These pumpkin spice almond croissants blend the warmth of spices with the nutty goodness of pumpkin almond cream. You only need a few extra ingredients to elevate your plain croissant to this perfect autumn treat. Enjoy it with each flaky, delicious bite.
Want more autumn recipes like this, you might also enjoy Pumpkin Butter or Mochi Waffle.
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What is Almond Cream (Frangipane) ?
Almond Cream is a sweet and rich filling made primarily from ground almonds, sugar, butter, and eggs. Almond cream is commonly used in desserts to add a layer of richness and a subtle almond taste. It can be a filling in croissants, Danishes, or as a base for almond-based tarts and cakes.
Ingredients in Pumpkin Spice Almond Croissant
- Croissant - The croissants I use are from Costco. Get the plain croissants from your favorite bakery or grocery shop. The quality of croissant isn’t our concern here because this recipe is going to turn any croissant into delicious pastry.
- Butter - Butter helps bind the other ingredients in the almond cream filling, such as ground almonds, sugar, and eggs, creating a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Light Brown Sugar - Light brown sugar brings an extra molasses flavor that white sugar lacks, which adds a warm and slightly caramel-like sweetness to the pumpkin spice almond cream filling.
- Almond Flour - Almond flour provides a slightly grainy texture to the almond cream, which is desirable in almond-based fillings. The almond flour I use contains the skin. In some recipe such as macaron, you need only the blanched fine almond flour. In this recipe, whole almond flour works just as fine as blanched one.
- Flour - Flour helps the cream set and hold its shape, preventing it from becoming too runny or liquid. Traditional almond cream recipes often use just a small amount, and the primary texture and flavor come from the ground almonds.
- Pumpkin Puree - Pumpkin puree gives the filling a lovely orange, enhancing the visual appeal of the croissants. It also adds moisture to the almond cream, so adding too much or too little will both change the texture of the filling.
- Egg Yolk - Egg yolk acts as emulsifiers, assisting in blending fats (such as butter) and liquids (such as pumpkin puree). This ensures that the almond cream remains well-mixed and doesn't separate during baking.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice - Pumpkin spice is the essence of autumn. I use store-bought pumpkin pie spice mix. You can also make your own pumpkin spice by combining ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves, and ground allspice.
- Simple Syrup - Mixing the same amount of water and sugar, simple syrup helps to keep the croissants moist and gives the croissants a glossy sheen on the outside.
- Amaretto - Amaretto is an almond-flavored liqueur. I add it to enhance the almond flavor. It is very sweet and contains alcohol, so be mindful of the amount you add.
- Pumpkin Seed - Pumpkin seed is optional ingredient. I like to use it as a topping to make it look more colorful.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Almond Croissant Soak?
In a lot of bakeries, making almond croissants is the best way to repurpose day-old croissants, increase product variety and bring more value to the business, too. Baked goods tend to loose the moisture and texture after a day old, so they need to soak the stale croissant with some syrup.
Dissolve granulated sugar in hot water to make simple syrup.
Simply mix the simple syrup and Amaretto.
How to make Pumpkin Spice Almond Cream Filling?
Combine the softened unsalted butter and light brown sugar with a spatula.
Add the almond flour and all-purpose flour to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix until it's fully incorporated.
Add the egg yolk and pumpkin puree and mix again. The mixture may appear to curdle at first, but it will come together into a smooth paste as you continue to mix. Using a hand mixer or blender will also help the emulsification.
Set it aside when you prepare the croissants.
How to make Pumpkin Spice Almond Croissant?
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Cut each plain croissant in half horizontally, creating a top and a bottom. Slice back and forth with a serrated knife.
Brush the inner sides of croissants with Almond Croissant Soak, both top and bottom halves. Lightly brush the tops of the croissants to create the glossy look after baking.
Pipe or spread a generous layer of almond cream (about ⅔ almond cream) onto the bottom half of each croissant.
Reassemble the Croissants by placing the top halves of the croissants back on the almond cream-covered bottoms.
Pipe the remaining ⅓ almond cream on top of croissants. Top with some pumpkin seeds.
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until golden and toasty.
Storage
Pumpkin Spice Almond Butter - If you're not using it right away, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can be kept for a few days, and you can bring it to room temperature before use.
Baked Pumpkin Spice Almond Croissant - The leftover Pumpkin Spice Almond Croissant can keep at room temperature up to 2 days. If you want to store almond croissants for an extended period, wrap each croissant individually and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Recipe Tips
Don't Overload! While it's essential to add enough almond cream filling, avoid overloading the croissants. Too much filling can ooze out during baking.
Freeze the croissants for even slicing! When cutting the croissants, it’s easier to cut frozen hard croissant without crushing them at the same time.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, simply remove the pumpkin puree and add 1 whole egg instead of 1 egg yolk.
Amaretto is optional here. For people who don’t like its strong almond flavor, Grand Marnier can be a good replacement. Its orange flavor can add a citrusy note to your pumpkin spice almond croissants. You can also use1 teaspoon of almond extract for a similar almond flavor without the alcohol.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe Card
Pumpkin Spice Almond Croissant
Ingredients
- 3 croissant
Almond Croissant Soak
- 30 g water
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Amaretto
Pumpkin Spice Almond Cream
- 50 g unsalted butter soften
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 40 g almond flour
- 20 g all-purpose flour
- 40 g pumpkin puree
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
- pumpkin seed optional
Instructions
- Prep: Prepare Almond Croissant Soak by mixing simple syrup and Amaretto. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Cream: Combine the softened unsalted butter and light brown sugar with a spatula. Add the almond flour and all-purpose flour and mix until it's fully incorporated.
- Mix: Add the egg yolk and pumpkin puree and mix again. Set aside.
- Slice: Cut each plain croissant in half horizontally, creating a top and a bottom.
- Brush: Brush the inner sides and top of croissants with Almond Croissant Soak.
- Fill: Pipe or spread a generous layer of almond cream (about ⅔ almond cream) onto the bottom half of each croissant.
- Assemble: Reassemble the Croissants by placing the top halves of the croissants back on the almond cream-covered bottoms.
- Top: Pipe the remaining ⅓ almond cream on top of croissants. Top with some pumpkin seeds.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes or until golden.
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