If you’ve been looking for a method to make a sugar skull with the kids—this is it! These simplified, super easy Sugar Skulls are basically foolproof and are perfect for little ones to decorate for Día de Muertos!
{Last updated August 16, 2022}
Happy Day of the Dead friends! Today I’ve got a really fun, not to mention, super easy sugar skulls project.
Sugar skulls represent a departed soul, typically with that person’s name written on their forehead. We place them on our altar or ofrenda along with tissue paper flowers for the Day of the Dead {Dia de los Muertos} holiday.
Make them with your children as a decoration and to celebrate the lives of our loved ones who have passed away.
what is a sugar skull?
Sugar skulls are one of the many ways we remember our dead family member and are an important part of the Día de los Muertos celebrations in Mexico.
They are important because the more we celebrate and include our deceased loved ones in our lives, the stronger their spirits will stay with us.
Sugar art dates back to the 17th century when the Catholic friars introduced gravestone art to the indigenous people of Mexico. The indigenous people used what they had to create their own sculptures and something they had plenty of was sugar.
Even the colors that decorate the skulls have meaning. Yellow represents death, purple represents grief, and white represents purity and hope.
Ingredients To Make Sugar Skulls
With Day of the Dead just around the corner I thought I’d share how to make these super easy sugar skulls or calaveras. You can buy the skull mold at a Latin market if you live in any largish-sized city. Or check out Mexican Sugar Skull. It is dedicated to all things sugar skull.
- Skull mold. I used a large mold which makes 1 large skull with two sides. It is about 4 inches long.
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Royal icing. You will need this if you are making a two-sided larger skull to stick the two sides together and to decorate with (if you are going that route). I sometimes use writing icing instead of making my own.
- Decorating supplies. These are some options: Sharpies, ribbon, glitter glue pens, feathers, beads
how to make a super easy sugar skull
The molds I used were large molds, about the size of a softball with a flat back. 1 cup of sugar was enough to fill 1 of these molds. You can use this recipe to make a large sugar skull or adjust the size of the batch depending on the size of your mold and how many you want to make.
step one
Wet sugar. Heat oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine 2 cups of granulated sugar with a couple teaspoons of water in a large bowl.
step two
Pack the mold. Rub the water into the sugar really good with your hands then pack it super tight into the molds (front and back, if using both).
step three
Bake. Flip the molds over onto a baking sheet and place in the oven to dry and harden for 10 minutes. If the skull breaks when you flip it. Invert it onto a small piece of cardboard first, then set that on the baking sheet. Don’t worry, the cardboard won’t burn the in oven.
step four
Stick two sides together. Let cool completely and use royal icing or glue to stick the two sides of the mold together. If you are only using the front of the mold you can skip this step.
step five
Decorate. Use the royal icing or whatever you are using to decorate the molds in any fun pattern you choose.
how to decorate a sugar skull
As with any decorating project you can get as fancy as you please. If you love cake decorating or cookie decorating, this is your time to shine.
I wanted to stick to things the kids could easily use on their own, while simultaneously keeping the mess to a minimum. Therefore we used markers, glitter glue, and gems to decorate ours.
If you have older kids they may enjoy using sequins, paint, royal icing, or even colored foil to decorate the skulls. The important part is to use vibrant hues. You want them to be brightly colored.
how long does a sugar skull last?
A lot of recipes for the skulls call for a sugar and meringue powder mixture which I’ve never used but I assume makes for a harder, more durable finished product.
The skulls we made with just sugar and water worked beautifully and have now survived a long time with a very passionate two-year-old which is more than I can say about most things.
In fact, we tried these last year as well and the ones we made are still as solid as ever, even after being stored for a year. If they’ve held up this well, I’m completely sold on making them this much easier way.
what do skulls represent?
Sugar skulls are a type of folk art made for Dia de Muertos or Day of the Dead celebrations. They represent a deceased loved one and are placed on the home Ofrenda or altar on All Saints Day.
Sculpted sugar forms, like sugar skulls, are called alfeñique and are popular in Italy, Spain, and Mexico.
when is día de los muertos celebrated?
Similar to the Catholic holiday of All Souls Day, Day of the Dead is celebrated on the 1st and 2nd day in November. We believe the gates of heaven are opened on midnight of October 31 to allow the spirits to visit.
The tradition is a combination of native Aztec rituals and Spanish Catholic influences. November 1 is All Saints Day in the Catholic religion and Dia de los Innocentes in the Mesoamerican tradition.On this day deceased children may visit their families. November 2nd is All Souls Day in the Catholic religion as well as Dia de los Muertos. On this day adults are allowed a visit.
These very special days are a celebration of life! We honor those lives who have come before us and our own special time here on Earth.
In Mexico City and around the country on these days, small sugar skulls are placed in people’s homes on their Ofrendas or in cemeteries on loved ones gravesites.
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share your creations!
When you give this sugar skull method a try, I want to see how you decorated it and what you thought. Snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, don’t forget to sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!
Super Easy Sugar Skulls for Dia de los Muertos
These simplified, super easy Sugar Skulls are basically foolproof and are perfect for little ones to decorate for Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead.
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons water
- 1 recipe Royal Icing, to stick the two sides together and decorating
- Decorations for the skulls (see post for ideas)
Instructions
- Heat oven. Heat oven to 200°F.
- Mix sugar and water. Mix sugar and water together until sugar is damp throughout (this is easiest with your hands so you can really tell if all the granules have gotten wet).
- Press into molds. Press mixture into the mold taking time to press really well into all the crevices. Firmly pack it in as hard as you can.
- Flip out skulls. Very carefully invert the mold onto a parchment lined baking sheet, letting the sugar skull slip out.
- Bake until firm. Bake skull to harden the sugar for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Stick sides together. Pipe royal icing on the back of both of the skulls then press firmly together. Hold about a minute to make sure they stick. Let dry, then decorate.
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Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 0Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 0mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
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