Pan de Muerto Day of the Dead Bread

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Quick breads Medium

Soft, buttery orange-scented rolls topped with crossed dough bones and a sugar crust. They are made for altars and for sharing in early November. Makes 8 rolls in about 1 hr 30 min.

Prep 60 min

Cook 30 min

Total 1 hr 30 min

Yield 8 rolls

Ingredients

Adjust yield

rolls

4 cups (500 g)bread flour
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
½ cup (100 g)sugar, for the dough
¾ tsp (5 g)salt
½ cup (120 ml)warm whole milk
½ cup (100 g)unsalted butter, softened, for the dough
3 (150 g)eggs
1 tbsp (6 g)orange zest
2 tbsp (30 ml)fresh orange juice
2 tsp (10 ml)orange blossom water
3 tbsp (40 g)unsalted butter, melted, for the topping
⅓ cup (60 g)sugar, for the topping

Fresh ingredient guides

OrangesHow to pick, season & nutrition · 62 kcal per 131 g

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Instructions

Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, eggs, zest, juice and blossom water and mix to a shaggy dough.
Knead in the butter a little at a time, 10 to 12 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
Pinch off a quarter of the dough for the bones. Divide the rest into 8 balls and set on parchment-lined sheets.
Roll the reserved dough into ropes. Cut 8 knobbed 'bones' and a small ball for each roll. Lay two bones across each roll and set a ball in the center.
Cover and let rise 45 minutes, until puffy.
Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and the rolls sound hollow when tapped.
Brush the warm rolls with melted butter and roll or sprinkle in the sugar to coat.

Tips

Warm milk, around 105 F (40 C), wakes the yeast without killing it.
Add flour sparingly while kneading; the dough should stay soft and a little tacky.
Brush the warm bread with butter so the sugar sticks.
Good with mexican hot chocolate.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make pan de muerto day of the dead bread?

Plan on 60 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 8 rolls.

How should I store pan de muerto day of the dead bread?

Keep covered at room temperature up to 3 days, or freeze up to 2 months.

Can I make pan de muerto day of the dead bread ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Serve it with mexican hot chocolate.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

410 Calories / serving

18.5g Fat

52.4g Carbs

9.0g Protein

24.4g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~3280 cal · 148g fat · 419g carbs · 72g protein · 195g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.