Pan de Muerto Recipe (Day of the Dead Bread)

This pan de muerto recipe makes soft, buttery Mexican sweet bread with orange zest, orange blossom water, and a sugar coating. The dough gets shaped into round loaves with little bone-shaped decorations on top. They look elaborate, but you’re really just working with dough balls and a few rolled strips.

I love the combination of citrus and butter here. The orange blossom water adds a light floral flavor, and brushing the warm bread with melted butter gives the sugar something to stick to. Obviously, that part matters.

Plan on an afternoon for this Day of the Dead bread. Most of that time is spent waiting for the dough to rise, so you don’t need to stand over it. Put on some coffee when it’s ready.

Jump to:

• What Is Pan de Muerto?
• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Pan de Muerto Ingredients
• How to Make Pan de Muerto
• My Top Tip
• Substitutions
• Pan de Muerto Variations
• What to Serve with Pan de Muerto
• Make Ahead and Storage
• Frequently Asked Questions About Day of the Dead Bread
• Equipment
• Pan de Muerto Recipe (Day of the Dead Bread)
• Food safety

What Is Pan de Muerto?

Pan de muerto means “bread of the dead.” It’s a Mexican sweet bread associated with Día de los Muertos, when families remember and honor loved ones who have died. It can be placed on an ofrenda and shared with family and friends.

There are regional versions with different shapes and finishes. This recipe makes the round, sugar-coated style with crossed dough decorations that resemble bones and a small ball on top.

If you enjoy making Mexican sweet breads, try my Mexican conchas next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Orange flavor throughout. Orange zest gives the dough its citrus flavor, while orange blossom water adds something a little more floral.
• A rich, soft crumb. Butter, eggs, and milk make this an enriched bread dough.
• Decorations you can shape by hand. No special cutter needed. A few strips of dough and a small ball make the topping.
• Two loaves from one batch. Keep one for your kitchen and share the other, or freeze it for later.

Pan de Muerto Ingredients

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:

All-purpose flour: Weigh it if you can. Too much flour can make the bread heavier, and it’s easy to add more than you realize when measuring with cups.

Granulated sugar: You’ll use it in the dough and sprinkle more over the buttered loaves after baking.

Active dry yeast: This recipe uses active dry yeast. Check the expiration date before starting, especially if the package has been sitting in your pantry for a while.

Milk: Warm it gently. It should feel warm, not hot.

Eggs: These enrich the dough and help give the bread its color. Bringing them to room temperature keeps them from cooling down the warm milk.

Kosher salt: A little salt keeps the bread from tasting flat.

Orange zest: Zest the orange before cutting it, and avoid the white pith underneath the peel. That part tastes bitter.

Orange blossom water: Buy food-grade orange blossom water intended for cooking. A small amount adds fragrance without taking over the bread.

Butter: Use softened, diced butter for the dough so it’s easier to incorporate. You’ll also need melted butter for brushing the baked loaves.

Egg wash: A beaten egg, a pinch of sugar, and a little water help the surface brown.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Pan de Muerto

My Top Tip

Don’t keep adding flour just because the dough feels sticky. This dough contains butter, eggs, and milk, so it won’t feel like a lean bread dough. Give it time to come together as you knead, and use only enough extra flour to keep it manageable.

A kitchen scale helps here. Start with the correct flour weight, then judge the dough after the butter is fully incorporated.

Substitutions

No orange blossom water? Leave it out and keep the orange zest. The bread will still have citrus flavor, but you’ll lose the floral note. I wouldn’t replace it with extra orange juice because that changes the liquid in the dough.

Need a milk substitute? An unsweetened, unflavored nondairy milk is a reasonable option, although it may slightly change the flavor and browning. The recipe still contains butter and eggs.

I’d keep the all-purpose flour and butter as written for this version. Gluten-free flour and oil aren’t straightforward swaps in an enriched yeast dough.

Pan de Muerto Variations

You can change the finish without changing the dough formula:

• Cinnamon sugar: Mix a little ground cinnamon into the sugar used to coat the baked bread.
• Individual buns: Shape smaller rounds and add miniature dough decorations. Use the shorter baking time.
• Filled slices: Once the bread is cool, split a portion and add whipped cream or chocolate hazelnut spread just before serving. Store any perishable filling separately.

What to Serve with Pan de Muerto

Coffee, hot chocolate, or my champurrado would be my first choices. Champurrado is a thick chocolate drink, so a slice of citrus-scented bread alongside it makes a really good pairing.

For a larger spread of Mexican sweets, add orejas for something crisp and flaky, or Mexican buñuelos for a fried pastry.

And if this gets you into making more pan dulce at home, save my bigotes recipe for another baking day.

Make Ahead and Storage

This bread is best the day it’s baked, but you can make it a day ahead. Let it cool completely before wrapping it so you don’t trap steam inside.

Room temperature: Keep the unfilled bread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for up to 2–3 days in a cool, dry kitchen.

Freezer: Wrap cooled loaves or individual portions tightly, then place them in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw while wrapped at room temperature.

Reheating: Warm thawed bread in a 300°F oven, loosely wrapped in foil, until warmed through. Smaller portions will take less time than a whole loaf.

Frequently Asked Questions About Day of the Dead Bread

What does pan de muerto taste like?

This version tastes buttery and lightly sweet, with orange zest and a floral note from orange blossom water. The sugar coating adds sweetness to the outside.

Why didn’t my dough rise?

The yeast may be old, the milk may have been too hot, or the room may be too cold. If the dough is slowly expanding, give it more time. Enriched dough can rise more slowly than a basic flour-and-water dough.

Can I make pan de muerto without a stand mixer?

Yes. Knead it by hand, adding the softened butter gradually after the initial kneading. It takes some patience, but you don’t need a mixer.

Why is the outside brown while the middle is still underbaked?

Large loaves need more time for heat to reach the center. Loosely cover the tops with foil if they’re browning quickly, then continue baking. Surface color alone doesn’t tell you that the center is done.

Can I freeze pan de muerto?

Yes. Freeze it after it has cooled completely, wrapped tightly to protect it from drying out. Individual portions are useful if you only want to thaw a little at a time.

Equipment

A stand mixer with a dough hook makes incorporating the butter easier, although hand kneading works too. A digital kitchen scale is especially useful because the flour and butter amounts matter here.

If this becomes part of your yearly baking routine, my Cilantro Parsley Recipe Card Box Set gives you a place to keep a handwritten copy—and any notes you want to remember for next time.

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Food safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.