Pan de Muertos (Mexican Bread of the Dead)

Nov. 2, "Day of the Dead," was also my Dad's birthday. I made a batch of Pan de Muertos and my sister and I took it out to the cemetery, where we sat beside my Dad's grave and shared the bread and special memories of him while we watched the sun set. I split the recipe into two small rounds -- one for us to share, and one to leave at the gravesite for the birds and squirrels. Sentimentality aside, this bread was surprisingly good; I was prepared to not care for it much because I'm not fond of anise, but we both really liked it. Thanks for a helping me start a new family tradition!

My daughter made this for her Spanish class. It was so easy. She got it right on the first try!

Although I am not a big fan of licorice in bread, this was pretty good. I had to make it for a class assignment and everyone liked it. This was a lot easier than the one found in the newspaper. Try it!

Once again, need it for my son's spanish class, 25 extra credit points. I baked a practice loaf but didn't need to as it turned out excellent. Good texture and flavor. I also used my bread machine on the dough cycle. Couldn't be easier, which is a good thing because my son is baking the next loaf.

I have been making Pan de Muertos for years, using different recipes, this year I both decided to use a new recipe and use my bread maker. I used the recipe with two minor changes, a little extra water no more than two tablespoons and orange extract instead of zest. Is is absolutely the fluffiest version of this bread I've ever made. In my two pound bread maker it made a nearly full sized loaf and on light setting cooked perfectly (if a little crumby on the sides).

Delicious! I baked two small loafs - hoping that would help with the dryness; I also doubled the yeast (used one pkg. of yeast). If you are worried whether it is done or not, temp it - bread should be at least 190 degrees F in the center before it is pulled out of the oven. I also found that when it was warm, it was more moist. If the bread is a little dry, my husband recommends making extra glaze to dip the bread in. He couldn't get enough of the glaze!

I made this for my Spanish class. It is sweet on the outside and a wholesome taste on the inside. I've had it once before, and my proffessor who lived in spanish speaking countries said it wase excellent

I wanted to give this five stars, but I've made this a few times and tweaked the recipe to taste more authentic. Most importantly, I use a 50/50 combination of bread flour and all-purpose flour for a nice crust and tender crumb like pan dulce. Otherwise, the crumb is too cakey and dry. I also add 1/4 cup of juice to the dough and scale flour, sugar and yeast in proportion, along with an extra 1 tbsp each of zest and of anise extract (in addition to the seeds). I recently used tangerines in place of oranges for Christmas and the result was amazing - much sweeter and milder. I mix the dough and have it do the first rise in the bread machine, then I have it do the second rise on top of the preheated oven (it likes it really warm). I also found I need a much shorter baking time (only about 25-30 minutes) compared to the recipe. Overall, the recipe as written is very good, but not perfect.

I love this bread sooooo much! I make it on the dough setting in my bread machine, then bake in the oven. It is great for snacking, breakfast, or whatever. Smells amazing while baking. Can't say enough about it!

Perfect pan de muertos my whole family loved. I doubled the recipe and gave one loaf to my Mother-in-Law. The only thing I changed was I used anise extract instead of seeds. I shaped the loaves into a skull and crossbones and used whole cloves for the teeth. Very cute for Halloween. We ate it accompanied with a hot mug of Mexican chocolate. Thank you for the recipe.

Simple recipe with excellent results. I used orange extract instead of orange zest and I would probably double the anise seeds next time. Overall, it was a big hit and a definite make-again.

Excellent recipe, very soft, flavor and practical, but i did one only with anise and another with orange zest, cause i like to taste one by one, in mexico, we usually eat with hot milk chocolate...

this bread is great, a bit heavy but really nice. dont think about skipping the glaze though, it totally makes the bread (although a little sticky)

I made this for my students when we were learning about Day of the Dead. I made it in the bread machine and it came out fine. The orange and anise flavor comes through well. Must eat it quickly though as it gets stale soon. I made 2 batches and the day old one was not even close to being good.

once again iam one of those students who happen to find this recipe online just so i can make pan de muerto for my spanish class for extra credit. The bread turned out to be my teacher's favorite bread all thanks to the orange glaze and the anise seeds that make the bread have a unquie taste.After baking this for my spanish class, i had to bake another loaf for my family:) the only changes that i made was 1tsp of anise seeds instead of 2..with 1tsp it makes the bread have a unquie taste without having a strong taste.

This bread is amazing. It has become a mainstay in my house. My husband askes for it constantly so I quadruple the recipe on the weekends and place the rolls on a baking sheet and freeze them. I then place them in freezer bags and keep them on hand. When I get home from work I just take out a few and place them on a pan in the oven with boiling water to let them thaw and raise. Then I bake them. TaDa, fresh baked bread even with both of us working insane hours. These rolls are worth every second of it.

EASY, TASTY AND PRETTY. Great recipe.

Great recipe. Reminded me of the many months I spent in Mexico. I was, at first worried about the anise being too powerful (I put 2 tsp in the recipe). But it came out of the oven looking and tasting delicious! Very recommended.

So I finally had the guts to make my own Pan de Muerto. I live right on the border with Mexico, so I've tasted the good bakery pan de muerto, and it's my favorite! But I sometimes don't have time to cross and get some in time (they go fast!). So this year I made my own. I did no changes to this recipe and it was delicious!!! I love it! I will definitely be making this bread over and over again. My parents, babysitter, coworkers, son and hubby loved it!

The glaze on this bread is really good! I used anise extract because I am not too fond of the seeds, but I think I might have used too much. Be cautious if you use the extract. Other than that, I really enjoyed this bread, it is good with tea and coffee.

This was a really different kind of bread, but I liked it and so did most of the people that I had over for dinner last night. The flavors are really interesting, and unlike flavors you expect from bread. I made the dough in the bread machine, then shaped it into a skull, formed eyes and a mouth in honor of Dia de los Muertos, and baked it for about 35 minutes. The glaze was also a nice touch. I don't think this is a bread for everyone, but I'm glad I made it and I'll likely make it again.

I'm not sure if I did something wrong. I followed the recipe exactly, but the bread was very dry and not enjoyable. Smelled great while cooking and the blend of tastes was interesting, just to dry for my family. Everyone tried it then left it alone. :o(

This is an awesome bread! Wonderful flavors and a beautiful crumb. Only problem I have in the islands is getting a real crunchy crust. Humidity is just a little to high. Oh the sacrifice one makes to live in paradise!

i've made this the last 2 years for my mother in law and she loves it. it's a super easy recipe and i usually make a medium sized loaf and 2 small loaves. the only thing i changed is using 2 1/2 cups of flour because if you use 3 full cups the dough becomes dry and a little tough. all in all i will keep making this recipe every year

As a Spanish teacher I have often purchased this bread at a panaderia (Mexican Bakery). I decided to cut costs and make it myself this year, using the recipe. It had the authentic taste, and the dough was easy to work with. In fact, the Mexican janitors at school came by after school to see if I had any left-overs. Now THAT'S a successful recipe.

I used anise extract instead of the seeds, added a couple teaspoons of vanilla and used bread flour as opposed to all-purpose. I strongly suggest letting it rise longer than the times listed here. In the future I would increase the hydration a little as well. Note, this is not a terribly fluffy bread, and it will dry out rather quickly. Makes the kitchen smell awesome.

There are so many reviews on this bread, but I have to say: I have made this bread several times now, and EVEN ON THE FIRST TIME - I say EVEN as I am a haphazard baker prone to very foolish mistakes - I made this bread it turned out so well that a native Spaniard thought I had gotten it from a bakery. It is VERY easy, and very tasty - in America you do not usually see licorice breads, and the taste and texture were both a new experience but a very pleasurable one. This bread seems as if it would go with anything - with tea or coffee in the morning or for lunch, with salad or any sort of spread, by itself, with fruit, with chocolate (although, what DOESN'T go with chocolate...)... When I make it it never rises or "doubles in size." In fact, it is still sticky enough where I have to use flour and reshape it as/after I put it in the pan AFTER the 3 hours of "rising time." Somehow, however, it still turns out fantastic - just make sure you bake it long enough! It still tastes good under baked but is a little too moist and solid than is traditional. Overall, you can't go wrong with this bread.

Absolutely the Best! My spanish class had to make this, and this recipe was totally delicious. You really can taste the Aniseed without it eing too overpowering and the orange-sugar glaze really compliments the sweetness of the bread. It was nice and soft inside, but it had a firm crust and didn't burn. Five Stars!

OMG My daughter & I made this for a Spanish class project and it turned out AWESOME.Made two one for the class and one to eat yumo! Will make it again for sure! Thanks for sharing your recipe.

This bread was wonderful, except for the fact that it should not be baked at 350, but at 325 for about 25-30 minutes. My first two loaves were burnt on the bottom, but the next 2 loaves were amazing! It tastes really good toasted w/butter, or as a sandwich bread. Yes, it is a bit dry so next time I might incorporate a little oj or milk in the mix. Great flavor none the less.

This recipe was awesome! I made this for my Spanish class and it had a lot more flavor than the versions my classmates made. I don't know how true it is to traditional pan de muertos but it sure was good!

Very good. I used the half all-purpose flour and half bread flour that another reviewer had recommended. I found that I didn't need to cook it anywhere near the 35-40 minutes. I think 25-30 would have been good. Got lots of good comments on it from my Spanish class. :)

This is now my favorite Pan de Muerto recipe! I doubled the recipe and it made two large loaves. The orange glaze was delicious. It's Excellent hot out of the oven...

Delicious recipe! I did add an extra egg to give it added moisture. Came out perfect. Thanks for the recipe.

easy and yummy. I actually brought the recipe down to 8, just to try it and it worked out wonderful. Loved the glaze and sugar topping, omitted the anise (I didn't have any) but thought the orange added a nice flavor. Much like a cinnamon roll with a different flavor.

This is our first year living in Italy and in the States I would normally buy "pan de Muerto" for Nov 2nd but this year I had to make it. This recipe was great! Very easy and tasted amazing. For those who can't find anise seed... I used three drops of anise extract.

I always make our spanish teacher make this it's so good. i've had it every year since 7th grade. Oh it's so yummy.

I used fresh orange juice for this and it turned out pretty well. It's a little different than other Pan de Muertos recipes I've tasted, but I liked it!

November 1, 2013 My son and I made this recipe for his Spanish class. We made several substitutions: anise extract instead of seeds, orange extract instead of zest and we used half All Purpose flour and half bread flour. We also added 2 tablespoons of water to the recipe. We used a bread machine to make the dough on the quick cycle. It was easy to shape into a skull. We baked at 325 for 25 minutes. We made one large skull and a small one, also. Loved the orange glaze!

I made this last year for Day of the Dead/Halloween/Samhain celebration and I think I'll make it again this year. The anise and orange flavor is not something I get everyday, and it has a dry, coffee-cake or panatone like texture and is just slightly sweet from the glaze. Good for breakfast with coffee or Mexican hot chocolate. I made it into a skull shape, poking in eye sockets and cutting a nose and teeth with scissors before I baked it.

Great flavor! I used whole wheat flour instead of white, and did not sprinkle with the extra sugar.

Amazing! I did add the extra 2TBS or so of water and a little extra margarine and it came out fantastic and moist. I did have an odd phenomenon in that is seemed to bake REALLY quickly, even though I double checked my oven temp and verified it with a thermometer. It looked done in 20 mins, though it wasn't. I turned the temp down a bit to let it remain baking through and through. I can't get over how good it was. We did it without anise and used orange oil instead of zest, and did 1/3 the amount. I know they say it does 15 servings but you'd better serve it fast or people are going to be asking for much bigger pieces once they taste it! ;) Thank you for posting this recipe!!! I think it's going to make an excellent king cake around Mardi Gras time, but without the orange.

this bread turned out very tastey! I had trouble shaping the bones, but I don't have a lot of dough practice. I would make it again.

Like many other reviewers, I don't normally go for anise/licorice flavors. But since everyone here had only good things to say, I gave it a shot! It is very delicious! The anise is noticeable, but not in a bad way. If you eat the bread right away, it is like having a fresh yeast doughnut! It isn't the sort of thing I normally like, but I can totally see myself making this every now and then. I will certainly be making this for next year's Day of the Dead celebration!

I made it twice in two days! Followed the recipe exactly except used Anise extract. I found out after the first loaf that 2 tsp anise seed =1 tsp anise extract. Still delicious, though.

I love the glaze! I'm not too fond of anise, so I reduced the amount to half.

So much easier than I expected. I followed the directions and shaped the loaf into a skull. The orange glaze gave it a great look, really beautiful the way the skull seemed to glow. And it tasted great, too! Thanks so much!

I made Pan de Muertos with my stepdad and it turned out great! it was for a class project in my spanish class -Brooklyn G. and Del

Baked this for the first time last night, in time for today. It worked very well and I like the flavour a lot. It's subtle, not overpowering. Only one family member did not like it, my daughter, but she has a serious sweet tooth so it just wasn't sweet enough for her, even with the glaze and sugar sprinkled on top. Otherwise, a big hit in our family.

Preparation was easy. I followed the recipe exactly except for cooking 10 minutes less than stated. I'm glad I checked because if I had left it in longer, the bottom would have blackened. The glaze on the bread was awesome and I probably sprinkled a little more sugar on top then called for. While the taste of the bread was good, I did find the texture to be dry. In hindsight, maybe a tablespoon of oil mixed in with the milk and eggs, might help with the dryness. It was good soon after getting out of the oven, but the dry texture was more noticeable when eaten later on in the evening. I tossed the remainder of the bread the next day. If it wasn't for the dryness, I think this recipe would rate 5 stars for me.

Better than I expected, since I normally dislike anise seed. It seemed a little dry, though. The bread might have been better if I had put it in the refridgerator after shaping and let it finish rising and baking in the morning.

More Anise seeds would improve it in my opinion. Overall very easy to make. Just be patient

I had no problems with this bread. It was fairly tasty. No complaints.

Thank you for the recipe! I love this "pan de muertos" so much!!!! So soft and so flavor! Smells amazing while baking! Super yummy! Super delicious! Super easy to make!

Turned out great!

I love making this bread. I make two batches at once so I can share with work. I added 1/4 egg whites to the recipe and I don't use all the flour, about a 1/2 cup less so it isn't to dry. I live in a high altitude area that is very dry, so the bread doesn't need to have so much flour. I also use butter. while the bread rises I place a wet towel over the bowl to keep the dough from drying out.

I made this exactly as explained and it was great! Smelled wonderful, looked great, and both children and adults were delighted!

Excellent! I hadn't had pan de los muertos w/ a glaze before, but I really liked it!

I made this because our Spanish teacher had showed us some and it looked really yummy. The outside with the glaze is pretty yummy but the inside was kinda boring. Make extra glaze to dip it in.

Made this to try at home to see if it would be good to send to school for my son's Spanish class celebration of Dia de Los Muertos. The family loved it! A sweet bread with the hint of orange and anise! Now making a second one to send to school. A recipe worth keeping & sharing!

This bread came out great. The combination of the anise and the orange zest tasted great together!

Very good. I added about 1/4 cup fresh orange juice as my orange was a bit short on zest. Instead of anise seed, I added about 1 tsp cinnamon. I did not use the glaze. Instead, I buttered he loaf and sprinkled a cinnamon sugar mix over it. I might try with a glaze in the future While the bread is soft and tasty, it does need a topping of some sort for extra flavor as the dough itself had a delicate taste. I also did omitt he anise though! It's a versatile recipe that you could add or change the flavor for very easily, which I like.

It tastes delicious! I made this for a Spanish assignment and got me and A. I definitely recommend this recipe.

This bread didn't really impress me all that much. It turned out kind of dry. I don't know... maybe I baked it too long. It was fun to try it though; I can see why the reviewers who did it for a class project had a good time with it.

I loved this SO much! I made it for my Spanish class and everyone loved it!

Very easy and delicious! Reminds me of panettone. Next November 2nd will make two loaves instead of one. It's my husband's birthday and he really enjoyed it!

This is a light bread, kind of fluffy and tasted fine but bland. The anise is not overpowering. Pretty easy to make. To me it was like the cross between a bread and a bisquit.

This was a great basis for a recipe! The taste was on point. I followed a previous reviewer's suggestion and used half all purpose, half bread flour. As I'm at high altitude I also reduced the yeast to 1 tsp. I left the dough in the fridge overnight after letting it rise twice and while still cool, it took about 35 minutes to bake. In the future, I'd add more sugar and try replacing the warm water with warm orange juice to make it more orange-y. I reduced the anise to 1 tsp and it was not overpowering.

Awesome recipe. Came out perfectly fluffy and moist!

Not too bad flavor wise, but it turned out a little harder than I would have liked.

Not too hard and really delicious--definitely let it rise the full suggested time, since I didn't and had to back it twice as long as it called for and it was still a little doughy in the middle. But I also quadrupled the recipe... Great flavor, and the glaze was a huge hit.

I ran out of milk so I used coconut milk and it turned out great!

Very good recipie not to fond of the anise seeds will try extract next time

I made this today--my first ever Pan de Muertos--and it turned out beautifully. I followed the recipe almost exactly (rare for me). I made anise tea, which I then let cool, in place of the warm water, and omitted the anise seed. The anise flavor wasn't as strong as I would have hoped, so I wouldn't suggest this.

The bread is really good, and the glaze is really what makes it. In my picture it is really shiny but that is right after applying it. I left it overnight and the glaze solidified much like a glazed donut. It was very sweet and delicious, along with the interesting tasting inner part of the bread. Very cool!

This was a great recipe! My friend and I made this for a party and it was huge hit!

Absolutely declicious! I made it exactly as listed and it worked perfectly! I lived in Mexico City in my teenage years, and this is the vbst pan de muerto I've tasted...my parents loved it too. Will be making more this week. Thank you!

Excellent Bread. I mixed the dough in the doughmaker then let rise for 1 hour before baking in oven. Very tasty.

really good

I followed this recipe without orange zest and added cinnamon instead. It came out soooooo delicious! :)

My husband just started living in the states with me and I could tell he missed home. I tried this recipe and although not entirely authentic, it tastes really good. He loved it!

Had a good anise flavor, but the kids didn't like the hint of citrus. Probably wouldn't make it again.

Ironically, this bread of the dead made me feel alive!! And on this day, this particular day, I really like that! Excellent recipe, thank you.

I found this bread to be a little on the dry side. It was good bread... I will make it again, and hopefully, it will turn out better.

This bread is really interesting. It's very dense and the flavors are quite good, but a bit dry. I baked this for about 25 minutes and will only bake for 20 minutes next time.

Delicious. Accidentally over cooked the glaze. It was super thick. I think I will do that again. Delicious mistake. My attempt at decorating the bread with the ball & ‘X’ was a fail. Haha! Oh well.

Made this for several years now. It's very sticky dough so use a baking mat to cut down on the mess. Has always turn ed out and is tasty.

I followed the recipe but my bread tasted funny and in hardened too much.

Intended to make this exactly as written, but ended up including 1 tablespoon of zest in the bread and two teaspoons in the glaze (reversing what the recipe said). It rose well and was not dense. I think our total flour usage was closer to 2 3/4 cups instead of 3 cups. It was very good! I was concerned for the anise flavor, but it did not overwhelm. Originally intended for a Spanish class project, but will be making again for our family.

Well balance in flavor..not overly sweet...great with a cup of hot coffee or hot chocolate..

It's very easy to make and the bread is fluffy and tasty. I added about a tsp orange blossom water which gives Pan de Muerto its typical taste. I also added about a tbsp milk while kneading the dough.

My daughter chose to make this recipe and present it to her World Language class. It turned out really good and she was able to make it without my help! Great recipe, easy to follow, and boosted my daughter's confidence. Whether you're looking to celebrate Dia de los Meurtos or prepare a class project, this recipe has what you're looking for!

Simple and easy to follow. Pls note you can use anise extract vs seeds!

My first attempt at this bread - a practice run before the holiday. I followed the recipe except that I used a blend of bread flour and all-purpose as suggested by another reviewer. I will bake for a few minutes less next time. At 35 minutes, I thought this was slightly too brown. Also, my top knob slid a bit, so I’ll make a better dent for it to sit in next time. I don’t care for licorice flavor, but the anise worked well with the orange.

I made this for my Spanish class and it was a huge hit! This recipe follows tradition with the orange flavour to honour the dead.

Way way way too dry & needs a min of 2 tbsp of yeast

Great tasting bread, with just a hint of sweetness. The anise adds some nice flavor. I "decorated" the bread with "bones" for an authentic look.

I had a lot of fun making this! I really like that the yeast goes in with the dry ingredients. I have always had trouble starting yeast. The bread turned out perfectly and I put one on my Ofrenda.

Maybe a little less sugar, sooooooooo filling. I will definetly make it again.