Pumpkin Macarons
Pumpkin Macarons filled with a creamy pumpkin cheesecake frosting made with real pumpkin puree and warm spices. Decorate the round shells with orange chocolate and graham cracker crumbs, or use the free printable template to pipe them into pumpkin shapes.
Servings 26 cookies
Calories 100kcal
Ingredients
Macaron Shells
- 100 grams egg whites
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 105 grams almond flour
- 105 grams powdered sugar
- orange gel food coloring
- brown gel food coloring optional, for pumpkin-shaped shells
- 4 grams egg white powder optional
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- ¼ cup cream cheese, softened 56 grams
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened 28 grams
- 2 tbsp pumpkin puree 28 grams
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted 382 grams
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Optional Decoration
- Orange candy melts melted
- Graham cracker crumbs
Instructions
Macaron Shells
- Prepare two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Fit a piping bag with a round piping tip and set aside.
- Sift the almond flour and powdered sugar together. Set aside.
- Place the egg whites, granulated sugar, and optional egg white powder in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved completely. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water.
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer. Begin whipping on low speed, gradually increasing to medium and then medium-high, until a glossy meringue with stiff peaks forms.
- Add the sifted almond flour and powdered sugar to the meringue. Begin folding with a spatula.
- Add orange gel food coloring and continue folding until the batter becomes glossy and flows slowly off the spatula. Check the consistency using the figure-eight or teaspoon test described in the post.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared piping bag.
- Pipe approximately 1.75-inch circles onto the prepared baking mats, holding the piping bag vertically.
- Tap the baking trays against the counter to release air bubbles. Use a toothpick to pop any visible bubbles.
- Allow the macarons to rest for approximately 20 to 40 minutes, or until the surface is dry to the touch.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Bake one tray at a time for approximately 15 to 20 minutes, adjusting as needed for your oven. Rotate the tray if necessary.
- The shells are ready when they have formed feet and no longer feel jiggly when gently touched.
- Allow the shells to cool completely before removing them from the baking mats.
Optional: Pumpkin-Shaped Shells
- After incorporating the dry ingredients into the meringue, but before completing the macaronage, remove about 1/3 cup of batter for the stems.
- Color the larger portion orange and the smaller portion brown. Finish folding each batter separately to the correct consistency.
- Transfer both batters to piping bags fitted with small round tips.
- Place the printable pumpkin template underneath your baking mat.
- For the five-section pumpkin template, pipe the first, third, and fifth sections with orange batter. Tap the tray lightly and pop any visible bubbles.
- Let the sections dry for approximately 5 minutes, then pipe the second and fourth sections. This keeps the sections from blending together.
- Pipe the stems using the brown batter. Adjust the shapes with a toothpick if needed.
- Let the shells rest until dry to the touch. Remove the templates before baking.
- Bake according to the shell instructions above, adjusting the baking time as needed for the larger shapes.
- Cool completely before filling.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
- Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer for approximately 2 minutes, until smooth.
- Add the pumpkin puree and sifted powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until incorporated.
- Add the cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and vanilla extract.
- Increase the mixer speed and whip until the filling is smooth and creamy.
- If the filling is too soft to pipe, add additional sifted powdered sugar as needed.
Assemble the Macarons
- Transfer the pumpkin cheesecake filling to a piping bag.
- Pipe a dollop of filling onto the bottom of each macaron shell.
- Top with another shell and gently press to sandwich.
- If making round macarons, decorate with a drizzle of melted orange candy melts and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs, if desired.
- Refrigerate the assembled macarons overnight before serving.
Notes
Pumpkin puree: Use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The puree adds moisture to the frosting, so avoid adding more than the amount listed without adjusting the filling.
Pumpkin pie spice: You can replace the cinnamon, ginger, and allspice with 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. Food coloring: Use gel or powdered food coloring instead of liquid food coloring to avoid introducing excess moisture to the batter.
Egg white powder: Egg white powder is optional and is not the same as meringue powder. I sometimes use 4 grams per 100 grams of egg whites to help stabilize the meringue, especially when working with colored macaron batter.
Pumpkin templates: Download the free printable pumpkin templates from the blog post. Place them underneath your baking mats while piping and remove them before baking.
Macaron yield: The number of macarons will depend on their size. The pumpkin-shaped shells are larger than the regular round shells, so the batch will yield fewer assembled macarons.
Baking time and temperature: Every oven is different. Use an oven thermometer and adjust the baking time and temperature according to your oven and the size of your shells.
Storage: Store assembled macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Let them mature overnight for the best texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1macaron | Calories: 100kcal