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From sugar skulls and catrina cookies to skeleton cookies and shortbread pan de muerto cookies, you will find a list of the best Day of the Dead cookies here! One of our favorite Day of the Dead activities with kids is making and decorating Day of the Dead cookies. It’s more than just a fun activity you can do together as a family. Still, these cookies are all delicious and would be a great addition to your Halloween or Day of the Dead party!
What is celebrated on the Day of the Dead?
Day of the Dead in Mexico, known as the Dia de los Muertos, is a vibrant celebration that pays tribute to departed loved ones. This tradition spans three days, starting on October 31st and concluding on November 2nd. It encompasses various activities such as parades, family gatherings, feasts, rituals, music, dance, art exhibitions, and the decoration of graves. Originating in Mexico but extending across Latin America, Dia de los Muertos combines indigenous customs with Catholic elements.
During this commemoration, marigolds, with their bright orange hues and captivating scent, line pathways. Homes keep their doors open, welcoming the spirits of the deceased. Marigolds guide these souls, leading them to ofrendas—small, intimate altars within homes dedicated to honoring the departed. These ofrendas typically feature photographs of the deceased, Day of the Dead flowers, candles, and pan de muerto, a sweet, soft bread. Additionally, the tradition involves offering the deceased’s favorite foods from their living days.
Are cookies traditionally eaten for the Day of the Dead?
Cookies are not one of the traditional Day of the Dead foods. However, making cookies inspired by the artistic and symbolic elements of el Dia de los Muertos is a great Day of the Dead activity for kids to spark conversations about the meaning and significance of this holiday.
Every year, as Dia de los Muertos approaches, we start by watching Day of the Dead movies like Coco. Then we talk about my grandparents, whom my kids never got to meet and tell stories about them. We set up a small ofrenda with their photos and traditional Day of the Dead foods like pan de muerto and ayote en miel. Day of the Dead crafts we have made through the year, like sugar skulls painted pumpkins and glow in the dark sugar skull lanterns.
Easy Day of the Dead Skeleton Cookies
This recipe for Day of the Dead cookies is so easy to make. A twist on the traditional gingerbread men, these skeleton cookies are so much fun to bake and decorate and delicious. They’re perfect for enjoying with a cup of Mexican hot chocolate or a cool glass of horchata.
Simple Day of the Dead Marigold Cookies
These Day of the Dead Marigold Cookies are beautifully decorated with bright yellow icing to resemble the marigold flowers used in Día de los Muertos celebrations. The simple flower design sits atop a base of white royal icing, making them the perfect easy cookie Dia de los Muertos recipe for kids to help with. Perfect for honoring loved ones or sharing with family, these cookies bring a vibrant touch to your celebration.
Cute Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Catrina Cookies
This recipe for Catrina sugar skull cookies is one of my favorite Day of the Dead cookies. These Dia de los Muertos cookies twist the popular sugar skull cookies by turning them into catrinas with beautiful flower crowns. You start with a fool-proof cutout sugar cookie recipe, then cover them with royal icing and have fun decorating them with colored food pens. They’re perfect for adding them to your Day of the Dead party spread or as a delicious Day of the Dead dessert.
Day of the Dead Pan de Muerto Cookies
Inspired by the traditional pan de muerto, these cookies are a smaller, cookie-sized version of the famous bread. Shaped like mini loaves with decorative dough bones on top, they are sprinkled with sugar after baking, just like the classic pan de muerto. These are perfect for your ofrenda or as a sweet treat to share at a Day of the Dead party.
Marigold and Orange Blossom Sugar Skull Cookies from Lola’s Cocina
This sugar cookie recipe includes flavors you’d find in traditional pan de muerto. This sweet bread has great significance for el Dia de los Muertos. The sugar cookies are cut in the shape of sugar skulls and marigolds, which have special significance on altars.
Sugar Skull Brownie Cookies from Hungry Happenings
Turn a store-bought brownie mix into the coolest Day of the Dead dessert. Creating these Sugar Skull Brownies using a cookie stamp for your Dia de Los Muertos or Halloween Party is easy.
Ginger and Spice Sugar Skull Cookies
These Sugar Skull Ginger Spice Cookies are a fun and simple recipe for Day of the Dead celebrations. With a sugar skull stamp, you can easily create cool designs on your cookies that look great after baking. The ginger and spice flavors are perfect for cooler weather, and the recipe is easy enough for anyone to try. These stamp cookies are a festive way to enjoy a tasty treat with minimal hassle.
Pretty Marigold Cookies from Sweet Sugarbelle
These beautiful marigold cookies made with royal icing are not just delicious. Still, they are so pretty they can be part of your ofrenda this year. Made with royal icing, they are easier than they look; try them!
Day of the Dead Mickey Sugar Cookies from DVC Shop
Give the classic Mickey-shaped sugar cookies a Day of the Dead twist for a special treat during Dias De Los Muertos! Try this easy recipe and enjoy these tasty cookies with your family to celebrate the occasion.
Mexican Chocolate Calavera Cookies from Hispana Global
These calavera-shaped chocolate cookies are super easy to make and delicious, too. I love that these are made with Abuelita Mexican chocolate, a traditional Day of the Dead food usually enjoyed with pan de muerto. The Mexican chocolate gives these cookies a unique and comforting flavor reminiscent of sipping chocolate caliente.
These Day of the Dead cookies are not just delicious treats—they’re a fun and meaningful way to celebrate Día de los Muertos. Whether you’re adding them to an ofrenda, sharing them at a party, or enjoying them with family at home, these cookies are a wonderful way to honor the traditions of the holiday and keep your loved ones’ memories alive.
Paula studied architecture and now makes a living as a freelance writer,traveler and amateur photographer.She started her writing & publishing career as the editor of Bebé y Mamá, the first parenting magazine in Guatemala.She is the founder of www.GrowingUpBilingual.com and www.365thingsswfl.com and writes articles in Spanish and English for both magazines and the web on travel,food and bicultural and bilingual parenting .
When she is not on a plane or road trip she likes to create recipes inspired in the flavors of her native Guatemala.
