Looking for some spooky or delicious inspiration as Hallowe'en creeps up on us this October? Be inspired by my Top 10 Halloween macaron ideas. From fun, easy creative ideas, delicious fall macaron flavours to the downright surprising. So take your pick and join the party!

- Top 10 Halloween Macaron Ideas
- 1. Halloween Macaron Skeleton Faces
- 2. More Halloween Macaron Faces
- 3. Make your Own Edible Eyes with Smarties
- 4. Halloween Black Macarons
- 5. Witch's Hat Macaron Tower
- 6. How to Make Spider Macarons
- 7. Mummie Macarons
- 8. Halloween Fall Macarons
- 9. Halloween Macaron Ideas to Die For
- 10. Purple Halloween Colours to Pair with Macarons
- Mad About Macarons Halloween Birthday Party
Top 10 Halloween Macaron Ideas
It's funny. Every year the French become a little more accustomed to Hallowe'en. When I arrived here in 1992, it was a total non-event. However, over the years with tourism, Parisian shop windows in the fall have gradually been increasing their creative spirit (get it?) with Halloween ideas. We're seeing marzipan and chocolate pumpkins with the odd spider lurking around.
Perhaps my biggest surprise was last year, when our local fromagerie (cheese shop) in Saint-Germain-en-Laye put out a life-size witch who, whenever was touched, would hackle. Even the most macho of teenagers who past were spooked - far from cheesy!
Don't forget that macarons are gluten free.
1. Halloween Macaron Skeleton Faces
Here's an idea from Fortnum and Mason's in London (the UK does Halloween better than Paris). They usually have Hallowe'en treats with names like Pick your Poison. These rum macarons have skeleton faces. If making for large quantities, use a black food colouring spray with a stencil.
However, for smaller quantities at home it's just as easy to draw them on by hand using edible food ink pens. Create your own simple spooky faces using a jet black edible pen on these salted caramel macarons, for example.
Food ink pens are available in all good specialist cake shops.
Have a favourite store with good quality products? Share in the comments below.
2. More Halloween Macaron Faces
I'm not much of an artist but if you are, then I'm sure you can do more elaborate Hallowe'en decorations on your macarons. Using edible food ink pens, draw on pumpkin lantern faces, a ghost face, write the words, 'Boo', and so on.
Edible Glitter Look
Brush on some edible glitter (lustre) - such as bronze or deep pink - to make your macarons extra shiny. They're particularly good on salted caramel, raspberry macarons, and chocolate macarons (many recipes in both my books).
3. Make your Own Edible Eyes with Smarties
Mini and regular smarties are great for making quick and easy edible eyes. Create a one-eyed monster's bloodshot look using black and pink edible pens.
Stick them on with a dab of melted chocolate. It's what I did to create the Witch's Hat Macaron Tower. Don't be scared to make a mess, either, as too much chocolate 'glue' can make them look like black eyes!
4. Halloween Black Macarons
I find that gel is better than powder for creating black macarons and use good quality black food gel to make liquorice macarons extra black. Available in good baking specialist shops, my favourite brand in Paris is DecoRelief (not sponsored) but many others are good from any of the Parisian stores on Rue Montmartre.
5. Witch's Hat Macaron Tower
Use a polystyrene cone (again, available in specialist decor and baking shops like Zodio in France). Wrap some black crêpe paper around it or simply place over a (clean) fancy-dress witch's hat. Then stick the whole thing in place with cocktail sticks.
They not only keep the paper in place but, by sticking them in two-thirds of the way into the polystyrene, you can pierce each macaron in place.
6. How to Make Spider Macarons
If you're like me and don't like things too spooky over Hallowe'en, then these are more deliciously adorable. Spider macarons are far from creepy.
How to make spider macarons: cut up some liquorice shoe-lace or coils and stick them into the ganache before placing the macaron shell on top.
7. Mummie Macarons
Cut up tiny marzipan strips and stick them on with melted chocolate to make Mummie decorated macarons.
This Hallowe'en macaron tower is in my 2nd book, Teatime in Paris: A Walk Through Easy French Pâtisserie Recipes.
8. Halloween Fall Macarons
Just looking for fall macaron flavours? Try these scrumptious Pumpkin Spice Macarons made with a white chocolate ganache. Without any added sugar in the filling, they're not too sweet.
Unlike many pumpkin macarons that just use pumpkin spice, these ones actually contain delicious roasted pumpkin - or use your favourite Libby's purée. They have a good hint of pumpkin spice too.
Looking for more pumpkin recipes?
See the French market's pumpkin page.
9. Halloween Macaron Ideas to Die For
The following Halloween macaron ideas have an element of surprise - perfectly delicious to die for their flavours!
Exploding Sugar
Add some extra exploding sugar (sucre pétillant) to top these already fizzy Orangina or Fanta macarons. The recipe is in Teatime in Paris and is easily adaptable to make Coca-Cola macarons too, making it a spookily black filling!
However, it's probably even funnier to get them when they don't expect it in, say, raspberry and rose macarons. Let me know if you try it.
Add Some Surprising Spice!
Pistachio, Coconut and Wasabi Macarons are definitely my favourite macarons to die for (in my first book). The macaron flavours were inspired by Michelin starred chef, William Ledeuil from tasting a dessert like this pistachio ice cream.
Did I say WASABI? Yes, this fiery Japanese mustard packs a punch. There's just enough wasabi to add some intriguing heat in that macaron ganache filling. Yet the sweetness of the macaron puts out the fire!
Although it looks like a whopping load of wasabi in the ganache recipe, the right dosage of white chocolate, coconut cream, vanilla and pistachio makes a perfect Hallowe'en concoction. The surprising mixture cuts out the fire just leaving the hint of wasabi behind on the tongue.
Speaking of tongues, I should have made the smarties tongues green, I know! You'll do a better job, I'm sure. Give them angry faces.
Savoury Macarons: Witch One?
Mini savoury macarons create a real element of surprise and are a fun Hallowe'en idea that adds some tasty creativity.
Serve little cups of this mushroom cappuccino soup with a dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder. and mini savoury mushroom macarons with a hint of truffle.
Have you tried the curry tikka mac'sala mini macs with the creamy French cauliflower soup, Crème Dubarry, for example? Curry macarons are great fun served with drinks - partnered with a Gin & Tonic for an adult Hallowe'en party or with this pumpkin soup with ginger.
Alternatively, what about these fun Thai Green/Red Curry mini savoury macarons? They are HOT! Yes, that's snow in that photo. It was so cold around Paris that we needed some heat via spicy macarons.
10. Purple Halloween Colours to Pair with Macarons
Here are more purple macaron halloween ideas around flavours to pair together for dinner.
- Replace these French Vichy carrots with purple carrots
- Purple carrot cake - a delicious carrot cake made with purple carrots!
- Replace purple versions of vegetables in soups (replace regular potatoes in this Arugula or Rocket Soup with Vitelotte; cauliflower with purple cauliflower (yes, it exists! It's natural and healthy too.)
- For some purple fun, serve mini beetroot and horseradish macarons (from Mad About Macarons) with a fun and fiery spicy beetroot and horseradish risotto.
There are also Bloody Mary macarons to choose from for a real trick AND treat.
For more, see my post on what to serve with savoury macarons.
Mad About Macarons Halloween Birthday Party
Did you know that Mad About Macarons is celebrating its 14th birthday in 2024? So a huge Merci and THANK YOU with all my heart for your support: for following, for liking, for taking the time to comment and for leaving motivating reviews on my free recipes.
Have you made any of the recipes from le blog, my books, or fancy sharing any of these Top 10 Halloween Macaron Ideas? Please leave a comment below or take a picture and hashtag it #MadAboutMacarons and tag me @madaboutmacarons on Instagram or Facebook.
This post was first published 26 October 2018 but is now completely updated.
mimi rippee
Oh how beautiful and fun! You're so talented!
Jill Colonna
Thanks so much, Mimi. Just a bit mad! Hope you had a lovely Hallowe'en
Betty
Jill, I took a break from editing my Halloween Teeny Tea photos to read your super-fun blog post! So many great ideas for Halloween!!! I know this holiday is not as popular in France as it is here in America yet, but it's just so much fun that I hope it catches on more at some point. Wishing you a very fun Halloween, Jill!
Jill Colonna
Thanks so much for taking the time to pop in, Betty. Yes, it's not popular here - it's the American and UK expats that come around the doors and celebrate it, mainly. However, it is gradually catching on especially with the younger generation. Have a super Hallowe'een. Have been enjoying your creativity on IG in the countdown to Hallowe'en with your super drawings and teeny teas.
Thomasina
Great news Jill that Mad about Macarons is on its 10th reprint. I think you have great ideas and are very artistic. I can't begin to choose my favourite but if I had to it would be the pumpkin spice ones using the inside of the lantern I need to make.
Jill Colonna
Now that's a great idea! Or if you need more recipes for pumpkin then check out the new pumpkin page.
Liz
You have no shortage of creative ideas in your brain, Jill! You have Halloween covered in a most delicious way!!
Jill Colonna
Thanks for popping in, Liz. Have a delicious Hallowe'en!
Christina Conte
Wonderful ideas, Jill, and none of them are gross (that's a good thing)! haha! Love the spider macarons the best, though! Has trick or treating caught on in France? No clue what the tradition is there!
Jill Colonna
Thanks, Christina.
I didn't want to be a kill-joy mentioning the French tradition here since there really isn't one. Only recently it has been commercialised in the shops but the older French generation still don't celebrate it. Some of the local children come dressed around in our neighbourhood but many neighbours pretend to be out! That said, we see a lot more pumpkins earlier in the market with face stickers on them. IKR?
I may even have the courage to make your Trolls' Toes since I'm more of a twinkle-toes.