Autumn is such a lovely season for getting creative with macarons and shaped shells are an easy way to make them feel extra special. I’m starting this little collection of free autumn macaron templates with these very cute pumpkin macarons.
For the shells, I used my Most Accessible Macaron Recipe using the Swiss method, where I also share my most frequently asked questions and tips for making successful macarons. I added a little orange colouring to the shells, then filled them with pumpkin ganache (recipe in the card below) with a salted caramel centre. To finish, I piped little leaves and vines with green buttercream and used chocolate chips for the stem. Simple, but I think they look rather cute!
Pumpkin Macaron Templates
I used my 6-petal flower template to pipe the pumpkin shells – once decorated, the petal shape works surprisingly well as a little pumpkin.
If you fancy an extra challenge and want an even more realistic, fuller pumpkin shape, you can try the 8-petal flower template instead.
Feel free to download the templates, print them out and share them with your macaron-loving friends.
Autumn Leaf Macarons
Pumpkin aren’t the only shapes you can play with in autumn. You can also use the leaf templates below to create a whole collection of autumn macarons in different shapes and colours.
Last weekend, I made some ginko and oak leaf macarons with my 7-year-old daughter, which was such a lovely little autumn baking project to do together. To make the leaf shapes stand out more clearly after baking, we used edible pens to trace around the edges and draw in the veins of the leaves. It’s a very simple finishing touch but it really brings the shapes to life.
You can find the different autumn leaf templates below:
A quick note on printing and piping the templates
All of my templates are designed to be printed at A4 size at 100% scale. If you use a standard macaron baking mat and tray (435mm x 320mm) simply place two A4 template sheets side by side underneath your mat to cover the baking area.
You’ll notice that the templates have both a dotted inner line and a solid outer line. I normally pipe the macaron batter up to the dotted line. After tapping the tray/mat to release any air bubbles and help the batter settle, the shells will naturally spread to around the solid outer line, giving you the intended final shape and size.
For piping, I normally use a Wilton 10 round nozzle to pipe standard macaron shells and for shaped macarons that don’t have too much fine detail, such as the pumpkins or simpler leaves. For more intricate shapes, such as the maple leaf, you may find it easier to use a smaller nozzle, such as a Wilton 6, which gives you more control when piping the finer points and details.
Once you’ve finished piping, remember to slide the paper templates out before baking – and keep them for your next batch!
Autumn Macaron Shape Templates: Pumpkins and Leaves
Description
A smooth and creamy pumpkin ganache made with real pumpkin purée, white chocolate and warming autumn spices. Paired with a rich salted caramel centre, it gives you the perfect balance of sweet, creamy, spiced and slightly salty flavours – ideal for pumpkin macarons and other autumn bakes.
Ingredients
Pumpkin Ganache
Salted Caramel Centre
Instructions
Pumpkin Ganache
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Roast the pumpkin
- Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and roast at 180°C for around 20 minutes or until completely soft and cooked through.Â
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Warm the pumpkin and cream
- Place the roasted pumpkin in a small saucepan with the double cream, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, all spice and salt.
- Warm gently, stirring occasionally, until the mixture just begins to bubble.Â
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Add the butter
- Remove from the heat and add the butter, stirring briefly to combine.
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Pour over the white chocolate
- Place the white chocolate in a tall heatproof bowl or jug.Â
- Pour the hot pumpkin and cream mixture over the chocolate and leave it to sit for a couple of minutes to allow the chocolate to soften.Â
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Blend until smooth. Chill until firm.
- Using a hand blender, blend the mixture until completely smooth, creamy and glossy.
- Allow the ganache to cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours for until it is firm enough to pipe.Â
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Pipe or whip
- Once chilled, you can use the ganache as it is for a smooth, rich and stable filling.
- Alternatively, whip it briefly before piping if you prefer a lighter, airier texture.Â
Salted Caramel Centre
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Melt the sugar
- Place the caster sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Allow it to melt, swirling the pan occasionally, until it reaches a deep amber colour.Â
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Add the cream
- Carefully add the double cream a little at a time.
- Take care, as the mixture will bubble vigorously.Â
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Finish the caramel
- Remove from the heat and stir until smooth.
- Add the butter and then the sea salt, adjusting the amount of salt to your taste.Â
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Cool
- Allow the salted caramel to cool completely and thicken before transferring it to a piping bag.Â
