DessertsHard

Day of the Dead Bread

Name: Day of the Dead Bread
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 70 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Orange blossom water; 80 ml Warm milk; 500 g Plain flour; 150 g Sugar; 120 g Butter; 4 Eggs; 20 g Fresh yeast; 2 tbsp Orange zest; 0.5 tsp Salt

70 min (40 prep + 30 cook) Hard 8 servings Nacional

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 10 Feb 2026 · Updated: 10 Mar 2026

A soft, orange blossom-scented sweet bread made for Day of the Dead.

About this recipe

Pan de muerto is a soft, pillowy sweet bread perfumed with orange blossom water and orange zest, decorated with bone-shaped dough pieces and dusted with sugar. It's baked throughout October and November for Mexico's Day of the Dead celebrations.

History & Origin

Pan de muerto is the most important ritual bread in Mexico, created to honour the deceased during Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), a celebration declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Its 'little bones' made of dough represent the bones of the dead, and the small ball on top symbolises the skull. Before the Conquest, the Aztecs offered amaranth bread with human blood to the gods; Spanish friars created this wheat-based version as a substitute. Every bakery in Mexico has its own secret recipe, but the unmistakable aroma of orange blossom and orange is always present.

Estimated cost

£10.84

Total cost

£1.36

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

320

Calories

Protein

45g

Carbohydrates

14g

Fat

Fibre

150mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Disuelve la levadura en la milk tibia with a tablespoon de sugar. Deja reposar 10 minutes until burbujee.
2
Mix the flour with the sugar and salt. Make a well and add the eggs, melted butter, activated yeast, orange blossom water and orange zest.
3
Amasa durante 15 minutes hasta obtener a corn dough (masa) elástica y soft that no se pegue a the manos.
💡 La corn dough (masa) beá pegajosa al inicio; resiste la tentación de añadir more flour.
4
Cubre la corn dough (masa) y deja fermentar en un lugar warm durante 1.5-2 hours until duplique su tamaño.
5
Knock back the dough. Set aside a quarter for decorations. Shape the rest into a large ball and place it on a greased baking tray. With the reserved dough, form the little bones and the central knob. Attach them with beaten egg.
6
Deja fermentar 45 minutes more. Hornea a 180°C durante 25-30 minutes until esté dorado.
7
Barniza with butter derretida al remove of the oven y espolvorea generosamente with sugar.