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Easy Homemade Pan de Muerto for Day of the Dead

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This Pan de Muerto recipe is built for success, even on your first try. It uses traditional ingredients like orange zest and a touch of anise seed to capture that classic, floral aroma that defines a real Pan de Muerto.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons (1 packet) active dry yeast
  • ½ cup (120ml) warm milk
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
  • ½ teaspoon anise seed
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • For the topping: ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar mixed with zest of half an orange
  • For the topping: ¼ cup (56g) melted unsalted butter

Instructions

  1. Activate the Yeast (5 minutes): In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the warm milk (110°F) and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit for 5-7 minutes until it becomes frothy and smells like bread. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast might be dead—start over with fresh yeast.
  2. Build the Dough (5 minutes): Add the remaining sugar, softened butter, eggs, orange zest, orange blossom water, anise seed, and salt to the yeast mixture. Add 2 cups of the flour and mix on low with the dough hook until combined. Gradually add the remaining 2 cups of flour, one cup at a time, until a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Knead the Dough (8-10 minutes): Increase the speed to medium-low and knead for 8-10 minutes. The dough will be sticky at first—resist the urge to add more flour. It should pull away from the sides of the bowl but still feel tacky to the touch. You’re looking for a smooth, elastic dough that springs back when you poke it.
  4. First Rise (1.5 to 2 hours): Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough inside, turning it to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size. This usually takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. A slightly warm oven (turned off) is a great place for this.
  5. Shape the Loaf (15 minutes): Punch down the dough to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Cut off about ¼ of the dough and set it aside. Shape the larger piece into a smooth round ball by tucking the edges underneath. Place it on your parchment-lined baking sheet. Divide the reserved dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each into a long rope about 6 inches long. These will be your ‘bones.’ Place two ropes across the top of the loaf to form an X, and the other two on top to for…
  6. Second Rise (45 minutes to 1 hour): Cover the shaped loaf loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise again until puffy and almost doubled. This is a shorter rise, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  7. Bake (30-35 minutes): Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  8. Finish and Serve: Let the bread cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. While it’s still warm, brush the entire surface generously with melted butter. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ¼ cup of sugar with the extra orange zest. Sprinkle this sugar mixture all over the buttered bread. Let it cool completely before slicing—if you can wait that long.

Notes

Don’t over-flour your work surface during shaping. A light dusting is all you need. Too much flour makes the dough stiff and dry. The second rise is crucial. If you don’t let it puff up enough, the bread will be dense instead of airy. Be patient. When shaping the bone decorations, roll the ropes gently. If you work the dough too aggressively, they’ll shrink back. Let them rest for a minute if they’re fighting you. Don’t skip the orange blossom water—that floral note is what makes it special. If you’re in a rush, you can do the first rise in a slightly warm oven (about 80°F) to speed things up. Just make sure the oven is off and the light is on for a consistent temperature.

Nutrition

Keywords: Pan de Muerto, Day of the Dead, Mexican bread, orange blossom, anise, traditional bread, holiday bread

Find it online: https://avabowls.com/easy-homemade-pan-de-muerto-for-day-of-the-dead/