Pumpkin Spice Pan de Muerto is the traditional Day of the Dead bread flavored with sweet pumpkin, cozy spices, and a sprinkling of sugar. {Last updated, December 18, 2021}
Pan de Muerto is the traditional yeasted, slightly sweet bread made around this time every year for Dia de los Muertos.
You’ve seen me make many variations over the years but I’ve fallen especially hard for pumpkin spice this year and it upped and slipped its way into my pan de muerto too.

What is Pan de Muerto?
Pan de Muerto or “Bread of the Dead” is made as an offering to deceased loved ones during the Día de Muertos celebrations. The pan dulce or sweet bread is scented with orange blossom water or orange zest and is typically sprinkled with sugar or sesame seeds.
Pan de Muerto recipes usually make two or three loaves so one can be eaten and the other can be placed on the altar or ofrenda to help guide the departed back for a visit on Day of the Dead.

How Do You Make Pan de Muerto?
Upon first glance Pan de Muerto may seem a little intimidating. But if you’ve made any sort of yeasted bread before than this is no different.
The shaping of the “skull” and “bones” on top is really the hardest part (aside from waiting for it to rise) and that takes little more than rolling the dough into ball and snake shapes which is something you’ve been doing since preschool so I know you’ve got this.
For step-by-step pictures on how to shape the loaves go to my Chocolate Anise Pan de Muerto recipe which breaks it down in photos plus features a very adorable 3-year-old Hiro.
Just make sure you read the recipe all the way through once or twice because it does involve about 4 hours of rising so you want to make sure you give yourself enough time to make the bread all the way through.
To make this pumpkin spice version:
Make the dough
Heat milk. Pour milk into a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave to between 105°F-115°F (about 20 seconds). Or you could heat gently in a small pan over low heat on the stove. Use a thermometer to be accurate.
Make sponge. Pour milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Sprinkle yeast and 1/4 cup of the all purpose flour over the top and whisk to combine. Let sit about 10-15 minutes until creamy and slightly puffed.

Mix dough. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar and 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and stir on low to combine. Mix in the 2 eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated. Add pumpkin pie spice, orange blossom water, salt and 3 cups of the flour and mix on low until a dough forms, about 1 minute.
Knead dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then increase the speed to medium and knead dough for 8 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky and mostly pull away from the sides of the bowl. If it is really wet, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time until it forms a soft dough.
Add butter. Lay dough out on a clean work surface push down to flatten into a rectangle. Lay as many pieces of the cubed butter as will fit on the dough. Fold the dough up over the butter and begin to knead the butter into the dough. Add the remaining butter as you go. It will be messy at first, but keep kneading and the dough will come together into a smooth, elastic ball. If you don’t want to do this step by hand, you can add pieces of the butter into the dough, one at a time, while mixing the dough on medium speed in the mixer.

Rise. Grease a large bowl and transfer dough to the greased bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubles in size, about 1-2 hours.
Form the loaves
Divide dough. Transfer dough to a clean surface and cut into 3 equal pieces. Use a kitchen scale if you have one to be completely accurate.
Cut pieces for the skull and bones. Take each piece and cut off a third of each piece of dough. Set these aside.
Form three round loaves. Form the larger pieces of dough into round loaves. You can use a little flour if you need to prevent sticking but try to use as little as possible.

Prepare baking sheets. Grease two baking sheets and line them with parchment paper. Place two round loaves on one of the baking sheet at least 2-inches apart. Place the third loaf on the other baking sheet. Press each loaf down slightly so the top is a flat surface.
Make skull and bones. Divide the remaining dough, cutting each one in four equal pieces (again, use a scale if you have one). Now you have 12 small pieces of dough. Take three of those pieces and make three small dough balls. Set these balls on the baking sheets next to the larger balls of dough.
Form bones. With the remaining 9 pieces of dough, roll them into long snake-like shapes that are a bit longer than the larger balls of dough on the baking sheets. Make an indentation in the middle of each and two more indentations about an inch from the ends so they look like bones.
Stick bones onto loaves. Brush the tops of the large round loaves with water. Criss cross three of the “bones” across the top of each loaf with the middle indentations overlapping. Press gently to adhere.

Let rise again. Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.
Bake the pan de muerto
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Set oven to 350°F. Brush the middle of the loaf with a bit more water and attach the small balls of dough to the top of each loaf. This is the “skull”.
Bake. Bake in the middle rack on the oven until golden and hollow sounding when tapped, about 45 minutes.
Brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar. Let loaves cool slightly then coat generously with the melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar or even cinnamon-sugar when they come out of the oven, if you’d like.
Cool. Let rest at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Throw a Día de Muertos Fiesta!
I made this Pumpkin Spice Pan de Muerto recipe for the big Dia de los Muertos fiesta that I threw with This Mess Is Ours and Salt and Wind.
If you are thinking of throwing a get together to celebrate Day of the Dead you should definitely read this post. There are decorating ideas, ideas for making your own altar, a complete menu, and lots of photo inspiration.
more Day of the Dead Recipes To Try!
- Orange-Anise Pan de Muerto
- Super Easy Sugar Skulls
- Chocolate Anise Pan de Muerto
- Authentic Chile Relleno Recipe
- Mini Pan de Muerto with Tropical Fruit
- Chicken Mole Verde
- Cadillac Margaritas
Warm and Cozy Pan de Muerto
I think you will love this pumpkin spice version of Pan de Muerto. Let me know when you make it by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

Pumpkin Spice Pan de Muerto Recipe
Traditional Day of the Dead bread flavored with all the things we love about fall, sweet pumpkin, cozy spices, and a sprinkling of sugar.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup milk (I used almond milk but any type of milk works)
- 1 (7-gram) package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dried yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 large eggs
- 3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) softened unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Pour milk into a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave to between 105°F-115°F (about 20 seconds). Or you could heat gently in a small pan over low heat on the stove. Use a thermometer to be accurate.
- Pour milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Sprinkle yeast and 1/4 cup of the flour over the top and whisk to combine. Let sit about 10-15 minutes until creamy and slightly puffed.
- Add 3/4 cup of the sugar and pumpkin and stir on low to combine. Add the 2 eggs, one at a time, until completely incorporated. Add pumpkin pie spice, orange blossom water, salt and 3 cups of the flour and mix on low until a dough forms, about 1 minute.
- Increase the speed to medium and knead dough for 8 minutes. The dough should be slightly sticky and mostly pull away from the sides of the bowl. If it is really wet, add more flour 1/4 cup at a time until it forms a soft dough.
- Lay dough out on a clean surface push down to flatten into a rectangle. Lay as many pieces of the cubed butter as will fit on the dough. Fold the dough up over the butter and begin to knead the butter into the dough. Add the remaining butter as you go. It will be messy at first, but keep kneading and the dough will come together into a smooth, elastic ball. If you don't want to do this step by hand, you can add pieces of the butter into the dough, one at a time, while mixing the dough on medium speed in the mixer.
- Grease a large bowl and transfer dough to the greased bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place until doubles in size, about 1-2 hours.
- Transfer dough to a clean surface and cut into 3 equal pieces. Use a kitchen scale if you have one to be completely accurate.
- Take each piece and cut off a third of each piece of dough. Set these aside.
- Form the larger pieces of dough into round loaves. You can use a little flour if you need to prevent sticking but try to use as little as possible.
- Grease two baking sheets and line them with parchment paper. Place two round loaves on one of the baking sheet at least 2-inches apart. Place the third loaf on the other baking sheet. Press each loaf down slightly so the top is a flat surface.
- With the smaller pieces of dough you will cut each one in four equal pieces (again, use a scale if you have one). Now you have 12 small pieces of dough. Take three of those pieces and make three small balls. Set these balls on the baking sheets next to the larger balls of dough.
- With the remaining 9 pieces of dough, roll them into long snake-like shapes that are a bit longer than the larger balls of dough on the baking sheets. Make an indentation in the middle of each and two more indentations about an inch from the ends so they look like bones.
- Brush the tops of the large round loaves with water.
- Criss cross three of the "bones" across the top of each loaf with the middle indentations overlapping. Press gently to adhere.
- Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise until doubled, about 1-2 hours.
- Heat oven to 350°F. Brush the middle of the loaf with a bit more water and attach the small balls of dough to the top of each loaf. This is the "skull".
- Bake in the middle rack on the oven until golden and hollow sounding when tapped, about 40-50 minutes.
- Let loaves cool slightly then coat generously with the melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar or even cinnamon-sugar when they come out of the oven, if you'd like.
- Let rest at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 295Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 51mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 4g
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Love this post Kate and I really loved indulging in that pumpkin spice pan de muerto! So so good!
Thank you Meg and thank you for the gorgeous photography too!!
HELLO!! What a beauty! I definitely need to try this before fall is over – it’s too tasty sounding to pass up!
Aww, you are so sweet Katrina! Thank you so much!!
these loaves are so unique and lovely! the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice are interesting additions and the results are impressive and undoubtedly tasty too!
Thank you so much Grace! The pan really turned out great this year!!
it looks like the orange flower water is traditional, but I don’t have any. Is it ok to omit? Thanks,
Hi Tanya, Yes of course you can omit it. This is not exactly a “traditional” recipe anyway. 🙂
question – is this pan de muerto delicious enough to make as just a sweet yeast bread for Autumn? Some pans are super dry and mainly for serving g the the departed ancestors. I would love to make this for my pregnant daughter in law
Yes, it is absolutely delicious and loved by those living and dead.
thank you mucho…
Oh my goodness!!!!!!! Today is Dia de los muertos! I made this Pumpkin Pan de Muerto on Friday Oct 29 and I am inhaling it every day for breakfast with a huge cup of dark cinnamon/cardemom coffee. It didn’t turn out as “pretty” as Kate’s but it was so yummy that no one cared! Even if you don’t do the Muertos part and just make this as a delicious breakfast bread it is worth the time!
Thanks Dianne!! So happy you loved it. That coffee sounds pretty darn amazing too!
the Pan made the coffee taste sweeter and warmer. Feliz Recuerdos