1-First, pulse the shredded sweetened coconut in a food processor a few times to break it into finer pieces, then measure 4 and 3/4 cups. If a food processor is unavailable, roughly chop the coconut on a cutting board. This step ensures a better texture in your final cookies.

2-Next, preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract with a mixer on medium-high speed for about 1 minute until the mixture is foamy and the sugar is mostly dissolved. Avoid over-beating to prevent dryness, as this maintains the proper texture for chewy macaroons.

3-Then, fold the chopped coconut into the egg white mixture evenly to create a sticky dough. Scoop out portions of 1.5 tablespoons each and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. For smaller cookies, use 1 tablespoon portions, noting that cookies do not spread much during baking.

4-Now, bake for about 20 minutes or until the edges and tops are lightly browned, rotating the pan halfway through for even baking. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Use a spatula if the bottoms stick to avoid any mess.

5-Finally, for chocolate dipping (optional), melt the chopped chocolate in a microwave or double boiler, dip the cooled cookies, and place them on lined sheets to set in the refrigerator or at room temperature until the chocolate firms. This recipe yields about 18 large or 24 small cookies, perfect for sharing.