The Best Recipes to Celebrate the Day of the Dead

Photo: Lola/Lola’s Cocina

Day of the Dead or Dia de Muertos is a Mexican holiday that focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray and remember those who have died and help them on their spiritual journey. The holiday consists of celebrations and gatherings over the course of three days that include bringing food to memorials and celebrating the life of those who have passed with dances, poems, or decorating their grave-sites. This holiday is meant to be a joyous occasion to celebrate life. To help you with your festivities here are some great Mexican recipe to help with your Dia de Muertos celebration!

Chicken Enchiladas with Mole Sauce

Julia from Savory Tooth has created a delicious Mexican inspired enchilada recipe layered with a delicious mole sauce. Typically mole is a complex sauce, but with Julia’s simple recipe, you can have this flavorful sauce in your enchiladas in no time!

Pan De Muerto

This bread recipe is an authentic and traditional recipe made in Mexico made to celebrate Dia De Muertos. Robin of A Shaggy Dough Story shares her recipe for this delicious bread flavored with orange zest and orange blossom water. Get your oven heating and dough proofing!

Day of the Dead Sugar Skulls

Wendy from Around My Family Table shares her easy recipe for sugar skulls, a common symbol used for cookies, masks, and celebrations on Dia De Muerto. Her easy and simple recipe to create this colorful and beautiful skulls will have any of your guests floored! Check out her tutorial and get those skull molds ready!

Pumpkin Champurrado

Champurrado is a classic hot chocolate masa Mexican drink. Filled with chocolate, corn flour, cinnamon, and milk, this piping hot drink will warm you up when the weather gets colder. Ericka from Nibbles and Feasts shares her easy champurrado recipe with a fall twist! She adds to pumpkin puree to create a delicious fall and Mexican fusion drink!

Quick and Easy Horchata

Natalie from Life Made Simple Bakes shares her easy recipe for Horchata, the traditional Mexican rice drink. Combining rice, milk, and lots of cinnamon, Natalie’s recipe comes together in under an hour. This is a great traditional drink to sip on for your celebration and perhaps even add some spirits to for an adult beverage.