Start by sifting your dry ingredients: almond flour, powdered sugar, and the freeze-dried strawberries using a fine mesh sieve. I found it is best to grind them in a food processor to combine the powdered sugar and the almond flour. This ensures the almond flour mixture is free of clumps, which will help achieve smooth, perfect macarons.

In a separate large bowl, whisk your egg whites with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment. Begin on medium-low speed to gently start whipping the egg whites, and gradually increase the speed to medium-high as they begin to form soft peaks. Add the granulated sugar and cream of tartar once the egg whites have reached this stage, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form and the meringue holds its shape.

Add the gel food coloring if you’d like a subtle pink color and whisk gently. Stiff peaks are key here—they should stand straight up when the whisk is lifted.

Incorporate your dry ingredients into the egg whites using a silicone spatula. This process, known as macaronage, requires folding the mixture gently. Scoop the almond flour mixture and fold it in with a circular motion, scraping the sides of the bowl and bottom of the bowl as you go. The goal is to achieve a smooth batter with a lava-like consistency. Not too thick or too runny, but just right. When lifted, the batter should fall in a thick ribbon, breaking only slightly. Do something called a J Fold to start folding our meringue into our dry ingredients. Go down the center and then fold up to the left and over. Turn the bowl 90 degrees and repeat the J fold. Keep doing this until your batter oozes off the spatula like a ribbon and makes a v shape.

Fit a piping bag with a small round tip and fill it with the macaron batter. On a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mats, pipe uniform circles of batter, about 1.5 inches in diameter. Be sure to pipe with a steady, circular motion to form smooth tops.

For achieving the same size macaron, print a template with circles on it and line a baking sheet. Then place parchment paper on top of that. You can also use a silicone baking mat with the circle outlines already printed to use as a template.

Using a piping bag align in the center of the small circle and push the batter out without moving your piping bag until it reaches the dotted line. Stop pushing and make a quick little C shape to detach the batter.

Tap the baking sheet firmly on the counter a couple of times to release any remaining air bubbles. Allow the piped shells to rest at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes, until skin forms on the surface of the batter. You should be able to gently touch the tops without the batter sticking to your fingers.

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer for accuracy. Bake the strawberry macaron shells for about 15-18 minutes. Keep the oven door closed and avoid opening it during baking, as the sudden temperature change can cause the macarons to crack. The shells are ready when they have formed a nice foot at the bottom and easily lift off the baking sheet. The bottoms are set and they’re not quite browning.

Let the shells cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the room temperature butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar and cream cheese, beating on medium speed. Once incorporated, add the strawberry preserves, freeze-dried strawberry powder, and vanilla extract. Continue mixing until smooth and creamy.

Once the macaron shells are completely cool, flip half of the shells over and pipe a generous dollop of strawberry buttercream on top. Gently press the remaining shells on top to form sandwiches.

Store the strawberry macarons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before eating to let the flavors meld. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.