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To avoid “tails” on your dots, make sure you have the correct consistency icing (medium) and make sure you stop squeezing the decorating bag before you lift the tip away from the surface. If you’ve done all this, and still are getting “tails,” simply allow the icing to crust a bit (it usually just takes a few minutes for small dots), and using your finger which has been dipped in cornstarch, poke the “tails” down.

The size tip you need to use will depend on the look you want to achieve. Any round tip works, but generally, the larger the cake layer, the larger round tip you can use. When making large dots, lift the tip slightly as you squeeze to allow the icing to fill out completely.