Pan De Muerto
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp anise seeds
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter – softened
- 2 tsp orange zest – finely grated
- 2 large egg
- 1 tsp orange blossom water
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (450g)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour – for dusting (30g)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter – melted (for brushing)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar – for dusting
Instructions
- 1.
Warm the whole milk with the anise seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming, 2–3 minutes; remove from heat, cover, and let steep 10 minutes, then cool to 105–110°F.
- 2.
Sprinkle the active dry yeast over the warm anise-infused milk and stir in 1 tbsp of the granulated sugar (from the 0.5 cup). Let stand until foamy, 5–10 minutes.
- 3.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining granulated sugar (from the 0.5 cup) with the orange zest and rub together with your fingers to release the oils, 30 seconds.
- 4.
Add the softened unsalted butter to the bowl and beat until creamy, 1–2 minutes. Beat in the egg one at a time until smooth. Mix in the orange blossom water and salt.
- 5.
Pour in the foamy yeast mixture and stir to combine.
- 6.
Add the 3.75 cups all-purpose flour in 3 additions, mixing until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms. Knead on medium speed or by hand until smooth and elastic, 8–10 minutes.
- 7.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 1–1.5 hours.
- 8.
Turn the dough out onto the work surface and use the 0.25 cup all-purpose flour for dusting to prevent sticking. Pinch off about one-quarter of the dough and set aside for decoration. Shape the larger piece into a tight round and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- 9.
Divide the reserved dough into three pieces: two equal pieces for the “bones” and one small piece for the top knob. Roll the two larger pieces into long ropes, pressing your fingers along the length to form ridges like bones. Lay the ropes in an X over the dough round and place the small knob in the center on top.
- 10.
Cover loosely and let rise until puffy and nearly doubled, 45–75 minutes; the dough should slowly spring back when gently pressed.
- 11.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) until deep golden and the center registers 190–195°F, 30–35 minutes.
- 12.
Immediately brush the hot loaf with the melted unsalted butter to coat the surface.
- 13.
Sprinkle the 0.25 cup granulated sugar evenly over the buttered loaf so it adheres. Cool on a rack until just warm, 30–45 minutes, then slice and serve.
Pan de Muerto is a lightly sweet, enriched bread perfumed with citrus and warm anise, finished with a buttery sugar crust. Its crumb is tender and rich from eggs and butter, while orange blossom water and zest lend a floral, citric aroma that fills the kitchen as it bakes. The signature top—crossed bone-shaped dough strips crowned with a small knob—adds both symbolism and texture, giving you soft interior bites and a subtly crisp sugared exterior.
Deeply tied to Mexico’s Día de Muertos observances, Pan de Muerto is placed on ofrendas (altars) and shared with family, often alongside hot chocolate. The shape and decorations reference bones and the circle of life, a syncretic blend of pre-Hispanic rituals and Spanish baking traditions. Regional versions vary—some are topped with sesame seeds, others glazed, and many shapes exist—but the gently aromatic, orange-and-anise profile has become the most recognized expression nationwide.