Pumpkin Spice Macarons

These pumpkin spice macarons are the perfect fall treat. The warming spices and fall flavors in the shells pair perfectly with the bright and creamy cheesecake filling. You will not be able to eat just one! Best part is, they’re easier than you think!

_{This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products that I use and love. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.}

Fall is finally here! The weather here in Texas hasn’t quite got the memo yet but I’m celebrating anyway. There is no better way to celebrate the changing of the seasons than baking up goodies with the fall flavor we all know and love, pumpkin spice!

These pumpkin spice macarons hit that fall craving spot head on. The crispy yet chewy shells are the perfect blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and the rest of those yummy warm fall spices that make up “pumpkin spice”. I’ve paired them with an easy cheesecake filling to bring a light brightness to the cookie.

• Digital Scale
• Sieve
• Cookie Sheets – These are my favorites.
• Silicone Baking Mat – I love these.
• Stand Mixer – I use my Kitchenaid. It’s been going strong for 10 years now!
• Silicone Spatula
• Piping Bags
• Piping Tip – Use a large round tip like this one.

When making macarons, it is so important to measure out your ingredients by weight. A digital scale is your best friend here. You will have much more success with measuring out your ingredients by weight than by using measuring cups. When I was first learning to make macarons I learned this lesson the hard way. Many failed attempts, hollow shells and broken dreams later, I finally broke down and bought a scale. I’ve had consistent, beautiful macarons ever since!

For the shells:

• 140 grams almond flour
• 140 grams powdered sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp ground allspice
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 90 grams granulated sugar
• 100 grams eggs aged egg whites*
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• orange and brown gel food coloring

* To age egg whites, separate them from the yolks and place them in a covered container for 24-48 hours.

For the filling:

• 1 8oz block of cream cheese
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp vanilla

• Measure out each ingredient with a kitchen scale. You’ll have more success if you use exact measurements.
• Sift the almond flour, powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice together into a bowl. Set this aside. Do not skip this step. Sifting ensures that the macarons will have smooth tops.
• Whip the egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Once they are frothy, add the cream of tartar. When the whisk starts leaving trails in the egg whites, add the sugar 1/3 at a time.
• Beat until stiff peaks are formed. You want the peaks to stand upright, without falling back on themselves when you pull the whisk out.
• Add in 1 small drop of brown gel food coloring and a few drops of orange gel food coloring to the egg whites, adjust the amount of each color until get your desired color. You can also use powdered food coloring if that’s what you like. Liquid food coloring changes the consistency of the batter so you want to refrain from using it in your macarons. Personally, I prefer gel.
• And now, the most important part of the process, the macaronage…

Start this step by gently folding in about 1/3 of your dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until they’re well combined. Next, add in the rest of your dry ingredients. Fold them in by swooping your spatula around the bowl and down the middle in a “J” shape. Keep folding until the batter starts to flow like molten lava. You’ll know you’re done when you can lift the spatula out of the bowl and the batter slowly flows off in a continuous ribbon. I like to try and draw a figure 8 with the batter that flows off of the spatula. If you can do the entire 8 in a continuous stream then it’s ready.

• Line two cookie sheets with either silpats or parchment paper. Without them your macarons will stick and be impossible to get off. Trust me, I’ve tried.
• Pour the batter into a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip.
• With the tip pointing straight down, gently pipe out 1 1/2 inch circles. Stop squeezing and flick your wrist in a circular motion before pulling away. This will help keep the tops smooth.
• Tap the cookie sheets on your counter to release any air bubbles that might be hiding. Poke any bubbles that don’t pop with a toothpick.
• Let the macarons rest until they no longer stick your finger when gently touching them. I usually start checking after about 15 minutes. It’s pretty humid in the part of Texas I live in so some days this can take up to an hour for me.
• Once they are no longer sticky to the touch, put them in a 325° oven, one sheet at a time, for about 10-15 minutes. Check for doneness by gently (there is a common theme here) pressing on the side of a cookie. It should not move. If it does, add another minute or 2 and check again.
• Let them cool before taking them off the tray. Fill with your favorite filling. I used a cheesecake filling for my pumpkin spice macarons.

That’s it! I hope you enjoy these pumpkin spice macarons!