Chocolate Pumpkin Cream Macarons

Like chocolate? Like pumpkin? Like cookies? ....then this just might be your favorite fall friend.  A soft crunch on the outside with a creamy filling in the middle, this cookie combines my recipe for Nutella French Macarons with a pillowy pumpkin cream filling.  Give these simple French macarons a go...Bon appetit fall!

Ingredients

For the meringue shells:

1 cup powdered sugar

½ cup almond flour

3 heaping tablespoons cocoa powder

2 large egg whites (room temperature)

Pinch of cream of tartar

¼ cup sugar

For the pumpkin cream:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons pumpkin puree

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Pinch of salt

Dash of milk or cream (if needed to thin out)

For the meringue shells:

Sift together powdered sugar, almond flour, and cocoa powder.  Sift twice to make mixture really smooth.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy.  Add a pinch of cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks.  Reduce the speed and slowly add the granulated sugar.  Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks (about 8 minutes). 

                                                     

Fold flour mixture into the egg whites until smooth and shiny.

Spoon batter into a pastry or Ziploc bag.  Cut a small corner in the Ziploc bag and pipe out ¾ inch rounds onto a parchment lined sheet. 

Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees just before you are about to put the cookies in and bake for 10 minutes, turning halfway through.  Cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until foamy.  Add a pinch of cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks.  Reduce the speed and slowly add the granulated sugar.  Increase speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks (about 8 minutes). 

                                                     

Fold flour mixture into the egg whites until smooth and shiny.

Spoon batter into a pastry or Ziploc bag.  Cut a small corner in the Ziploc bag and pipe out ¾ inch rounds onto a parchment lined sheet. 

Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees just before you are about to put the cookies in and bake for 10 minutes, turning halfway through.

For the Pumpkin Cream:

Cream butter and powdered sugar until smooth.  Add pumpkin and spices and mix until it is the consistency of the a buttercream.  Add a bit of cream or milk if too thick or a bit more powdered sugar if too thin.

Assembly:

Take one macaron shell and spread with pumpkin cream.  Top with another macaron shell. If you like, drizzle melted chocolate on the top (especially to hide any cracks).  Bon appetit fall!