Halloween Donut Macarons
Oct 29, 2014, Updated May 07, 2023
French "Donut" Macarons filled with Pumpkin Butter and decorated with Spooky Sprinkles! Perfect for Halloween party!
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Macarons, they just make me very happy. Oh, let me rephrase it, French Macarons – they make me extremely happy! Well french macarons are different from macarons so I thought I would make it clear which macaron I am talking about! Oh and these cute little Halloween donut macarons made me extra happy. Seriously how cute are these! I don’t even feel like eating them, I only want to look at them! Whee!
These are regular french macarons with a twist. They have a donut ring on top and thus we call them “donut macarons”.
With Halloween just a few days away, I wanted to make some treat which is fun to look at is also delicious at the same time. And thus I came up with these donut macarons. They not only taste incredible [well all french macarons do, duh!] they look so cute well. These are perfect for your Halloween party and I bet they will be a big hit with the kids.
Which one if your favorite? I like this orange guy, look how he’s looking at me! Spooky!
For this recipe, I used my favorite macaron recipe which always works for me. I filled these cute macaron shells with Pumpkin Butter from Trader Joe’s. Have you tried this butter? I got it when I went grocery this weekend and oh my god, it’s so good! I have been eating it all the time ever since I got it and I can’t tell you how incredible it tasted inside these macarons. I ate 3 cookies already and I am somehow resisting the temptation to eat more but I don’t think it will last very long! But can you blame me?
Have you made macarons before? If not, than this post might help you > French Macarons: The Basics. I wrote this post sometime back where I wrote about the techniques involved in making french macarons. Actually making them is really easy, don’t get intimidated by these complex steps. You just need to get it right once and once you understand the tricks and techniques then there’s no looking back.
I decorate these donut macarons with spooky sprinkles and other Halloween decorative stuff.
Method
In a bowl sift together almond meal and powdered sugar, also known as confectioners sugar.
Sift them thrice, this will ensure that macarons have smooth top.
Separate eggs whites [they are best separated when cold] and keep them at room temperature for an hour before you start working on them. You can even leave them for 24 hours, this recipe does not work if egg whites are not at room temperature.
Start beating the egg whites at high speed using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer or using your hand mixer When it begins to foam, add cream of tartar.
Keep beating till it reaches a shaving foam like consistency and then add the granulated sugar.
Beat more till the egg whites develop stiff peaks and are shiny.
Fold the almond meal – powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites using a spatula. Don’t add the entire thing in one go, do it in 2-3 parts.
As you start mixing, the batter will be tough at first but will loosen up as you proceed. Do not undermix and do not overmix either.
The batter should not be runny but should still fall down from the spatula in a blob.
Transfer batter to pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round tip. Pipe the batter onto the sheet/mat making small blobs around an inch big. For the donut ring, make only the boundary. I used this silicone mat especially designed for making macarons. If you are using a cookie sheet, line it first with parchment paper and then pipe the batter. After you have piped all the macarons, let them sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, do not bake them immediately. If you bake them immediately, they will not develop their trademark “feets”.
After 30 minutes, preheat your oven to 300 F degrees. Bake at 300 F degrees for 15-20 minutes [time may vary depending on your oven].
While the macarons are baking, make the glaze by mixing together confectioners sugar and water.
Divide the glaze into 4 parts. Color it in orange, black and purple. Leave the 4th part as such.
Once the macarons have baked, take them out of the oven and let them cool completely. Don’t try to remove them before they have cooled down.
Once the shells have cooled down, take one of the base and pipe little pumpkin butter in the center. Now take the donut ring, and apply glaze over it. Decorate it with spooky sprinkles.
Put the donut ring over the base to form “donut macarons”.
Decorate all the donut macarons similarly.
Halloween Donut Macarons
Ingredients
Macaron shells
- 1 cup almond meal
- 1.5 cups confectioners sugar
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 3 egg whites at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Filling
- ½ cup pumpkin butter
Glaze
- ¾ cup confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- black food color
- orange food color
- purple food color
- spooky sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
Make the macaron
- In a bowl sift together almond meal and confectioners sugar thrice, this will ensure that macarons have smooth top.
- Separate eggs whites [they are best separated when cold] and keep them at room temperature for an hour before you start working on them. This recipe works only with room temperature egg whites.
- Start beating the egg whites at high speed using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer or using your hand mixer When it begins to foam, add cream of tartar.
- Keep beating till it reaches a shaving foam like consistency and then add the granulated sugar.
- Beat more till the egg whites develop stiff peaks and are shiny.
- Fold the almond meal – powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites using a spatula. Don’t add the entire thing in one go, do it in 2-3 parts.
- As you start mixing, the batter will be tough at first but will loosen up as you proceed. Do not undermix and do not overmix either.
- The batter should not be runny but should still fall down from the spatula in a blob.
- Transfer batter to pastry bag fitted with a 1/2 inch round tip. Pipe the batter onto the sheet/mat making small blobs around an inch big.
- After you have piped all the macarons, let them sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes, do not bake them immediately.
- After 30 minutes, preheat your oven to 300 F degrees. Bake at 300 F degrees for 15-20 minutes.
- While the macarons are baking, make the glaze by mixing together confectioners sugar and water.
- Divide the glaze into 4 parts and color 3 parts with orange, purple and black food color.
Completing the donut macaron
- Once the macarons have baked, take them out of the oven and let them cool completely. Don't try to remove them before they have cooled down.
- Once the shells have cooled down, take one of the base and pipe little pumpkin butter in the center.
- Now take the donut ring, and apply glaze over it. Decorate it with spooky sprinkles.
- Put the donut ring over the base to form "donut macarons".
- Decorate all donut macarons in whatever way you like.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Halloween Donut Macarons
Very creative! They look so beautiful dear
Thanks Kushi!
YUM!
Thanks!
These are so so creative! I have never even attempted macarons – but you made donut macarons with gorgeous gorgeous patterns! Love these! Are you taking orders? 🙂
Thanks Shashi! You are too kind! 🙂
These are so adorable!! You have outdone yourself with the decorations! Macarons are hard enough! And they make me happy too. 🙂 So happy. Pinned!
Thank you Lindsey 🙂 I love making french macarons!
These are adorable!! Such a great Halloween treat! 😉
Thank you Jocelyn! 🙂
OOOHH! This are SO adorable! 🙂
Thanks for sharing!! 🙂
Thanks Nicole! 🙂
These are so cute and festive!! I love them 🙂
Thank you so much!
these are so bright and adorable! I love bright colored food it’s so much more fun to eat!
Thank you Michele! I love bright and colorful food too!
These are the cutest donut macarons ever! And also the freakiest, which is so apt with Halloween 😀
Thank you Kiran! 🙂
Wow, this is so creative! I like how you had the donut shaped top half on the round bottom half so you can decorate the macarons as eyes and such. The macaron that has the little candy pumpkin on it is super cute. What a great addition to a Halloween party!
Thanks Sarah! Glad you liked them!
Manali only yesterday I was searching for a good french macaron recipe! Thanks and I will be trying out my first batch using your macaron basic recipe!!
Good luck Ami! Hope it turns out well for you!! 🙂
These are the cutest desserts ever, Manali! What a fun treat for Halloween. You have such great creativity!
Thank you Gayle, glad you liked them! they were super fun to make!
Hi Manali,
I’ve just stared at the first picture for 5 minutes straight. I’m mesmerized. I seriously can’t get over the fact at how perfect they all look. I’m glad that macaroons make you happy. The pictures alone gave me the biggest smile 😀 Amazing recipe and picture!
Thank you Vanessa, you are so sweet!
Too cute to resist, love all the colors and decorations 🙂
Thank you so much!
These doughnut macaroons look absolutely cute and colourful! totally loving this idea!
Thank you Arpita! They were fun to make!
These are adorable and perfect for Halloween! They look like they need to be sold at a little French shop in Paris! Pinned 🙂
Thanks for the pin Ceara! 🙂 Glad you liked them!
These are so cute and creative Manali! I love how colorful they are. I think I like the one that reminds me of turkey feathers! So perfect for Halloween and Thanksgiving – and so so so colorful! Pinned!
Thanks for the pin Kristi! I also love how colorful they are, I didn’t feel like eating them!
Oh my gosh, Manali! These macarons are just too too fun. You are seriously SO creative. Dying over how cute these are!
Thanks Sarah! I had fun making them!
Oh wow! These are the cutest Halloween treats I’ve ever seen! And I absolutely love french macarons! YUM!
Thanks Olivia, glad you liked!
Oh my goodness, how ADORABLE! I am a huge fan, they’ll be such a HIT this Friday! 🙂
Thank you Gigi! yeah kids will love it for sure!
I love how cute these are! These are perfect for Halloween, such a creative idea!
Thank you Danielle! 🙂
These are beautiful Manali! I’m totally amazed with your creativity and I’m sure it took a lot of patience to create them but they are a winner! I want some macarons now! Might make some, but just the regular kind 🙂
Thank you Mira! It took a little time but the effort was worth it 🙂
way to cute, you are very crafty Manali, love it, pinned!
Thanks for the pin Lily, glad you liked them!
These are so festive and fun, Manali — what a great idea! I have not tried making macarons yet, but they’re high on my list! Pinning. 🙂
Thanks Marcie, you must make them! 🙂 and thanks for the pin!
These are so cute! I love how fun, colorful and delicious they are! Have a spooky day!
Thanks Pamela, glad you liked them!
These macarons are so so adorable!!! I love how festive you decorated them – gorgeous job and so perfect for Halloween 🙂
Thank you Kelly 🙂
It is unreal how absolutely adorable these are!!! Love how you decorated them, too cute. Pinned!!
Thank you for the pin Rachel!
I love these Manali! They’re so cute! And I can’t believe I still haven’t made macarons ever, I need to get on that, they always look so nice. But these are definitely the coolest ones I’ve ever seen!
Thanks Stacey! You need to make macarons, they are so good!
Oh my goodness! These are so cute. I love how fun and playful these macarons look. Well done, Manali!
Thank you Jen! glad you liked!
Uhhh, this might be your coolest recipe yet. Obsessed!!
Thanks Sarah! They made me very happy 🙂
These are the cutest EVER! You decorated them perfectly! I love this idea. So creative. Someday I must get over my fear of making macarons and failing at them! Haha! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Sarah! I had a lot of fun decorating them. You must get over the fear because macarons aren’t tough to make! I am sure you can do it!
These are so cute, Manali! I love macarons! And these just take them to a new level.
Thank you Mir! I love macarons too!
Okay! These are so cute and so clever! I’m very intimidated by macarons, but in looking at your Basics post – I think I’m gonna go for it Manali! Wish me luck!
Thanks Annie! Nooo don’t be intimidated, it’s not very difficult to make macarons. Just give it a try!