Print

Best Classic Pan de Muerto Recipe for Day of the Dead

pan de muerto recipe - featured image
Print Recipe

This classic pan de muerto recipe yields a soft, pillowy sweet bread with delicate orange blossom and anise flavor. Perfect for Día de Muertos, it’s an authentic and meaningful baking project that honors loved ones.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour (500g)
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (7g)
  • ½ cup warm milk (120ml), whole milk preferred
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (113g), softened
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
  • 1 teaspoon anise seed (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter (57g), melted (for glaze)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g) (for topping)
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Activate the yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm milk (110°F/43°C) with 1 tablespoon of sugar and the active dry yeast. Stir gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until frothy and bubbly.
  2. Mix the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or large mixing bowl), whisk together flour, remaining sugar, anise seed, and salt. Add softened butter, eggs, orange zest, orange blossom water, and the frothy yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with the dough hook until the dough comes together (it will look shaggy at first).
  3. Knead the dough: Increase speed to medium and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. If too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time; if too dry, add a teaspoon of milk. The dough is ready when you can stretch a small piece into a thin, translucent windowpane without tearing.
  4. First rise: Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
  5. Shape the dough: Punch down the dough gently. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into two equal pieces for two loaves, or keep as one large loaf. For each loaf, set aside a small piece (about golf ball size) for bone decorations. Shape the main piece into a round, slightly flattened ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roll the reserved dough into thin ropes, cut into small pieces, and shape into ‘bones’ (rounded knobs at each end with a thinner middle). Arrange the bon…
  6. Second rise: Cover the shaped loaves loosely with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until puffy and almost doubled.
  7. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake loaves for 25-30 minutes, until deep golden brown and hollow when tapped on the bottom. If tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes.
  8. Glaze and coat: As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, brush tops generously with melted butter. In a small bowl, mix granulated sugar with remaining orange zest. While the butter is still wet, sprinkle the sugar mixture all over the loaves. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Don’t skip the windowpane test; under-kneaded dough won’t rise properly. Temperature matters: if your kitchen is cold, the dough will take longer to rise. Use a kitchen scale for accurate flour measurement. Don’t over-flour your work surface. The butter glaze is non-negotiable for a soft crust. Let the bread cool completely before slicing for best texture. If you forget the orange blossom water, the bread will be missing its signature flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: pan de muerto, Day of the Dead bread, Mexican sweet bread, orange blossom bread, Día de Muertos recipe, traditional pan de muerto

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/best-classic-pan-de-muerto-recipe-for-day-of-the-dead/