I'm pretty new to cookies, but I'm having a blast playing around with all these wonderful Christmas cookie ideas and inspirations I've seen here.

My first question is how do I get rid of those tiny air bubbles that form in my RI as it starts to dry? I've tried popping them with a toothpick or running a small brush through the surface before it dries, but that seems to just make more.

Also, is there an RI recipe that stays shiny after it's dry? I love the look of the cookies when I first decorate them, but usually after letting them dry overnight, I'm disappointed in the matte finish they end up with when dry. I've tried Antonias RI recipe, Toba's Glace recipe, and the RI recipe in Cookie Craft and all of them dry matte. Any ideas for a shiny cookie?

Thanks!

As for shine I'm with you on that one. But I let mine sit overnight before I use it. I actually heard that's what you should do before using it and it really does work, it actually helps look less matte too. The reason I tell you this is that I've tried it both ways, but I still would like more shine.

Hi Tootie0809, and welcome to the madness!!
The best suggestion I've seen here on CC to minimize the bubbles in RI is to let it sit awhile after mixing. After I get the color and consistency I want for the fill, I let it sit in a bowl covered with a wet dish towel - Depending on the amount of RI, I let it sit anywhere from 20 minutes to a couple of hours. Then I carefully run my spatula across the top to pop the bubbles still left on the surface. This helps a lot, but there are still the occasional rogue bubbles on the cookies to pop with a toothpick!
For a slight sheen on my dried RI, I add a couple of drops of glycerine to my RI icing recipe.
Hope this helps some!

Thank you for the great tips! I will definitely try doing them. Never thought about glycerin, but I have some in my pantry so I'm going to try this when I make another batch of RI today.

BTW, SweetDreams, I absolutely am blown away by your cookies. Your website is one of my biggest inspirations!

I've never had air bubbles in cookie icing, but it could be because I bang the cookies. When I put the base icing on .... once I've flooded the cookie, I bang it slightly on the counter or give it a quick shake to smooth it out and blend it.