Is anyone able to tell me why my icing is getting craters? The cookie base was completely dry. It only happens with small details like dots, eyes, and leaves. I use a recipe with powdered sugar, corn syrup, milk and flavoring. It's so aggravating!! 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

AMiraculously, I have had problems with craters only once. And I think it was because my icing was too thin for detail work, but I am not sure. I have read that they tend to happen when you are filling in more angular areas, and that a heat gun or fan will help prevent them. I picked up a heat gun but I honestly don't use it very often because it's noisy lol. I like to decorate in silence or to the melodious sounds of Damien Rice, not the sound of small jet engines. :-D.

I'd decorate on runway #1 at  LAX in my snow shoes listening to gears grinding in jumbo jets if I could get as artistic as some of you folks.

A

Ha! Don't sell yourself short, MB. You ain't no chump!

Ah thanks, seriously I like doing cookies, don't know why really,   Oh wait.... maybe it's because if I mess one up I can just eat it, and make better ones and no one will know.  It's a win-win situation.

so I hope rica827 can get the tips that will work for her and help her out.  Actually rica827 if you'd like to test the heat gun potential without buying one, just try a small hair dryer on a test cookie or two. 

with royal icing it is best made and left for at least 6 hours. the traditional way is to make it up really stiff then let it down with water to the consistency of the task you want it for. the reason for letting it stand is to get rid of air bubbles. (this could be the cause  of the "craters" ) banging the bowl on the work surface and using a pin to prick the air pockets can speed up the process as will making the icing before you bake and covering it with plastic to prevent it from skinning. When making it use a wooden/plastic spoon and bowl as steel may give white icing a grey tinge. traditionally RI is mixed by hand as a mixer increases the amount of air in the mixture.

AI make my royal icing with meringue powder rather than eggs whites, and not only do I use my kitchenaid to do it, I use the whipping attachment to whip it up! I do however, tend to make large batches at a time so that the whisk is completely covered by the icing (which is one tip people swear by in preventing bubbles in Swiss Meringue Buttercream). I do as Sugarflorist suggested though; I store my icing at a very thick consistency and when I water it down and/or color it, I let it sit covered for about 20 minutes, which seems to allow air bubbles to rise to the top. Then I use a rubber spatula to fold away the bubbles.

AI have to admit that my knowledge of RI is old fashioned (or should I say traditional) being a Limey we have a tradition of royal iced fruit cakes. I adore the more modern fondant it is so easy to work with compared with RI. And so quick. I can't do RI now because I can't stand for long. But I don't miss it either.

AOMG it would not surprise me. The hours I have spent with sand paper getting a perfect finish lol

Thanks everyone!  It only happens every now and then. I will look into an embossing gun!  Good tips! :)

Julie Usher ** what a fabulous cookie decorator!  in this youtube video she demonstrated the use of the heat gun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_C0Fv_8sPQ&index=3&list=PLE8_nG5Lq4LVav-gDIKsiayEL5evF8TdP