Pumpkin Spice Macarons

I am very excited to share this recipe with you all since it is the recipe that prompted me to start this website! I began making variations of these pumpkin spice macarons a few years ago and sharing them with my friends. Their positive feedback encouraged me to continue creating more recipes and experimenting with flavor, eventually leading to the inspiration for creating this blog! Continue reading to learn how to make one of my signature recipes.

Prep Your Ingredients and Equipment

These macarons require some prep work:

• Age egg whites one to two days in advance of making the macarons. You can do this by placing the egg whites in a bowl, covering with plastic wrap with small slits cut into it, and refrigerating for 24 to 48 hours. This results in more elasticity during the whipping process, providing a better structure to the macarons. Bring the aged egg whites to room temperature before using.

• Make some pumpkin butter. My recipe can be found here.

• Sift together the almond flour, powdered sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. There should be no lumps in the dry ingredients!

• Clean and fully dry a large bowl. Grease or soap residue can interfere with the whipping process.

• Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats. Mats specifically made for macarons are available that have circular templates printed on them.

Mix the Macaron Shell Batter

In your clean and dry bowl, combine the aged egg whites, cream of tartar, and about one third of the granulated sugar. Whisk on medium speed using a stand mixer or handheld mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peak stage.

Add gel food coloring (if using, the macarons in the pictures in this post have no food coloring) and the remaining sugar while gradually increasing the mixing speed to high. Continue whisking until stiff peaks are formed.

Want more information about the stages of whipping egg whites? Check out my baking science post on the topic here!

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the sifted, dry ingredients one third at a time. Continue gently folding the batter until it becomes shiny and flows like lava. This is called the macaronage. Do not overmix or else your batter will become too runny. A rule of thumb I learned is that your batter is ready when the trail of the section you folded disappears into the rest of the batter in about 7 seconds.

Pipe the Macaron Shells

Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a large, round piping tip. Pipe small domes (about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter) onto the silicone baking mat, using a circular flicking motion to cut away the piped macaron from the piping tip. There may be a small tail left on top, but that will settle.

Let the piped macaron shells sit out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. They will dry out and develop a film on top.

Bake the Shells

While the macaron shells are setting, preheat the oven to 325°F.

Bake for 12-14 minutes. During this time they will develop their signature “feet” and firm outer shell. You can test if they are ready by lightly touching the top. If it feels set, they are ready. If it feels soft, bake for another minute or two and test again. If you haven't made macarons before, I suggest starting with a small test batch to learn how long you need to bake them in your oven.

Let the macaron shells cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the baking mat and letting them completely cool on a wire rack. If they are still warm, they may stick and tear.

Make the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting

To make this easy and delicious frosting for the filling just follow these steps:

• Mix together the butter and cream cheese using a stand mixer or handheld mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth.

• Add 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin butter and the vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.

• Add the powdered sugar and mix until fully combined and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag.

Fill the Macarons

Once the macaron shells have completely cooled you can add the filling.

• Turn half of the shells over (so the flat side is up) and pipe or spoon a small amount of pumpkin butter into the center.

• Pipe a ring of frosting around each dollop of pumpkin butter.

• Gently place an unfrosted shell of matching size on top, slightly compressing and spreading out the filling.

You can enjoy the finished macarons right away or let them mature in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight. This allows the shell to absorb some of the moisture from the filling, resulting in a slightly softer and more cohesive bite.

Refrigerate the macarons in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I would not recommend freezing macarons.

pumpkin spice, macaron

dessert

Yield: 18-22

Author: Laura's Bake Lab

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Pumpkin Spice Macarons

These macarons have a lightly spiced shell and a pumpkin butter and pumpkin cream cheese frosting filling. A pumpkin spice lover's dream!

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 12 MinInactive time: 24 H & 30 MTotal time: 25 H & 2 M

Ingredients

For the Macaron Shells

• 100g aged egg whites (see notes)
• 1 and 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• Gel food coloring of choice, optional (I did not use any food coloring in the macarons in the pictures, the pumpkin pie spice adds a nice subtle brown color)

For the Filling

• 1/3 cup and 1 tbsp pumpkin butter, divided (find my pumpkin butter recipe here)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Preparing the Macaron Shells

1. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats. Mats with circular templates specifically made for macarons are available, so if you can use those that is even better.
2. Sift almond flour, powdered sugar, and pumpkin pie into a medium bowl, discarding any clumps that don't make it through the sifter. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl (make sure it is clean and completely dry!), combine the aged egg whites, cream of tartar, and about one third of the granulated sugar. Whisk on medium speed using a stand mixer or handheld mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peak stage.
4. Add the gel food coloring (if using) and the remaining sugar while gradually increasing the mixing speed to high. Continue whisking until stiff peaks are formed.
5. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the dry ingredients one third at a time.
6. Continue gently folding the batter until it becomes shiny and flows like lava. Do not overmix or else your batter will become too runny. A rule of thumb I learned is that your batter is ready when the trail of the section you folded disappears into the rest of the batter in about 7 seconds.
7. Transfer your batter into a large piping bag fitted with a piping tip with a large, round opening. Pipe small domes (about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter) onto the silicone baking mat, using a circular flicking motion to cut away the piped macaron from the piping tip. There may be a small tail left on top, but that will settle.
8. Set your piped macarons aside to dry out for at least 30 minutes. They should have a thin skin when they have properly dried out.

Baking and Filling the Macarons

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Once the macarons have dried out, bake them for 12-14 minutes. You can test if they are ready by lightly touching the top of macaron shell. If it feels set, they are ready. If it feels soft, bake for another minute or two and test again. If you haven't made macarons before, I suggest starting with a small test batch to learn how long you need to bake them in your oven.
3. Let the macaron shells cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the baking mat and letting them completely cool on a wire rack. If they are still warm, they may stick and tear.
4. In the meantime, make the frosting. Mix together the butter and cream cheese using a stand mixer or handheld mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of the pumpkin butter and the vanilla extract and mix until fully combined. Add the powdered sugar and mix until fully combined and fluffy.
5. Now it's time to fill the macarons! Turn half of the shells over (so the flat side is up) and pipe or spoon a small amount of pumpkin butter into the center. Then pipe a ring of frosting around each dollop of pumpkin butter. Gently place an unfrosted shell of matching size on top, slightly compressing and spreading out the filling.

Notes

• Storage Instructions: Store the macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Aged Egg Whites: To age your egg whites, place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Cut small slits into the plastic wrap and let the egg whites sit in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.

https://www.laurasbakelab.com/blog/pumpkin-butter

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @laurasbakelab on instagram and hashtag it # LaurasBakeLab