may start to get slightly chewy and soft as they sit.
More pumpkin recipes
- Looking for an impressive entree? Try my Pumpkin Shaped Gnocchi.
- Love all things sweet? Try my Pumpkin Churro Cheesecake Bars.
- Want a delicious pumpkin breakfast treat? Try my Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls.
- Need something savory? Try my Rosemary Pumpkin Rolls.
Pumpkin Spice Macarons
Ingredients
For macarons
- 90 grams egg whites
- 90 grams granulated sugar
- 95 grams powdered sugar
- 95 grams almond flour
For filling
- 4 tablespoons softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For macarons:
- Place a heatproof bowl over a small pot of simmering water.
- Add the egg whites and granulated sugar to the bowl and constantly whisk until the sugar has fully dissolved, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Whisk on medium speed until the egg whites form stiff peaks, about 4 minutes. Don’t rush this step. Just keep mixing at medium speed and eventually, the peaks will form.
- Once the egg whites have formed stiff peaks, place a fine mesh sieve over the mixing bowl and add the powdered sugar and almond flour.
- Sift half of the dry ingredients into the egg whites.
- Then, carefully fold the dry ingredients into the egg whites by making a J shape with your spatula. Gently fold (about 25 folds) the dry ingredients until no large lumps remain.
- Then, add the second half of the dry ingredients.
- Continue folding until the meringue reaches the lava stage, about 1-2 minutes of folding.
- You’ll know the meringue is ready to pipe when you can draw a figure 8 without the stream breaking.
- Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip.
- Pipe 1-inch circles and pipe them at least 1.5 inches apart on a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet.
- After you’ve piped a full tray, hold it 6 inches off the counter and drop it straight down to release any air bubbles. Repeat 4-5 times, or until it looks like any large air bubbles have popped.
- Set the macarons aside to dry at room temperature for 30 minutes, or until they develop a skin. While the macarons rest, preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
- Bake the dried macarons in a fully preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until they are just starting to turn golden brown around the edges.
- Remove the macarons from the oven and allow them to cool fully on the tray.
- Once the macarons have cooled, place them in similar-sized pairs and continue with the filling below.
For filling:
- Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add in the powdered sugar a little at a time.
- When the powdered sugar is all incorporated, add the pumpkin spice and vanilla.
- Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat until the icing is smooth and fluffy.
- Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip.
- Pipe a small dollop of filling onto the center of one of the macaron shells and place the other macaron shell on top. Repeat with the remaining macarons.
- Transfer the macarons to an airtight container and place them in the fridge to age overnight.
- Bring the macarons to room temperature before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Nutrition
Phoebe
Thursday 27th of October 2022
These are the cutest Halloween snacks I’ve ever seen! I’ve never made macrarons, but now I’m going to have to!