Gluten-Free Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead Bread) Recipe (2024)

Posted On Oct 30, 2018 · Updated On Nov 7, 2023

Enjoy this sweet gluten-free bread with coffee or hot chocolate on Día de los Muertos!

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Try this recipe for Gluten-Free Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead Bread), converted from a traditional pan de muerto by Herdez Brand by KC the G-Free Foodie (with a little help from the Herdez chef!).

Día de los Muertos, November 1 & 2, is a special time to honor the dead and celebrate life in the Mexican culture, similar to the All Saints or All Souls days in the Catholic tradition. Pan de Muerto, or Day of the Dead bread, is a sweet bread many enjoy with coffee or hot chocolate during this time of year.

Making gluten-free Pan de Muerto, with help from Herdez:

I took a traditional Pan de Muerto recipe and converted to gluten-free, so everyone can celebrate. After a couple of tries and not getting it quite right, I jumped on the phone with the Herdez team, and their head chef talked me through the finer points of Pan de Muerto. Together we figured out I had a moisture problem. If your dough is super-tacky (like you can't get it off your fingers at all) add a little more flour. STOP adding flour if the dough becomes stiff. There's a chance you won't need all the flour for this recipe. Read it all the way through before you start!

Try this Gluten-Free Pan de Muerto with a cup of homemade Hot Chocolate and let me know what you think! Tag me@gfreefoodie to share your masterpieces on Instagram.

Gluten-Free Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead Bread)

K.C. Cornwell

Try this gluten-free version of Pan de Muerto, a sweet bread traditionally served on Día de los Muertos, November 1 & 2, in Latin cultures.

4.15 from 41 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Resting time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients

¼ cup milk
¼ cup butter
¼ cup warm water 110 degrees F/45 degrees C
3 cups Gluten-Free flour blend sifted with 2 teaspoons xanthan gum (if not already in the blend) & DIVIDED
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons anise seed
¼ cup white sugar
3 eggs beaten
2 teaspoons orange zest

Instructions

Heat the milk and the butter together in a medium saucepan, until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and add the warm water. The mixture should be around 110 degrees F (43 degrees C).
In a large bowl combine 1 cup of the flour blend, yeast, salt, anise seed and sugar. Beat in the warm milk mixture then add the eggs and orange zest and beat until well combined. Stir in ½ cup of flour and continue adding more flour until the dough is soft. Stop adding flour if the dough starts to become stiff (you may not need all the flour!)
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly with floured hands.
Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This will take about 1 to 2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape it into a large round loaf with a round knob on top. If you'd like to make "bones" on the bread, take no more than ⅕ of the dough and roll fat ropes, then stretch them over the loaf and pinch in sections to mimic the shape of bumpy bones.
Place dough onto a baking sheet, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until just about doubled in size.
Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for about 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven let cool slightly.
Sprinkle the top with sugar or cinnamon as desired.

Notes

I often mix my own Gum-Free Baking Binder when I bake breads like this. I've found it's a better binder than gums, and provides better texture.

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 10gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 289mgPotassium: 81mgFiber: 7gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 332IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 3mg

Keyword gluten-free, gluten-free bread

Recipe converted to gluten-free from an original byHerdez Brandwith permission.

Gluten-Free Pan de Muerto (Day of the Dead Bread) Recipe (3)

Serve it with a steaming cup of homemade hot chocolate too:

This simple, rich and delicious recipe for proper Dutch Hot Chocolate will surely become a new favorite fall & winter recipe.

FAQs about Gluten-Free Pan de Muerto

What is Gluten-Free Pan de Muerto made of?

It's made of gluten-free flour, eggs, butter & milk, sugar and yeast, and flavored with anise, orange and more sugar + cinnamon.

What is special about Pan de Muerto?

It's eaten to honor the Day of the Dead, to honor the dead and celebrate life in the Mexican culture. The fluffy, soft texture and sweet + orange flavor are perfect with hot chocolate or coffee.

What does Pan de Muerto taste like?

Pan de muerto is a soft & fluffy sweet bread, flavored with orange, anise and cinnamon.

Can you make dairy free Pan de Muerto?

Yes. Use coconut milk in place of the whole milk, and substitute vegan butter (like Miyoko's) for the butter.

Can you make egg free Pan de Muerto?

Yes. Use ¼ cup prune puree to replace each egg. Then make sure to add the flour in stages and stop adding flour if the dough becomes stiff. You may not need all of the flour.

Reader Interactions

Comments

Irene says
November 02, 2018 at 1:52 am
This looks beautiful! Any recommendations for a egg free version? Do you think it would work to just omit the eggs?
Reply
- K.C. Cornwell says
  October 29, 2021 at 5:55 pm
  Use 1/4 cup prune puree to replace each egg. Then make sure to add the flour in stages and stop adding flour if the dough becomes stiff. You may not need all of the flour.
  Reply
Charissa says
November 07, 2021 at 6:54 am
Any suggestions on a potato starch substitute for the binder? I can’t do nightshades. Tia
Reply
- K.C. Cornwell says
  November 16, 2021 at 4:30 am
  You could do cornstarch or arrowroot.
  Reply
Deborah Montez says
November 03, 2022 at 4:12 pm
How many grams per serving?
This is pretty good - great flavor, it made me happy!
Reply
Mags says
October 30, 2023 at 8:40 pm
the Pamelas baking flour that your recipe links contains Guar Gum, so is the Xantham gum still needed? Thanks!
Reply
- K.C. Cornwell says
  November 07, 2023 at 1:24 pm
  Nope. The the note says (if not already included in the blend) because some folks blend their own flour or buy a blend without binders. If you're using the Pamela's or King Aruthur flours I recommend, you should be good to go.
  Reply