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Pumpkin Macarons

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 20 filled macarons
Calories: 97kcal
Author: Shinee
Celebrate fall with these adorable pumpkin macarons.
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Ingredients

For macaron shells:

  • 100 g almond flour Note 1
  • 65 g powdered sugar Note 2
  • 70 g egg whites at room temperature Note 3
  • 75 g fine granulated sugar Note 4
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar Note 5
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice bakery emulsion
  • Orange gel food coloring optional

For pumpkin buttercream:

  • 3 tablespoons (40 g) unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup (130 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon heavy cream
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

To make the macaron shells:

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, or teflon sheet, or silicone mat.
  • To prepare dry ingredients, sift together almond flour and powdered sugar 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.)
  • When the meringue reaches soft peaks stage, add orange gel food coloring.
  • Continue beating the meringue at the same medium speed until hard peaks form. Visual cues: Meringue should ball up inside the whisk, and when you lift the whisk, the meringue should hold a pointy end and have sharp ribs.
  • To make batter, sift almond flour mixture into the meringue. Using a silicone spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the meringue until fully incorporated. Then continue to fold the batter until it’s runny enough to draw a figure eight. To test, take a small amount of batter and drop it into the bowl. If the small peaks dissolve into the batter on its own in about 10 seconds, the batter is ready. If not, fold 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 step. Let me try to describe the folding motion as best as I can: run the spatula clockwise from the bottom, up around the sides and cut the batter in half. If you’re beginner macaron-baker, I suggest to count 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 folds.)
  • To pipe macaron shells, transfer the batter into a pastry bag, fitted with a round tip. (I use Wilton 12 tip.)
  • Hold the pastry bag at straight 90° angle and pipe the macarons in pumpkin shape about an inch apart on prepared baking sheets. (TIP: Download my free macaron template.) Watch the video above for visuals guide.
  • 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. It’ll take longer for larger macarons. 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 touch and the base shouldn’t move.
  • Cool the macarons complete and then remove the shells from the baking surface. (TIP: Don't remove the shells while warm, you may risk breaking the shells, or the bottom might get stuck to the baking surface.)

To make buttercream filling:

  • In a mixing bowl with whisk attachment, beat the butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, heavy cream, pumpkin puree, salt and cinnamon. Beat until well combined.
  • Transfer the buttercream into a pastry bag and fill the macarons.

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 the filling on bottom shells. Place the top shell over the filling and press lightly so the filling spreads till 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.

Notes

Note 1: It’s best to use super fine almond flour to ensure smooth tops. Weigh the ingredients before sifting.
Note 2: I don’t recommend making your own powder sugar, because commercial powdered sugar has cornstarch in it. And it helps with texture of the cookies.
Note 3: I’ve had success with carton egg whites (Bob Evans brand, #notsponsored). You’ll need 1/3 cup of egg whites.
Note 4: It’s important to use fine granulated sugar for meringue, as it dissolves quicker. You can also use caster sugar, aka baker’s sugar.
Note 5: Cream of tartar is optional and can be omitted. However, it helps to stabilize egg whites and create sturdier meringue. It’s just an extra insurance!
Note 6: You can easily double this macaron recipe.
GOT MACARON TROUBLE? Check out my macaron troubleshooting guide.
Storing Tips:
- Store the filled macarons in airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- You can also freeze the filled macarons in airtight container for up to 5 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal
Carbohydrates: 14g
Protein: 1g
Fat: 4g
Sugar: 13g
Sodium: 50mg