Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead Bread)

Pan de Muerto is a soft, buttery Mexican sweet bread traditionally made for Día de los Muertos. It’s flavored with fresh orange zest and decorated with bone-shaped pieces of dough, then brushed with butter and covered in sugar.

It’s lightly sweet, fluffy, and absolutely delicious with a cup of Champurrado. This is the Pan de Muerto recipe my family shared with me, and it’s been one of the most popular recipes on my site.

Día de los Muertos has deep Indigenous roots, particularly in central and southern Mexico. The main celebrations take place on November 1 and 2, although preparations often begin weeks earlier. Today, the holiday is celebrated throughout Mexico, the United States, and other parts of the world, with families honoring loved ones through ofrendas, special foods, flowers, and photographs.

Family Story

I didn’t grow up with Pan de Muerto or Día de los Muertos. In Durango, this wasn’t part of the traditions I knew growing up.

My connection to this bread came through family members who married into families from Michoacán. One of them is married to someone from Pátzcuaro, a town especially known for its Día de los Muertos traditions. I asked for their recipe, made it for the blog, and it quickly became one of my most popular recipes.

A few years later, the San Diego Union-Tribune came to my home and wrote an article about this very recipe. I never expected a recipe that came to me through family to become such a big part of Mama Maggie’s Kitchen.

Instructions

• Start by taking out large eggs and unsalted butter.
• This will take the longest.

Room temperature eggs are best for this recipe.

Softening the butter is easy. Stick it in the microwave and microwave it for a few seconds.

Eggs, though, take longer. We are only using 3 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks to create a pillowy and soft bread.

👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tip

Use the yeast mixture once it rises. About 5-10 minutes. Do not let yeast stand too long.

• Create a small well in the center, and add the yeast mixture.
• Mix on low speed to combine.

Yes, you can do this by hand or with a hand mixer.

If doing this by hand, sift the flour, salt, and sugar onto a clean surface to create a mountain. Then create a wedge in the center like a volcano. Then add the yeast mixture. Mix slowly.

🍊 Agua de Azahar

Agua de Azahar (or Orange Blossom Water) is common ingredient in this recipe but hard to find. Either order it on Amazon or look for it in Middle Eastern markets. If using Agua de Azahar, use ⅓ cup milk + 3 tablespoon of the orange blossom water.

• Using the dough hook attachment, knead for 20-25 minutes on low then medium speed.
• The dough will look wet, but do NOT add more flour, or the bread will be tough.

The gluten will develop after 20-25 minutes, and pull away easily from the mixing bowl.

Another way to tell if it’s ready, touch the dough with your hand. Your hand should NOT stick to the dough.

Doing this by hand requires more time. About 30-35 minutes of kneading.

• Place the dough in a greased, large bowl and cover. 
• Let it rise for 1 hour in a warm place, or until the dough rises. 

Covering the dough will help in preventing a crust from forming. Either a kitchen towel or plastic wrap works in this case.

• After an hour, add all purpose flour to a work surface.
• Cut the dough into three equal parts.
• Separate one of the parts.
• Create a round loaf with each. That is, you are making two balls using the other two dough parts. Seam side down.

The third part will be used in the next step. Set it aside until further use.

For Small Loaves

Cut the 2 dough parts in half to create 4 pieces. Form into ball shapes. This will create 4 smaller breads.

How to Make the Bone Decorations

• Using your fingers, eyeball 5 parts on the last piece of unrolled dough.
• Cut 5 pieces.
• 4 pieces will make the bones. The last piece will be divided in half to make the balls (or heads).

The pieces do not have to be exact.

These top pieces do not have to be as soft and more flour can be used to form them.

• Take one of the 4 smaller pieces of dough.
• Using your middle fingers, roll out the bones.
• Repeat with the other 3 pieces of dough.

The dough is extra soft (as it should be). A trick in doing this is using more flour.

Even if the bones look dusty, it’s ok. Butter will be added later which will take away the dusty look from the flour.

Symbolism

The bread is circular and often associated with the circle of life. On top, there are the bones and the head.

Learn more about the Day of the Dead: Traditional Day of the Dead Food,
Day of the Dead Facts, and La Catrina.

• Using a brush, add water crisscross on the bread dough.
• Add one of the bones and add the other across to form an X.
• Add more water to the center and add a small ball.
• Repeat with the second bread.

Water acts like a GLUE to hold the bones and head in place.

Cover with a kitchen towel. Place in a warm spot for a second proof. About an hour or 1 ½ hours.

• Place on a baking sheet. 
• Bake in a 350 degrees F oven.
• Let cool slightly on a wire rack.

Bake for 20-25 minutes (for 1 bread)
Bake for 25-30 minutes – maybe more – (for 2 breads)

To be sure that your bread is ready, stick a toothpick inside. If it comes out dry, you’re good to go. Return to the oven if not ready for additional 5 minutes.

• While the bread is cooling, melt ¼ cup butter.
• Brush melted butter all over the golden brown top of the bread.
• Sprinkle white sugar on the top while using a bowl underneath to catch any excess sugar.

Spread the sugar evenly all over the bread. The melted butter helps the sugar stick to the bread.

Some people take it up a notch and fill it with cream cheese, or cut in half and add Nutella or a vanilla custard… mmm!

Pan de Muerto is soft, buttery, lightly sweet, and perfect with a warm cup of Atole de Chocolate.

Whether you’re making it for Día de los Muertos or simply want to try a traditional Mexican sweet bread, I hope you love this recipe as much as my family and readers do. ❤️