How to make pumpkin spice macarons with French meringue and a real pumpkin ganache filling. These easy pumpkin macarons are fun for Halloween, elegant for Thanksgiving, with fall macaron flavours from Paris - and gluten free.
Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Spice Macaron Recipe
- Uses real pumpkin purée, not just spice.
- Balanced sweetness with white chocolate ganache.
- Easy French meringue method for beginners.
- Perfect for fall parties, Halloween or Thanksgiving.
What is the Secret to Good Macarons?
Having lived in Paris for over 30 years, I've sampled my fair share of macarons (an expensive hobby!). From the sublime to the disappointing, the best French macarons in Paris all share one thing: they're not too sweet.
The shells already contain plenty of sugar, so the filling should bring balance. My raspberry macaron filling, for example, relies on the fruit's natural acidity rather than added sugar. Less sugar = more flavour. The result? Shells that are crisp on the outside, fondant inside, and filled with something that truly shines.
Pumpkin Macarons with Real Purée
Most pumpkin macaron recipes use only pumpkin spice, but I wanted a macaron that tastes of real pumpkin. These pumpkin spice macarons are filled with a white chocolate ganache blended with pumpkin purée and warm spices - a lighter, less-sweet alternative to buttercream.
Tip: Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. In France, canned pumpkin is rare, but potimarron (red kuri squash) works beautifully. It's dense, full of flavour, and less watery. Roast it, scoop the flesh, and purée until smooth.
For more, see the market guide to pumpkins and squash.
Pumpkin Spice Macarons Recipe - Ingredients
To make the best pumpkin macarons recipe, gather and weigh everything first using kitchen scales (here's why we weigh rather than use volume for macarons):
- Egg whites - organic, aged 3-4 days in the fridge, then room temperature (or defrosted from frozen)
- Superfine sugar (caster sugar)
- Almond flour (ground almonds) - use the finest, otherwise pulse in a food processor and sieve further
- Powdered sugar (icing or confectioners sugar)
- Powdered colouring (orange or red+yellow) - optional, but just a pinch is needed otherwise use a little gel food colouring
- White chocolate - minimum 34% cocoa butter
- Heavy cream - 35% fat (crème fleurette in France)
- Pumpkin purée - roasted and blended, canned, or frozen purée defrosted.
- Pumpkin spice - or French quatre-épices (see below to make your own).
Use the whites from about 3 organic eggs, aged for 3-4 days in the fridge, then bring them up to room temperature - they'll whip up a dream!
Pumpkin Spice Ganache for Macarons
This pumpkin spice macaron filling is quick and foolproof with a white chocolate ganache rather than with butter. Make this first before the shells.
- Heat cream with pumpkin spice until nearly boiling.
- Stir in the white chocolate until melted.
- Blend in the pumpkin purée until smooth.
Let the ganache cool for 2 hours at room temperature (or chill if your kitchen is warm).
Note: While testing, I found 75g/3oz purée gives the right texture. Adding more pumpkin boosts flavour but makes the filling drier.
Adding Colour and Flavour to Macaron Shells
Keep pumpkin macaron shells simple, but you can add:
- Natural hues like turmeric for a warm golden shell, or powdered colouring for vibrant orange (or red+yellow).
- A pinch of pumpkin spice in the batter.
- A light dusting on top before baking.
How to Make Pumpkin Spice Macaron Shells (French Meringue)
Prepare 3 flat baking sheets (without a lip or turn trays upside down) lined with baking paper - not waxed. I much prefer paper over silicone mats (see why in my macaron silicone mat review, unsponsored).
Step 1: Weigh and Sift Dry Ingredients
- Weigh out the egg whites at room temperature.
- In another bowl, sift almond flour with powdered sugar. Discard any coarse almond bits. Stir well.
Step 2: Whip the Egg Whites
- In a perfectly clean bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy using an electric whisk or stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
- Gradually add caster sugar while whisking until you achieve glossy, stiff peaks.
- Add a tiny pinch of powdered food colouring if using (orange, or red + yellow). Powder works best for macarons as it won't affect the meringue.
Step 3: Combine the Mixtures
- Gently fold the whipped whites into the almond flour mixture with a flexible, rubber spatula.
- The batter will look thick and clumpy at first - keep folding until incorporated.
Step 4: Macaronage (The Key Step)
- Use a scraper to press and fold the batter, deflating the whites slightly.
- Stop once the mixture is smooth, shiny, and flows like a ribbon from the scraper (about 3-5 minutes).
Step 5: Pipe and Rest
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm round tip.
- Pipe 3cm rounds, leaving space between each one as they spread.
- Tap trays on the counter to release air bubbles.
- Rest for at least 30 minutes, until the tops are dry to the touch (this creates the macaron "feet").
Step 6: Bake the Shells
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan (360°F/Gas 4).
- Bake one tray at a time for about 12 minutes. Test after 8 minutes: if the tops wobble, bake 3-4 minutes longer.
- Cool completely before filling.
Assemble the Pumpkin Spice Macarons
- Pair similar-sized shells on the tray.
- Stir the pumpkin spice ganache filling until smooth and transfer to a piping bag.
- Pipe onto one shell and gently twist the other on top to spread the filling evenly.
What is Pumpkin Spice? How to Make Your Own
Pumpkin spice is a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves (sometimes allspice). In France, our closest equivalent is quatre-épices, often used in pain d'épices (gingerbread).
To make your own pumpkin spice:
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of cloves or allspice
Macaron Ganache Fillings: How Long do They Keep?
Chocolate ganache macaron fillings are best kept at least 36 hours before eating. Macarons can keep for up to a week if stored in an airtight container or cake box in the fridge. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before eating, to best enjoy their flavours.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Macarons?
You certainly can. As long as your whites or purée were not frozen, these macarons freeze well. Either freeze them whole with their fillings or just the shells. This is handy to make them in advance when preparing for parties.
More Macaron Fall Flavours
- See my Top Ten Halloween macaron ideas with more gluten free cookies
- be inspired for Pink October with pink macarons
- salted caramel macarons
Pumpkin Spice Macarons
Equipment
- kitchen scales, large flexible spatula, pâtisserie scraper, electric whisk
- 40cm/16 inch piping bag with a plain tip 8-10mm/3/8 inch
- 3 flat baking sheets lined with baking parchment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Spice Macaron Filling (make before the shells)
- 150 g (5½oz) white chocolate Ivoire 35%
- 100 g (3½oz) heavy cream (30% fat) (crème fleurette in France)
- 75 g (3oz) pumpkin purée see NOTES* to roast from scratch
- 1½ teaspoon pumpkin spice or 4 épices*
Pumpkin Spice Macarons (shells)
- 120 g (4oz) egg whites (from about 3 large eggs) aged for 2-3 days in fridge, brought to room temperature
- 75 g (3oz) caster/superfine sugar
- 140 g (5oz) ground almonds (almond flour)
- 210 g (7½oz) icing/confectioner's sugar
- pinch orange (red/yellow) powdered food colouring optional
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice
Instructions
Pumpkin Spice Ganache Filling
- Heat the cream with the spices in a saucepan until nearly boiling, then melt in the white chocolate. As soon as the chocolate melts, take off the heat and add the pumpkin purée (or chopped roasted pumpkin). Blend for 1 minute using a hand mixer until smooth.Set aside to cool for about 2 hours at room temperature (or chill if too warm).
Pumpkin Spice Macaron Shells
- First weigh out the egg whites at room temperature in a large mixing bowl. Sift the ground almonds with the icing sugar using a medium sieve in another large bowl. Discard any large, coarse almond pieces and stir well together.
- Whisk the egg whites well (with an electric whisk) to glossy firm peaks adding the caster sugar gradually (Tip: ensure the bowl and whisk are perfectly clean. Any trace of fat, yolk or soap will affect its success.) Add the optional powdered colouring towards the end of mixing, and continue to mix until well incorporated, thick and glossy. The whites should be quite firm; don't be afraid to beat them well.
- Incorporate the beaten whites into the dry ingredients using a large flexible spatula. The batter will be a bit thick and clumpy at this point but mix well until well incorporated (no need to fold).Then when mixed together, press down well using a scraper, going back and forward to press out the oxygen from the whites (known as 'macaronage'). Do this for no more than 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and forms a ribbon on the scraper. (see NOTES)
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a plain 1cm tip (the bag should be pushed into the tip to prevent the mixture from escaping). Pipe out the rounds of about 3cm maximum, leaving a good space between each as they spread out. Leave to air for at least 30 minutes (this helps produce the macaron 'feet') until firm to the touch.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/360°F (160°C fan/Gas 4).
- Bake in the centre of the oven, one tray at a time, for about 12 minutes. Test after 8 minutes. Touch the top of a macaron and gently move your finger side to side. If there is a 'wobble', cook for 3-4 minutes longer until firm.
Assembly
- Marry up the macaron shells in pairs on the baking paper, one row flat side up and one row flat side down.
- Stir the pumpkin ganache filling until smooth and manageable and transfer to a piping bag with a 1cm plain tip. Pipe onto the upturned shells then place its partner on top, using a circular motion to squash (get it?) the shell down on the filling.Place them in an airtight box and chill in the fridge to mature for 24 hours.
Notes
The closest in France is '4-épices' with cloves rather than allspice. Note: Most of the instructions you see on the internet say what I did in my 1st macaron recipe book, Mad About Macarons (2010).
Part of this recipe was first published 28 October 2014 but is now completely updated with the full recipe.
David Scott Allen
I could use about a dozen of these right now! Absolutely beautiful, Jill!
Jill Colonna
Thanks so much David - hope you make them for a taste of fall!
Lisa
I would not have thought of putting together pumpkins with macarons but the end result looks absolutely delicious - just one question though is it gluten free?
Jill Colonna
Yes, they're gluten free Lisa. Thanks for asking, as I think I've forgotten to mention this. Hope you try them.
dog breeds
The color of these macarons are so stunning~~ Thank you for sharing the recipe!!
Becky
Lovely post Jill I like the idea of a pumpkin filling - I make my own pumpkin spice mix so may well have to give these a try
Do you mind if I share them on my pumpkin spice biscuit post ?
Jill Colonna
I'd be most honoured if you shared them, Becky. Thanks for popping in!
ParisBreakfast
Gawd that looks good!
Maybe I should be painting potirons?
Love all those oranges.
Jill
Sounds good, Carol. Love what you do with any subject - and so with these colours will be so cosy!
Thomasina
Everyone should try the individual Potimarron or red kuri squash cooked in the oven. I loved them and ate the skin as well. Thank you for introducing them to me. Now I need to find them locally.
Jill
Let's hope you can find them, though, Thomasina. They're everywhere in Paris but do you see them?
Tonessa
Chere Jill,
J’adore potiron! En particulier dans la bière, le boudin et rôti au beurre, sucre et épices!
Thanks so much for this recipe. Ironically on the Food Network Giada de Laurentis as well as the Network had a pumpkin macaron recipe; but they all had pumpkin spice and orange food color rather than real pumpkin. (As a matter of fact, Giada’s recipe called for grinding your own almonds rather than getting pumpkin flour.) So I wondered if it could be done and you just answered my curiosity.
I like the fact that they won’t keep long so you will have to eat them quickly! J That’s a good enough excuse for me!
I can’t wait for your new book. So when you are finished with your bricolage, let us know!
Jill
Interesting, Tonessa. It's a first for me to eat a macaron after 6 hours. But when I tasted this one, I have to admit it was exciting. The flavours in there just spell Autumn/Fall. Need to further tweak this to last longer, though, but the family gobbled it up quick enough!
Jean-Pierre D
Oh my. I love the look of these ingredients - I think, I believe I can taste them together from my computer...great photos Jill!
Jill
Wish I could share them with you, Jean-Pierre. Great flavours - give them a go!
Liz
I bought my first red kuri squash yesterday for one of Dorie Greenspan's soups. I think I'd rather have your gorgeous macarons! So glad you have a little reprieve in the cookbook process! xo
Jill
What is it with this red kuri squash all of a sudden? I LOVE this - much more than pumpkin, have to say. Glad to see more recipes with it. Can't get enough, Liz!
Mardi (eat. live. travel. write.)
Oooh this looks good Jill! I just use cream cheese filling in my pumpkin spice macarons (coloured and flavoured with a little pumpkin spice) but this looks much more interesting!