Pumpkin Spice Macarons have classic french macaron shells flavored with pumpkin spice and a sweet pumpkin spice buttercream. They have a delicious balance of flavors and textures that will make you fall in love with french macarons!
Macarons are one of my favorite things to make, but they are definitely tricky. That being said, it is so possible to master macarons. I compiled a Step-by-Step Macaron post with all of my best tips and tricks for making the best macarons possible. It has all of the steps and tools that I use every time I make macarons and I can promise you it will get you closer to being a macaron master!
If you want more macaron recipes check out my Peppermint Macarons, Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons, or Turtle Macarons.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These macarons have the perfect fall flavors. Much like these Pecan Pie Macarons.
- Macarons are so beautiful! They are visually appealing and perfectly aesthetic all on their own, but the speckles of pumpkin spice makes them even more so. These S'more Macarons have a beautiful topping as well!
- The textural difference between the crunchy exterior and the soft, chewy interior with the buttercream macaron filling makes for a perfect bite.
- They provide a baking challenge. They require more work than your normal cookie, so they will test your baking skills.
Ingredients
Ingredients Notes
- Powdered sugar will aid in the flavor and structure of the finished macarons.
- Be sure that you are using almond flour and not almond meal.
- You can use store-bought pumpkin spice or use my recipe for homemade pumpkin spice.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Add cream cheese to the macaron filling to add flavor.
- Dissolve some instant coffee granules in the macaron shell batter to make pumpkin spice latte macarons. I also use this technique for my Coffee Nutella Macarons.
- Mix pumpkin puree into the buttercream to amp up the pumpkin flavor. I also use pumpkin puree in my favorite Pumpkin Cake.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step-By-Step Instructions
STEP 1: Line a cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
STEP 2: In a food processor add the powdered sugar, almond flour, and pumpkin spice and pulse until fully combined and rid of lumps. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl. If you don’t have a food processor you can just sift the ingredients together.
STEP 3: In a medium bowl, prepare the french meringue. Beat the egg whites on low speed until they get frothy. Increase the speed and slowly add the sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.
STEP 4: Add the french meringue into the dry ingredients and begin to gently fold with a silicone spatula. This process is called macaronage. You will know the batter is ready when the ingredients are fully combined and not streaky. You should be able to hold the spatula above the bowl and draw a figure 8 smoothly without the batter breaking off. Transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. Pipe 1-inch disks onto the prepared cookie sheet.
STEP 5: Firmly tap the cookie sheet onto the counter 3 or 4 times to bring any air bubbles to the surface. Use a toothpick to pop any remaining air bubbles. Let the macarons rest for an hour. There needs to be a dry layer on the top. You should be able to run your finger over the top without any transferring to your finger.
STEP 7: Preheat the oven to 280 degrees (F). This is the temperature that I have found works well for my oven, but you may need to play around with the temperature.
STEP 8: Place the pumpkin spice macarons on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 5 minutes, rotate the cookie sheet, bake for another 5 minutes, and rotate the cookie sheet again, bake for 5 minutes. 15 minutes in total.
STEP 9: Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. They should peel off the mat easily.
STEP 10: When the macarons are cooled peel them off of the mat and match each shell to another that is the same size.
STEP 11: In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter until it is very soft and creamy. Add half of the powdered sugar. Beat until fully combined. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and the pumpkin spice. Beat on medium speed for 5-6 minutes. If the buttercream is too thick add the heavy cream or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
Expert Tips
- If possible, make your macarons on a less humid day. You will need to rest the macarons for longer and they might not turn out as well on a humid day.
- Don’t over mix the batter. You only need to macaronage until you can make a figure 8 with the batter. If you over mix the macarons will spread too much.
- Wipe the bowl down with vinegar before adding the egg whites to whip. Even a speck of leftover dish soap or fat (egg yolk, butter, etc.) will inhibit the egg whites from whipping up properly.
- Let the macarons rest before eating. Macarons are best when they have matured for 12 or so hours. So after you fill the macarons, let them rest overnight for the best flavor.
Recipe FAQs
For sure! I make macarons ahead of time pretty often and they always still taste amazing. If I am making macarons more than a day before I want to serve them I freeze them. They will freeze well for about two months. Just pull them out of the freezer about an hour before you are ready to serve them and they will thaw out perfectly. These Pumpkin Spice Macarons are no exception!
In order to make french macarons, you have to do a process called macaronage. This is where you fold the wet and dry ingredients together in order to achieve a smooth, shiny, and flowing mixture. A good way to tell if you have done the macaronage stage correctly is if you can hold up the spatula and draw a figure 8 with the mixture without it breaking off.
Room Temperature: Macarons can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. I wouldn't recommend this, though, because they can become stale quickly.
Refrigerator: If stored correctly in an airtight container the pumpkin spice macarons will last up to 1 week in the fridge.
Freezer: Macarons freeze and thaw extremely well and can be frozen in an air-tight container for up to two months.
More Recipes You'll Love
If you tried these Pumpkin Spice Macarons or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I so appreciate hearing from you!
Recipe
Pumpkin Spice Macarons
Ingredients
For Pumpkin Spice Macaron Shells:
- 1 ⅔ cup (200 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 cup (110 grams) almond flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 3 large (100 grams) egg whites
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
For Pumpkin Spice Buttercream:
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup (113 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
Notes
- If possible, make your macarons on a less humid day. You will need to rest the macarons for longer and they might not turn out as well on a humid day.
- Don’t over mix the batter. You only need to macaronage until you can make a figure 8 with the batter. If you over mix the macarons will spread too much.
- Wipe the bowl down with vinegar before adding the egg whites to whip. Even a speck of leftover dish soap or fat (egg yolk, butter, etc.) will inhibit the egg whites from whipping up properly.
- Let the macarons rest before eating. Macarons are best when they have matured for 12 or so hours. So after you fill the macarons, let them rest overnight for the best flavor.
- The provided nutrition information is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
Alex says
This recipe came out amazing. I didn’t have any almond flour but I did have pumpkin seeds and pumpkin flour is a good substitute for almond flour. So I made pumpkin flour for these. It was perfect! Easy to follow and they came out amazing for my first time making macarons. I will note it took an added 10 minutes at the suggested temp. in my oven. Thank you for another wonderful delicious recipe!
Ellie Haley says
Wow pumpkin flour! That’s so cool! Glad you enjoyed