Giant kites rising over the crowd at a Guatemalan Day of the Dead festival

Day of the Dead Traditions in Guatemala: A Local’s Guide

Day of the Dead in Guatemala turns remembrance into a colorful celebration. On November 1, families decorate graves, share fiambre, and gather for festivals, horse races, and spectacular giant kite displays. Rooted in Día de Todos los Santos, these traditions are distinctly Guatemalan and very different from Mexico’s Día de Muertos.

Fried Guatemalan molletes soaking in warm panela and cinnamon syrup

Guatemalan Molletes Recipe: Custard-Stuffed Sweet Bread

Guatemalan molletes are sweet bread rolls stuffed with creamy manjar, fried like French toast, and soaked in a spiced panela syrup. A traditional dessert for el Día de Todos los Santos (Day of the Dead), Lent, and Christmas that’s much easier to make than it looks. Here’s my easy step-by-step recipe for this holiday classic.

traditional Guatemalan dessert jocotes en miel

Jocotes en Miel: Guatemalan Hog Plums in Syrup Recipe

Jocotes en miel are small tart hog plums simmered whole in a dark panela syrup with cinnamon and cloves until they turn soft and candied. Five ingredients and a slow afternoon on the stove. In Guatemala, they go on the table on November 1st, right after the fiambre during the Day of the Dead celebrations.