Cacao recipe | Festive cacao
Cacao & Pan de Muerto
Start your Día de los Muertos celebration with the warmth of ceremonial cacao—paired with Pan de Muerto, this sacred bread becomes a ritual of connection, remembrance, and joy.
Every detail of Pan de Muerto carries meaning: its round shape mirrors the circle of life, the “bones” on top honor ancestors, and the small skull-shaped ball at the center completes this symbolic design.
This recipe keeps it plant-based and nourishing. Gold potatoes replace eggs for a moist, fluffy texture, and sweet potatoes can add a richer twist.
The real magic happens when you pair it with a steaming mug of Keith’s Cacao. Dunk the soft, subtly sweet bread into the rich, spiced drink, and each bite becomes a moment of comfort, connection, and celebration—linking the living and those who have passed.
End your ritual with the deep, grounding richness of Cacao, honoring tradition and the timeless sweetness of life itself.
Pan de Muerto
Pan de Muerto or “Bread of the Dead” is an iconic staple found on altars in Dia de Los Muertos or "Day of the Dead" Celebrations. This beautiful recipe is perfectly paired with Ceremonial Cacao as a family treat or an offering to share with loved ones, here and beyond.
Servings: 6 loaves
Keywords: Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, Bread, Sweet Bread, plant-based, vegan, Dulce
- Prep Time: 3 hours 0 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 mins
Ingredients
- 6 ⅔ cups Bread Flour
- 1 ½ cups Gold Potatoes (or other high-starch variety), cooked, cooled, and mashed
- 2 packs Active Dry Yeast
- 1 cup Almond or Oat Milk
- 1 cup and 2 tbsp Plant-based Butter
- 1 ½ cups Cane Sugar, Granulated
- Juice of 1 Orange
- Zest of 1 Orange
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, activate the yeast by dissolving in warm to the touch (not hot) almond or oat milk. Add in a spoon of bread flour, then mix with a fork to incorporate. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- In the meantime prepare your dry ingredients. For this step you can use a bowl and mix by hand, or use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. In the mixing bowl combine sugar, remaining flour, salt, and cinnamon. Mix and set aside.
- To the activated yeast mixture, add all wet ingredients: juice of 1 orange, zest of 1 orange, mashed and cooled potato. Stir until combined.
- Add the wet mix into the mixing bowl with the dry mix. Mix slowly to incorporate, then increase speed to medium and begin adding the plant-based butter in small chunks.
- Continue mixing for approx 12-18 minutes. You are looking for the dough to pull away from the sides of the bowl and be stretchy (that's the gluten working!), but not sticky. Ideally, if you take a small dough ball and stretch it into 4 corners like a square, it should stretch without breaking and be thin enough to have transparency.
- Place your dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled in size, approx 90 minutes. Punch down the dough, fold the sides in and turn it over. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to develop overnight.
- The following day, remove plastic wrap and cover with a towel, placing the bowl in a warm area for about 90 minutes, until it reaches room temp. It may rise during this time.
- Cut the dough in 7 equal pieces, set 1 piece aside and roll the remaining 6 into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking tray.
- With the remaining ball you will sculpt the decorations. Roll a total of 6 small balls and 12 strips. Place 2 strips forming a cross on each bal. Cover and set aside another 90 minutes to rise or until doubled in size. After rising, add the ball to each center, adhering with water. It will resemble bones and a skull on top.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for approx 20 minutes, until golden brown in color. Buns are done when the bottoms are golden brown and if using a probe thermometer, reaches an internal temp of 185 F.
- While bread is still warm you can brush with additional plant based butter and sprinkle with sugar, or allow to cool and dust with powdered sugar.
- Pan de Muerto is a beautiful addition to your Dia de Los Muertos altars and ofrendas, as well as a beautiful treat the family will love. Enjoy on its own, or dip into a rich mug of Keith’s 100% Pure Ceremonial Grade Cacao Drink for a perfect pairing!
