Pumpkin Spice Macarons with

Pumpkin Ganache Filling

It’s FALL Y’ALL!!!

This is my favorite time of year. Once the weather starts changing, I get the urge to bake even more than usual. I created this Pumpkin Spice Macaron recipe that is perfectly complimented by a Pumpkin Ganache Filling.

I’m going to share how I made this delicious recipe for Pumpkin Spice Macarons. I’ll also explain the step-by-step process to decorate these to look like a jack-o-lantern.

Macaron or Macaroon?

Some people call it a macaroon, but these little divine morsels are actually different. Macaron (pronounced “Mack-Ah-Ron”) are made entirely different than a macaroon. A macaroon is made with grated coconut and egg whites. Macaron is a French confection made with whipped egg whites, sugar syrup, ground almond and confectioner’s sugar.

French macarons are a bit finicky to make. However, once you get the hang of making these cookies, you will definitely want to make many other variations.

Equipment You’ll Need

Mixer – While you can make these by hand with a whisk, it’s far too much work. I recommend using a stand mixer if you have one. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can do this with a hand-mixer.
Candy thermometer – Having a candy thermometer is critical for this recipe. There are several methods of making macarons. However, I use the Italian meringue method for cooking the sugar for this pumpkin spice macaron recipe.
Food processor – I recommend using a food processor to finely grind the almond and powdered sugar together. It creates a super fine blend of the ingredients. The result is a very smooth shell to your macarons.
Mesh Sifter – Once you have run the almond/powdered sugar mixture through the food processor, you need to sift the ingredients. I know it seems redundant, but there is a method to my madness. You need to sift the ingredients to remove larger bits of almond that didn’t get ground up fine enough.

How to make Pumpkin Spice Macarons

Quick overview of steps:

Set up your ingredients
Process and sift almond flour/confectioner’s sugar
Whip egg whites
Boil sugar
Combine and mix ingredients
Pipe macarons and allow to dry
Bake and fill

Set up your ingredients:

Setting up your ingredients makes the process of making this recipe much easier. Start by measuring your ingredients. Have the ingredients in order which you will use them.

If you’re accustomed to Imperial measurements instead if Metric measurements, I created an easy cheat sheet for you. I will teach you how to (EASILY) Convert Ounces to Grams.

Grab your FREE cheat sheet on How to Convert Ounces to Grams. Just click the link to access my Freebies Resource Library. I created this with you in mind!

Process and sift almond flour/confectioner’s sugar:

Place almond flour and confectioner’s sugar in a food processor. Pulse several times to break up any potential larger bits of almonds. Remove from food processor and place in a mesh sifter.

Sift the ingredients and toss out any large chunks of almonds that did not pass through the sifter. You may want to save the almond chunks for another recipe such cookies or nut breads. Set your sifted ingredients aside.

Whip egg whites:

Attach your whip attachment to your mixer and whip egg whites on a medium-high speed. Make sure your bowl is ultra clean. If the bowl has one tiny bit of oil or grease in it, your egg whites will not whip up and you will have to start over.

Boil sugar:

Put sugar in a heavy pot and add in water. Brush down the sides of the pot with a pastry brush that has been dipped in water. This is to wash away any sugar crystals. DO NOT mix the sugar mixture, it’s not necessary and can cause crystallization. Place your candy thermometer in sugar mixture. If your thermometer is digital, set the alarm to 235°

Once the sugar has reached 235° carefully pour it into the egg whites in a steady stream while the mixer is on. Be careful not have the mixer too high so the hot sugar doesn’t splash on you.

Now that all the sugar is poured into the egg whites, turn the mixer on high and mix until egg whites are at a stiff peak stage. See the photo below for what this looks like.

Combine and mix ingredients:

Add in egg whites into the center of the almond flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to stir the meringue down and up gently, almost as if you’re writing a “J” in the mixture. Bring the spatula down and up through the ingredients. The whipped egg whites will gradually pick up the almond flour mixture. Fold gently until the mixture drops from the spatula in a ribbon type manner. This should only take about 6-8 stirs.

TIP: DO NOT OVER MIX

If you intend to add color to your macarons, it’s best to add the color before you have completed the mixing process to prevent over-mixing.

Pipe macarons and allow to dry:

Place macaron mixture into a piping bag with a large round cake nozzle. Pipe mixture onto a parchment lined sheet tray.

This may seem like a weird step but it’s a must – SLAM the tray on the counter several times to remove any air bubbles. Don’t worry, you won’t do any damage to the macarons.

While your oven is pre-heating, leave your macarons uncovered on the counter for approximately 20-30. This gives the macarons time to dry a bit on the exterior and form a skin. The macarons are dry enough when you can touch the tops without it feeling sticky.

Bake and fill:

Bake macarons in at 235° for approximately 18 minutes. Convection ovens are best; however, you can bake in a standard oven without any issues.

Let's Bake

Pumpkin Spice Macarons with Pumpkin Ganache Filling