Pumpkin Spice French Macarons with Pumpkin Buttercream
Pumpkin spice macarons are the ultimate fall treat-crisp, light macaron shells filled with a creamy pumpkin buttercream and warm spices. These easy fall macarons capture all the flavors of pumpkin pie in an elegant, bite-sized cookie that’s perfect for autumn parties, gifting, or simply treating yourself.
Fall in love (see what I did there?) with these pumpkin macarons-crisp, delicate shells with a chewy interior, and a creamy pumpkin buttercream filling that’s just the right balance of sweet and spice. Everywhere you look, there’s something made with pumpkin spice, and these macarons are the perfect way to enjoy it in a classic French dessert. If you’re a fan of fall flavors, you’ll love how these pumpkin spice macarons capture the essence of autumn in every bite.
These macarons turned out beautifully — bold pumpkin flavor with a warm spice blend — and the filling is a lighter buttercream designed so the pumpkin isn’t lost. (If you want your pumpkin obsession in a cupcake, try my One Bowl Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes.)
Making French macarons can be challenging, but incredibly rewarding when you see perfect shells with little “feet.” For an in-depth guide on mastering macarons, see my French Macaron Beginner’s Guide.
Want more seasonal flavors? Check out my Salted Caramel Macarons and my S’mores Macarons. You won’t be disappointed! For even more macaron flavors, visit my French Macaron page for a full list of delicious macaron recipes you’ll want to try this fall.
Ingredients
Macarons have very few ingredients, so get as high quality as you can afford. The most basic ingredients are:
- Almond flour Fine ground is what we’ll need. This helps us achieve the smooth texture of the shells.
- Powdered sugar Not just for sweetness, powdered sugar helps provide the structure of the cookie.
- Egg whites The crucial ingredient for making beautiful meringue.
- White sugar This is what enables the egg whites to turn into meringue. I use granulated white sugar and my meringue whips up beautifully. You can also use caster sugar, which is finely ground granulated sugar.
- Cream of tartar While technically optional, I always use COT when making my meringue. It’s that little extra insurance that my meringue will whip up beautifully.
Extra ingredients for these macarons are: cocoa powder (for color), and spices (for flavor).
Macaron Tips and Tricks
Age your egg whites for 24 hours. Separate the egg whites into a small, glass container and cover it with plastic wrap. Poke a few holes in the top and let rest in the fridge.
Wipe down the bowl you will use to whip the egg whites in with vinegar or lemon juice. I also like to wipe down the bowl I separate the egg whites into, as well as the whisk used to beat the egg whites.
I love using silicone mats; however, when they are new, they can behave a bit differently. Wipe them down with a small amount of vegetable oil before using. This will help the shells come off the new mats easily. You could also use them to bake cookies on a few times before using them for macarons, giving it a thin layer of fat to help season the mats.
Making Pumpkin Spice Macarons
Step 1- Make the macaron shells
Macarons are intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of them, they become easier and easier to make. At the core, you’re just whipping egg whites into stiff peaks (the meringue), then mixing the meringue with sifted almond flour and powdered sugar to form the macaron batter, known as macaronage.
- The batter should be the consistency of honey
- Use the ‘figure eight’ test to check readiness before piping
- Be sure to only use glass or metal bowls to whip egg whites, plastic harbors fat residue which will prevent your egg whites from whipping into stiff peaks.
Pro Tip: Do not use liquid egg whites or meringue powder. Liquid egg whites are pasteurized, which is not ideal for making meringue. Meringue powder is not strong enough to form and hold stiff peaks.
Step 2- Pipe and dry the shells
Once it’s ready, pipe the batter onto two baking sheets lined with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- I love silicone mats with printed circles- they’re reusable and help ensure even sizing and spacing.
- Let the macarons rest until a skin forms before baking.
Pro Tip: Macarons struggle to dry properly in humid weather. Use a fan or dehumidifier to speed up the process if needed, though you don’t want the fan blowing directly onto the shells.
Step 3- Bake the macarons
Bake at 300°F for 14 minutes (adjust as needed for your oven). The shells should feel dry to the touch and not be wiggly. Let them cool for 10 minutes at least before attempting to remove them from the pans or the tops may separate.
Step 4: Fill the macarons
Once the shells are fully cooled, fill them with the delicious pumpkin buttercream.
Filling the Macarons
The filling for these macarons is super delicious. It is a pumpkin buttercream with real pumpkin puree in it. It is softer than your normal buttercream as I added a little bit less powdered sugar than normal. I wanted the filling to be a bit softer and not quite as sweet, though it is still pretty sweet. Once you’ve mixed up all the ingredients for the filling, it’s on to matching the shells and adding the filling on one half. Sandwich them together gently, then pop them in the fridge for at least 24 hours to let the flavors meld together. But seriously, eat one first. Who can wait 24 hours??
More Fall Desserts to Try
Frequently Asked Questions
For maximum flavor and freshness, store macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Layer them with parchment paper. Do not use wax paper as it will stick to the macarons. You don’t want to stack them too high as they are a delicate cookie.
To freeze the shells, first lay them in a single layer on a large baking sheet to freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container. Line the container with parchment paper, and put parchment paper on each layer of macarons. When you’re ready to use them, thaw the macarons in the fridge overnight and decorate them as normal. Freeze for up to one month.
You can also freeze filled macarons, but it depends on what they are filled with. Buttercream frosting would freeze well. Fillings such as jams or fruit curds would probably freeze ok, but they would not thaw out as well as buttercream.
Start with making sure the meringue has stiff peaks. This helps make a strong shell that’s less prone to cracks. Be sure not to overmix or undermix the batter. This takes practice. Remember the figure eight test, and that the batter should flow like honey off the spatula. Bang the trays of filled shells on the counter to remove air bubbles. Most importantly, practice makes perfect.
This is more of a personal preference. I prefer using silicone mates because they are washable, they have the circles printed on them, and the shells do not get overheated on the pan.
It is far better to weigh out the ingredients for the most accurate measurements. I wouldn’t even feel comfortable providing measurements in cups. I could not speak to the results you would have if you use cups. Weighing the ingredients with a kitchen scale is the best way to go. They are inexpensive and can be found at most grocery stores and Amazon.
Pumpkin Spice French Macarons
Ingredients
- 105 grams egg whites
- 75 grams granulated or caster sugar
- 130 grams almond flour, super fine
- 130 grams powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder
Pumpkin Buttercream Filling
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened, unsalted
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
Instructions
Pre-Work
- Separate the egg whites (105 grams) into a small glass or metal container. Cover with plastic and poke a few holes in the top. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Be sure to remove the egg whites from the fridge about an hour before you make the shells.
- Wipe down, with vinegar or lemon juice, all of the bowls/containers that will be used to make the meringue. This includes the whisk attachment for the stand mixer.
Making the shells
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
- Weigh out the almond flour (130 grams) and the powdered sugar (130 grams). Using a fine mesh sieve, sift them together in a large glass or metal bowl along with the 1/2 teaspoon of cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice.
- Add the egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar into the bowl of a stand mixer. You can also use a hand mixer, but it can be tough on your hands and arms. Beat the egg whites on medium speed until they are foamy and no longer liquid. The whisk should leave track marks in the foam. Turn the speed down and add in the granulated sugar in three batches, waiting about 30 seconds in between each addition.
- Once you've added in all of the sugar, turn the speed up to medium-high, which is between 4 and 5 on my KitchenAid stand mixer. You'll see the egg whites begin to build in volume and turn a glossy white color. The whisk will also start to leave track marks in the whites. After a few minutes, you can stop the mixer and check for stiff peaks. If the meringue runs off the whisk, it's not ready. Keep going for another few minutes and then check for stiff peaks. If it's almost ready at this point, I'll turn the mixer up a little bit higher and let it run for 30 seconds before checking again. When the meringue is done, it will form a stiff peak when you pull the whisk out. It may have a slight curve to it, but it should not flop over. If it does, continue mixing the meringue in 30-second bursts at the higher speed and checking for stiff peaks.
- Using a rubber spatula, add the meringue to the flour/sugar mixture in three batches. It won't mix together completely until you have added all of the meringue. Continue mixing until there are no dry ingredients. We are essentially deflating the meringue and making a cohesive batter. Once the dry ingredients are completely mixed in, use a circular motion with the spatula against the side of the bowl to continue mixing the batter. Do a few circles around the bowl, then bring the spatula through the batter. Do this process a few times, then check for the 'honey-like' stage. The batter should flow off the spatula like honey without breaking. You should be able to draw a figure eight with the batter that will sink into itself in 10 seconds when done. You don't want to overmix the batter, so check for doneness after every few passes.
- Once the batter is done, it's time to add it to the piping bag. I like to use a Wilton reusable bag and the Wilton 12 tip. This tip is small, allowing for greater control when piping the shells. I also like to put the piping bag into a large cup, folding the tip up before adding it in, and fold the top down around the cup. This makes it much easier to add the batter to the bag. Take the cup over to the lined baking sheets. Take the bag out and, holding the top closed just above the batter, squeeze the batter down gently so it just starts coming out. Hold it a bit sideways until you get over the baking sheets. Holding the bag upright, pipe the shells onto the baking sheets. If you are using the silicone mats with the stencils, you can aim for the dot in the middle of the circle. Count to 4 while piping, then move on to the next circle. Continue this process until you have filled the sheet pans or run out of batter. If you don't have the preprinted circles, just start from the top, going across before moving down. Leave about 3 inches in between each piped circle to leave room for it to spread out.
- Now that all the shells are piped, it's on to removing the air bubbles. Bang the trays firmly on your countertop a few times. This helps to dislodge the air bubbles in the shells. I also like to go through with a toothpick and pop any remaining air bubbles I find.
- Let the shells rest so they form their skin. This should take from 30-40 minutes. In humid weather, this can take longer. When the skin is formed, you'll be able to touch the tops of the macarons without getting any batter on your finger. Preheat the oven to 300°F about halfway into the shells resting.
- Now that the shells have formed their skin, it's time to bake them. Bake the sheets individually in the oven on the middle rack at 300°F for 14 minutes. The tops will be matte and they will not jiggle on their feet when they are done. Remove them from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes before removing them to a baking rack to continue cooling down. The shells must be completely cooled down before adding the filling.
- When the shells are cooled, it's time to fill them. Match the shells by size. Flip one over of each pair. You can use any tip you want to fill the macarons. I like using one of the fancier tips. Fill a pastry bag fitted with your choice of tip. Squeeze the frosting down until it's almost ready to come out. Hold the pastry bag upright and squeeze the filling out onto the turned-over shell to the count of 2, or about a nickel-sized amount. It doesn't have to be exact, but you don't want to overfill and have the filling coming out the sides.
- Once you've added frosting to each pair of shells, it's time to sandwich them together. Do this gently so you don't crack the tops. I use a circular motion with the flat of my hands to gently sandwich the macarons together.
- Yay! You've completed a batch of macarons! Be proud of yourself. Not everyone is willing to try their hand at baking delicate cookies.
Pumpkin Buttercream Filling
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the 4 tablespoons softened butter until it's smooth, about 30 seconds or so.
- Add the 1 1/4 cups of powdered sugar, starting slow so the sugar doesn't fly everywhere. Beat in the 1 tablespoon of pumpkin puree. Add in the 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin spice. Beat until smooth.
Notes
- Beat egg whites just until stiff peaks form, then stop.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter. Once it flows like honey and passes the figure eight test, stop mixing.
- Store macarons in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week for maximum freshness.
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