Celebrate Day of the Dead the Sweet Way: 12 Mexican Desserts From Pan de Muerto to Tres Leches That Taste Like a Fiesta

Mexican desserts are at their most meaningful in the first days of November, when families across Mexico and the United States celebrate Día de los Muertos on November 1 and 2. It is a warm, colorful tradition of remembering loved ones, and many homes build an ofrenda decorated with bright orange marigolds, photos and the favorite foods of the people being honored. Sweet bread, hot chocolate and homemade Mexican desserts are always part of the table. This collection starts with a soft, orange scented pan de muerto and moves through creamy tres leches cake, chocoflan, silky flan, conchas, oven baked churros, thick champurrado, arroz con leche and powdered sugar wedding cookies. We finish with cajeta, capirotada and crisp buñuelos that carry the season all the way to Christmas. Every recipe has a short ingredient list and simple steps..

Mexican Desserts for Day of the Dead Start With Pan de Muerto

Pan de muerto, or “bread of the dead,” is the sweet bread most closely tied to the holiday. Bakeries across Mexico fill their shelves with it in late October, and families place a loaf on the ofrenda and share another with coffee or hot chocolate. The round shape and the crossed dough strips on top are often described as a symbol of the circle of life, and you can read more about its history in this overview of pan de muerto. Orange zest and a hint of anise give it that unforgettable bakery smell..

You will need: 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup sugar plus 1/3 cup for coating, 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp anise seed (or 1/2 tsp ground anise), zest of 1 orange, 1/2 cup warm milk, 1/4 cup orange juice, 3 large eggs, 1/2 cup soft butter, 3 tbsp melted butter for brushing.

How to make it: 1. Mix flour, 1/2 cup sugar, yeast, salt, anise and zest. 2. Add milk, juice and eggs, then knead in the soft butter for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth. 3. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. 4. Save a small piece of dough, shape the rest into a round loaf and place it on a lined tray. 5. Roll the reserved dough into two knobby strips and a small ball, then lay them across the top. 6. Rise 45 minutes, bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes. 7. Brush with melted butter and roll or sprinkle with sugar.

Tres Leches Cake, the Queen of Mexican Desserts

If one cake shows up at every Mexican birthday, baptism and family gathering, it is tres leches. A light, airy sponge is poked all over and soaked with a mix of evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and cream, so every forkful is cold, creamy and almost pudding soft. It is one of the best Mexican desserts to make ahead because it actually tastes better after a night in the fridge. Top it with whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a few fresh strawberries or a cherry for a little color.

You will need: 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 5 eggs (separated), 1 cup sugar (divided), 1/3 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, 2 tbsp powdered sugar, cinnamon.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 pan. 2. Beat yolks with 3/4 cup sugar, then add milk and vanilla and fold in flour, baking powder and salt. 3. Whip whites with the remaining sugar to soft peaks and fold them in. 4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes and cool. 5. Poke the cake all over with a fork. 6. Whisk the three milks and pour slowly over the top. 7. Chill at least 4 hours, then spread with whipped cream sweetened with powdered sugar and dust with cinnamon.

Chocoflan, the Impossible Cake That Flips Itself

Chocoflan gets its nickname, the impossible cake, from a little kitchen magic. You pour chocolate cake batter into the pan first and the flan mixture on top, yet while it bakes the two layers swap places. When you turn it out, a silky caramel flan sits on top of a moist chocolate cake. Like many Mexican desserts, it looks like a bakery showpiece but uses pantry ingredients and a boxed cake mix shortcut works perfectly. Drizzle with cajeta or store bought caramel and add toasted pecans for crunch.

You will need: 1/2 cup cajeta or caramel sauce, 1 box chocolate cake mix plus the eggs, oil and water it calls for, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk, 4 oz cream cheese (softened), 4 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 12-cup bundt pan well. 2. Pour the cajeta into the bottom. 3. Prepare the cake batter and spoon it over the caramel. 4. Blend both milks, cream cheese, eggs and vanilla until smooth, then pour gently over the batter. 5. Cover with greased foil and set the pan in a larger pan with 1 inch of hot water. 6. Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. 7. Cool, chill 4 hours, then flip onto a plate and top with pecans.

Easy Flan Napolitano With Golden Caramel

Flan napolitano is the rich, extra creamy flan you find in Mexican homes and taquerias, made thicker and silkier than its European cousin with condensed milk and a little cream cheese. The best part is the moment you flip it over and the amber caramel runs down the sides like a glossy sauce. Many Mexican desserts are made for sharing, and this one stretches easily to serve a whole table. A blender does most of the work, so even first-time bakers can pull it off.

You will need: 1 cup sugar (for caramel), 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk, 4 oz cream cheese, 5 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Melt the sugar in a dry pan over medium heat, swirling, until it turns deep amber, then pour into a 9-inch round pan and tilt to coat the bottom. 2. Blend the milks, cream cheese, eggs, vanilla and salt until smooth. 3. Pour over the hardened caramel. 4. Cover with foil and bake in a hot water bath at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes, until it barely jiggles in the center. 5. Cool, then chill at least 6 hours. 6. Run a knife around the edge and flip onto a rimmed plate.

Conchas, the Seashell Sweet Bread of Every Panadería

Walk into any panadería, the home of so many Mexican desserts, and the first thing you will see is a tray of conchas. These soft, slightly sweet rolls are named for the seashell pattern scored into their crunchy sugar topping, which can be vanilla, chocolate or tinted pink. Families often pick a few up on the way to visit relatives during the holiday, and they are wonderful dunked into hot chocolate. Making them at home is easier than it looks: the topping is just a simple sugar paste pressed onto the dough before the last rise.

You will need: For the dough: 4 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp salt, 3/4 cup warm milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup soft butter, 1 tsp vanilla. For the topping: 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup soft butter or shortening, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp cocoa (optional).

How to make it: 1. Mix the dough ingredients and knead 8 to 10 minutes until soft and elastic. 2. Let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. 3. Divide into 12 balls and set on lined trays. 4. Mix the topping into a paste, split it into 12 pieces and flatten each into a disk. 5. Press a disk onto each ball and score a shell pattern with a knife. 6. Rise 45 minutes more. 7. Bake at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes, until the bottoms are golden.

Oven-Baked Churros With Mexican Chocolate Sauce

Churros are the treat everyone grabs at fairs and festivals, and this oven-baked version gives you that crisp, ridged outside and soft center without a pot of hot oil. The dough is a simple choux paste piped into long ropes, baked until golden, then rolled in cinnamon sugar while still warm. Serve them with a thick dipping sauce made from Mexican chocolate, which is grainy, cinnamon spiced and less sweet than regular chocolate. Of all the Mexican desserts here, they disappear fastest, so make a double batch.

You will need: 1 cup water, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 cup flour, 3 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 1 tbsp cinnamon, 3 tbsp melted butter. For the sauce: 1 tablet (3 oz) Mexican chocolate, 1/2 cup heavy cream.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a tray. 2. Bring water, butter, sugar and salt to a boil, stir in the flour all at once and cook 1 minute. 3. Cool 5 minutes, then beat in the eggs one at a time and the vanilla. 4. Pipe 5-inch ropes with a large star tip. 5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until deep golden. 6. Brush with melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar. 7. Warm the cream, pour over the chopped chocolate and stir smooth for dipping.

Mexican Desserts You Can Sip: Thick, Cozy Champurrado

Champurrado is a thick, warming chocolate drink made with masa harina, the same corn flour used for tortillas and tamales. The masa gives it a velvety body that is somewhere between hot chocolate and a pourable pudding, while piloncillo and cinnamon add deep, caramel-like sweetness. It is one of the coziest Mexican desserts for cool November nights and is often served with pan de muerto or tamales. If you prefer something lighter, skip the masa and you have classic Mexican hot chocolate, frothed with a whisk until foamy on top.

You will need: 4 cups milk, 1 cup water, 1/3 cup masa harina, 1 tablet (3 oz) Mexican chocolate, 1/3 cup chopped piloncillo or brown sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 1/2 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Warm 3 cups milk with the cinnamon stick and piloncillo until the sugar dissolves. 2. Whisk the masa harina with the water and the remaining milk until no lumps remain. 3. Pour the masa mixture into the pot while whisking. 4. Add the chocolate and salt and simmer gently, whisking often, for 8 to 10 minutes until thick. 5. Remove the cinnamon stick, stir in vanilla. 6. Whisk hard until frothy and serve hot in mugs.

Arroz con Leche, Grandma Style

Ask anyone who grew up with arroz con leche and they will tell you about a grandmother stirring a pot on the back burner. This creamy rice pudding, one of the oldest Mexican desserts, is simmered with a cinnamon stick and a strip of lime or orange peel, then finished with condensed milk and a dusting of ground cinnamon. It is comforting warm on a chilly evening and just as good cold from the fridge the next day. Add a handful of raisins if your family likes them, or leave them out to keep the peace.

You will need: 1 cup long-grain white rice, 2 cups water, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 strip lime or orange peel, 4 cups whole milk, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/3 cup raisins (optional), ground cinnamon.

How to make it: 1. Rinse the rice. 2. Simmer the rice, water, cinnamon stick and peel for 10 minutes until most of the water is absorbed. 3. Add the milk and salt and cook on low, stirring often, for 20 to 25 minutes until creamy. 4. Stir in the condensed milk, vanilla and raisins and cook 5 minutes more. 5. Remove the cinnamon and peel. 6. Spoon into bowls and dust with ground cinnamon. Serve warm or chilled.

Mexican Wedding Cookies Rolled in Powdered Sugar

Mexican wedding cookies, often called polvorones, are tiny buttery snowballs packed with toasted pecans that melt the moment you bite in. They appear at weddings, baptisms and holiday parties, and a tin of these Mexican desserts makes a lovely gift for neighbors. The dough has only a handful of ingredients and no eggs, so it comes together in minutes. The trick is rolling them twice in powdered sugar: once while warm so it sticks, then again when cool for that snowy finish.

You will need: 1 cup soft butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar plus 1 1/2 cups for rolling, 2 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F. 2. Beat the butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla until fluffy. 3. Mix in the flour and salt, then the pecans. 4. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on a lined tray. 5. Bake 12 to 14 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden. 6. Cool 5 minutes, then roll in powdered sugar. 7. Cool completely and roll again.

Cajeta, the Goat Milk Caramel Behind Many Mexican Desserts

Cajeta is a slow-cooked caramel made with goat milk, and it has a tangy, deeper flavor than regular caramel. It is spooned over crepes, sandwiched between cookies and stirred into many Mexican desserts, but one of the simplest ways to enjoy it is warm over crisp apple slices and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can buy it in jars at Latin grocery stores, or make your own with a little patience. A small pinch of baking soda keeps the milk smooth while it cooks down.

You will need: 4 cups goat milk (or half goat, half cow milk), 1 cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 1/4 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 crisp apples, vanilla ice cream.

How to make it: 1. Bring the milk, sugar and cinnamon to a gentle simmer in a wide pot. 2. Take it off the heat, stir in the baking soda mixture (it will foam) and return to the heat. 3. Simmer, stirring often, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until thick and amber. 4. Remove the cinnamon and stir in vanilla. 5. Slice the apples and set them beside scoops of ice cream. 6. Drizzle with warm cajeta and serve.

Capirotada, Mexican Bread Pudding With Piloncillo Syrup

Capirotada is one of the thriftiest Mexican desserts, a layered bread pudding that turns day-old bread into something special. Toasted slices are soaked in a spiced piloncillo syrup, then layered with raisins, peanuts or pecans and a little cheese, which melts into salty pockets that balance the sweetness. It is traditionally made in spring, yet it is also a wonderful way to use leftover pan de muerto after the holiday. If you love savory dinners from the same kitchen, our Mexican dinner recipes make a perfect meal before this dessert.

You will need: 1 day-old baguette or bolillo rolls (sliced and toasted), 4 tbsp melted butter, 2 cups water, 8 oz piloncillo or 1 cup dark brown sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 whole cloves, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup chopped peanuts or pecans, 1 cup crumbled queso fresco or shredded Monterey Jack, sprinkles (optional).

How to make it: 1. Simmer the water, piloncillo, cinnamon and cloves for 10 minutes, then strain. 2. Brush the toasted bread with butter. 3. Layer half the bread in a buttered 8×8 dish and spoon over half the syrup. 4. Sprinkle with half the raisins, nuts and cheese. 5. Repeat the layers. 6. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 10 minutes more. 7. Rest 15 minutes before serving.

Crisp Buñuelos for the Holidays, No Deep Fryer Needed

Buñuelos are thin, crackly disks dusted with cinnamon sugar and often drizzled with piloncillo syrup, and they are a favorite at Christmas posadas from mid-December on. Traditional ones are rolled from scratch and fried, but this easy home version uses flour tortillas baked or air fried until they shatter like the real thing. Kids love helping with the cinnamon sugar step. Make a big batch, pile them high on a platter, and you have one of those Mexican desserts that carry the warmth of the season from November all the way to New Year.

You will need: 10 flour tortillas (8-inch), 4 tbsp melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon. For the syrup: 1 cup chopped piloncillo or dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400°F (or an air fryer to 375°F). 2. Brush both sides of each tortilla with melted butter. 3. Bake on a rack set over a tray for 6 to 8 minutes, or air fry 4 to 5 minutes, until crisp and blistered. 4. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the hot buñuelos. 5. Simmer the syrup ingredients for 10 minutes until slightly thick. 6. Stack the buñuelos and drizzle with warm syrup just before serving.