I think we've reached peak fall excitement in this house! The leaves are starting to change, there's a chill in the air, and it's the season for pumpkin-flavored everything.
Let's be honest for a sec. Pumpkin is not my fave. But my wife Kristie loves it, so every fall I make mini pumpkin cheesecakes with her name on them. This year I wanted to try to replicate Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte in French macaron form! The cookies are coffee-flavored and the filling is pumpkin spice, so it's a little less pumpkin-heavy. And I actually loooove them. They are all speckled and pretty, and delicious too.
Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup + 1 Tbsp almond flour
- 1 Tbsp instant coffee
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 cup sugar
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Prepare a piping bag and a baking sheet lined with silicone baking mat.
In a medium bowl, sift together almond flour, powdered sugar, and instant coffee. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on high until they form soft peaks. Lower the mixer's speed to medium and add the sugar. Increase the mixer's speed back to high and beat until stiff peaks form.
Take the bowl off the mixer and add almond flour mixture. Using a rubber spatula, aggressively fold in dry ingredients until the batter starts to loosen and becomes a little runny. To test if the batter is ready, lift a small amount of batter from the bowl and drop it back into the batter. If it does nothing, keep mixing. If it slowly melts back into the batter after 20-30 seconds, it's ready.
Put the batter into the prepared piping bag and pipe 1 1/2" circles on prepared baking sheet. Firmly rap the bottom of the tray to flatten the batter and get any air bubbles out.
Let the macarons rest for 30-45 minutes, until they form a skin.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the macarons are set. Let cool completely.
Filling (modified from this recipe)
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup pumpkin pureé (learn how to make your own!)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
Prepare a piping bag.
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the softened butter and pumpkin pureé until combined.
Add the powdered sugar and mix on a low speed until combined. Continue to beat on medium speed until filling is creamy.
Add the vanilla and mix until combined. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg, and mix until combined.
Pipe the filling and sandwich between two (completely cool) macarons.
<3 Pumpkin spice forever! <3
