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Quick Pan de Muerto Bread for an Easy Festive Weeknight

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A quick and easy version of the classic Day of the Dead bread, with a soft, orange-scented dough and a buttery sugar topping. Perfect for last-minute celebrations or weeknight baking.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one standard packet)
  • ½ cup (120ml) orange juice, warmed to about 110°F
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest (from about 2 medium oranges)
  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter (for brushing after baking)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (for sprinkling after baking)
  • 1 teaspoon anise seed (optional)

Instructions

  1. Bloom the yeast: In your mixing bowl, combine the warm orange juice (about 110°F) with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and the active dry yeast. Stir gently and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy and bubbly.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. If using anise seed, mix it in here.
  3. Combine the wet ingredients: To the bloomed yeast mixture, add the remaining sugar, softened butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Stir until mostly combined.
  4. Add the flour: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.
  5. Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes, adding only as much flour as needed to prevent sticking. The dough should be smooth, soft, and slightly tacky.
  6. First rise: Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
  7. Shape the loaf: Punch down the dough gently. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into two pieces—one larger piece (about two-thirds) for the base, and one smaller piece (one-third) for decorations. Shape the larger piece into a round loaf and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  8. Make the bone decorations: Divide the smaller piece of dough into 4 equal portions. Roll each into a rope about 6 inches long. Fold each rope in half, then twist the two halves together to create a bone-like shape. Place these on top of the loaf in a cross pattern.
  9. Second rise: Cover the shaped loaf with the towel and let rise for another 20-25 minutes until puffy. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  10. Bake: Brush the loaf gently with the egg wash. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until deep golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. If browning too quickly, tent with foil after 15 minutes.
  11. Finish: As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

For best results, use fresh orange zest and warm orange juice to bloom the yeast. The dough should be slightly tacky after kneading; avoid adding too much flour. If the bread browns too quickly, tent with foil. The bread tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: pan de muerto, Day of the Dead bread, quick bread, orange bread, Mexican bread, festive bread, easy bread recipe

Find it online: https://cravemila.com/quick-pan-de-muerto-bread-for-an-easy-festive-weeknight/