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Easy Homemade Pan de Muerto Recipe | Best Sweet Bread

Easy Homemade Pan de Muerto Recipe - featured image
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This quick homemade pan de muerto sweet bread is soft, fragrant, and deeply satisfying, with that unmistakable orange and anise flavor. It comes together in under 2 hours with simple ingredients, perfect for a weeknight baking session.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 ½ cups (440g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons (one packet) active dry yeast
  • ½ cup (120ml) warm milk
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • Zest of 1 medium orange
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon anise seed, crushed
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for topping)
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter (for brushing)

Instructions

  1. Bloom the yeast: In a small bowl, combine warm milk (about 110°F) with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the active dry yeast. Stir gently and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, remaining sugar, crushed anise seed, and salt. Make a well in the center.
  3. Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, orange zest, orange juice, and orange blossom water. Pour this mixture and the bloomed yeast into the well of dry ingredients.
  4. Knead the dough: Using a dough hook on low speed, mix until a shaggy dough forms. Increase to medium speed and knead for 8 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Add softened butter pieces one at a time while mixing. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky.
  5. First rise: Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.
  6. Shape the bread: Punch down dough. Transfer to a lightly floured surface. Cut off about ¼ of the dough for decorations. Divide remaining dough into two equal pieces and shape into smooth rounds. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced 4 inches apart. For decorations, roll reserved dough into a ½-inch thick rope, cut into 4-inch lengths, and press ends with finger to create bone shapes. Press 3-4 bones onto each round in a cross pattern and place a small ball in the center.
  7. Second rise: Cover shaped loaves loosely with towel and let rise until puffy, about 25-30 minutes.
  8. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) during the last 15 minutes of second rise. Brush loaves gently with egg wash. Bake for 18-22 minutes, rotating pan halfway, until deep golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped.
  9. Finish: Let bread cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. While still warm, brush with melted butter and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar.

Notes

The dough will feel softer and stickier than regular bread dough due to high fat and sugar content. Don’t add too much flour. For dairy-free, use warm oat milk and vegan butter. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum and expect a denser texture. The orange and anise flavors become more pronounced on the second day.

Nutrition

Keywords: pan de muerto, sweet bread, Mexican bread, Día de Muertos, orange bread, anise bread, easy bread recipe

Find it online: https://ovenmila.com/easy-homemade-pan-de-muerto-recipe-best-sweet-bread/