Learn how to make nut-free macarons with ground pumpkin seeds! These delicate French macarons have crisp shells, chewy centers, and those pretty ruffled feet. And NOBODY will guess they’re made without almond flour.
I get this question a lot: “Can I make macarons without almond flour?” YES, you can! Traditional French macarons are made with almond flour, so they’re off-limits for anyone with a nut allergy. So I tested a few swaps, and finely ground pumpkin seeds won.
The method is exactly the same as my French Macarons recipe. We’re simply swapping almond flour for ground pumpkin seeds plus a little flour. If you’re new to macarons, I highly recommend reading that guide first. It covers every technique in detail, with step-by-step photos and a video.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
These macarons are nut-free, budget-friendly, and easy to make gluten-free. You still get the classic texture: crisp, smooth tops, chewy centers, and full shells with pretty feet. And it’s the same method as my basic French macarons, so if you’ve made those, you already know how to make these!
Unlike nut-free shells made with just all-purpose flour, these pumpkin seed macarons are SO much more flavorful. All-purpose flour macarons turn out very plain and lack flavor. Ground pumpkin seeds add a mild, slightly toasty flavor that pairs well with just about any filling.
Note: If you’re baking for someone with a nut allergy, check the labels. Some pumpkin seeds are processed in facilities that also handle tree nuts and peanuts.
Key Ingredient Notes
Each ingredient plays an important role in macarons, so use a kitchen scale and weigh everything.
- Pumpkin seeds – Use raw, unsalted, hulled pumpkin seeds. Roasted or salted seeds will change the flavor and color. Grind them in a food processor and sift, then weigh out 70g of the finely ground pumpkin seeds.
- Flour – This is the secret to the swap! Pumpkin seeds are oilier than almond flour, so a little all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour) absorbs the extra oil and gives the shells structure. I tested this recipe with gluten-free flour too, and it works great!
- Powdered sugar – Use store-bought powdered sugar. It contains cornstarch, which helps with the texture of shells.
- Egg whites – Room-temperature egg whites whip up best. I’ve also had success with carton egg whites. Just skip any brand that says “not for meringue” on the label.
- Granulated sugar – Use fine granulated sugar or caster sugar (aka baker’s sugar). It dissolves faster and makes a more stable meringue.
- Cream of tartar – It’s optional, but it stabilizes the egg whites. It’s extra insurance!
Why Are These Macarons Green?
Pumpkin seeds give the shells a pale green tint and little green speckles. That’s totally natural! Sift out the larger pieces for the smoothest tops.
How to make nut free macarons
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, a Teflon sheet, or a silicone mat.
- Grind the pumpkin seeds. Pulse the seeds in a food processor in short bursts until finely ground. Don’t run it nonstop, or you’ll end up with pumpkin seed butter!
- Sift and weigh. Sift the ground seeds and discard the larger pieces. Weigh out 70 g of the fine part and combine it with the flour and powdered sugar. Sift the dry ingredients twice.
- Make the meringue. Beat egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and salt on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add gel food coloring at this stage, if using. Keep beating until hard peaks form. Don’t rush it! On speed 4 of my KitchenAid, it takes 30-40 minutes, and it’s well worth it for FULLER shells.
- Check the meringue. It’s ready when it balls up inside the whisk and holds a pointy end with sharp ribs when you lift the whisk.
- Fold the batter (macaronage). Sift the dry ingredients into the meringue and fold with a silicone spatula. Keep folding until the batter is lava-like and runny enough to draw a figure eight. Start testing after about 50 folds: drop a little batter into the bowl, and if the peaks dissolve on their own in about 10 seconds, it’s ready.
- Pipe. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (I use a Wilton 2A). Hold the bag at a straight 90° angle and pipe 1.5-inch rounds about an inch apart. (My free macaron template makes this SO much easier!)
- Tap and rest. Tap the baking sheet firmly on the counter a few times to release air bubbles. Pop any big ones with a toothpick. Let the shells rest for 15 minutes.
- Bake. Bake at 300°F (150°C), one sheet at a time on the middle rack, for 15-18 minutes. They’re done when the shells are firm and the base doesn’t wobble when you gently nudge one.
Got macaron trouble? Check out my Macaron Troubleshooting Guide to fix hollow shells, cracked tops, and more.
- Cool, fill, and mature. Let the shells cool completely before removing them. Pair them by size, pipe filling on the bottom shells, and sandwich. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 24 hours so the filling softens and flavors the shells.
For best texture
Bring the macarons out about 30 minutes before serving.
Macaron Filling Options
The mild, toasty flavor of pumpkin seed shells goes with almost any filling. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Basic Buttercream Filling: Rich, silky, and easy to flavor however you like.
- Chocolate Ganache: Just 2 ingredients! Use a 1:1 ratio of dark chocolate to cream.
- White Chocolate Ganache: Use a 2:1 ratio of white chocolate to cream. Add a little jam or zest for a fun twist.
- Chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream: Light, fluffy, and not too sweet.
Note: Keep the whole macaron nut-free by skipping nut butters, nut extracts, and praline. And double-check the labels on your chocolate.
Storage Tips
- Unfilled shells: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Filled macarons: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days (depending on the filling), or freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Must-Try Macaron Flavors
These are my favorite macaron flavors:
Nut Free Macarons with Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients
- 70 g pumpkin seeds Note 1
- 30 g gluten-free flour Note 2
- 65 g powdered sugar Note 3
- 70 g egg whites Note 4
- 75 g granulated sugar Note 5
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar Note 6
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Filling of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or a Teflon sheet, or a silicone mat.
- To prepare dry ingredients, place pumpkin seeds in a large food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer the ground pumpkin seeds to a sifter and sift, discarding the larger pieces.
- Weigh out 70 g of finely ground pumpkin seeds, then combine with the flour and powdered sugar.
- Sift the dry ingredients twice. (Note: If you have up to 2 tablespoons of chunky dry ingredients left in the sifter, you don't have to replace it. Simply discard those chunky bits.)
- To make meringue, in a clean mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, combine egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar, and salt, and beat the mixture on medium speed until soft peaks form. (I set it to speed 4 on my KitchenAid stand mixer. It takes 30-40 minutes to whip the meringue, but it's well worth it for nice and full shells.)
- If you’re making colored shells, add gel food coloring at the soft peak stage.
- Continue beating the meringue at the same medium speed until hard peaks form. Visual cues: The meringue should ball up in the whisk, and when you lift the whisk, it should hold a pointy tip and have sharp ribs.
- To make batter, sift the pumpkin seed mixture into the meringue. Using a silicone spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until fully incorporated. To test, drop a small amount of batter and drop it into the bowl. If the small peaks dissolve into the batter on their own in about 10 seconds, the batter is ready. If not, fold a couple more times and test again. Be careful not to over-fold the batter. (TIP: Making French macarons is all about the technique. This is one of the most crucial steps. Let me describe the folding motion as best I can: run the spatula clockwise from the bottom, up around the sides, and cut the batter in half. If you’re a beginner macaron baker, I suggest counting every fold. It takes roughly about 50 folds to reach the proper consistency. After 50 folds, start testing the batter, and continue testing after every couple of folds.)
- To pipe macaron shells, transfer the batter into a pastry bag, fitted with a round piping tip. (I use this Wilton 2A tip.)
- Hold the pastry bag at a straight 90° angle and pipe about 1.5-inch rounds about an inch apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Tap the baking sheets firmly on the counter (or slap the bottom of the baking sheet with one of your hands) a few times to get rid of any air bubbles. You can also use a toothpick to burst some large air bubbles. This step ensures smooth tops.
- Let the macarons rest on the counter for 15 minutes before baking.
- To bake, bake the macarons for 15-18 minutes, one baking sheet at a time, on the middle rack. Larger macarons will take longer. To test for doneness, touch a macaron lightly and try to move it. If it slides and wobbles, bake a minute or so longer. The cooked macarons should be firm to the touch, and the base shouldn’t move.
- Cool the macarons completely and then remove the shells from the baking surface. (TIP: Don't remove the shells while warm; you may break them, or the bottom might stick to the baking surface.)
- TO ASSEMBLE MACARONS:
- Pair the macaron shells by size and arrange them on a wire rack. Line them up so that bottom shells are upside down.
- Pipe a dollop of filling of your choice on bottom shells. Place the top shell over the filling and press lightly so the filling spreads to the edges.
- Refrigerate the filled macarons in an airtight container for at least 24 hours to mature, which allows the filling to soften and flavor the shells.
- To serve, bring the macarons out about 30 minutes prior to serving.
⭐️ Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a review and let us know how you liked it!
Tips & Notes
– Unfilled shells: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
– Filled macarons: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days (depending on the filling), or freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Nutrition
