Sift together the almond flour and powdered sugar. (You may have to work at getting all of the almond flour through the sieve. I ended up using a spatula to press it all through.)

Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in a large bowl (if using a hand mixer) or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low until the egg whites are frothy. Increase the speed and beat for a few minutes, then turn the speed to high and beat until the whites are very stiff and dry. Add in the coconut extract and beat another minute or so.

Pour the dry ingredients into the egg whites and using a rubber spatula, start folding in the dry ingredients. Keep folding until the mixture starts to come together. When the batter is ready, it will flow together in a lava-like consistency.

Working with half of the batter at a time, transfer it to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the batter into a parchment lined baking sheet in 1 1/2-inch rounds.

Holding the sides of the pan, tap the pan firmly on the counter, then turn the pan and tap again. (This will help any air bubbles dislodge from the cookies.)

Let the pans sit on the counter for 30-45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300F. Bake the macarons for 15-18 minutes, or until you can cleanly peel the macaron away from the paper. Allow to cool completely on the pans.

Place the strawberries in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Use a sieve to strain out the seeds and place the strawberry puree in a small pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and stirring frequently, cook until it reduces by half. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add in 1 cup of the powdered sugar and the vanilla and beat on low until combined. Add in 1/3 of the strawberry puree and beat to combine, followed by 1 more cup of powdered sugar. Repeat with another 1/3 of the puree and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Add in the remaining 1/3 of the strawberry puree, beating until combined, and then the remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add a few drops of red food coloring if desired to enhance the color.

Take 2 similar sized macarons and pipe or spread some of the buttercream onto the flat side of one of the cookies. Place the flat side of the second cookie down on the buttercream. Repeat with the remaining cookies.

Macarons are best once they have aged at least a day. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Let them come to room temperature, about 20-30 minutes, before eating. They also freeze very well.