Sugar art - decorated sugar skulls

Mounds of fabulously decorated sugar skulls are on display for competition and sale at the Feria de Alfinique in Toluca before Day of the Dead. Over 150 local artisan families exhibit the traditional candy traditions of Mexico.

Boiled sugar that is molded in clay skull molds are the norm but the few that decorate in fine detail take center stage. Sugar skulls are to be kept as folk art - not to be eaten.

Catrina skull with fancy hat

NEW Tiny Catrina Sugar Skull
The catrina is an iconic symbol of Day of the Dead, who was originally drawn in woodcut by Jose Guadalupe Posada back in the early 1910's.

These difficult to make sugar skulls are painstakingly decorated with colored icing, doo-dahs, rick rack and feathers. Made by master sugar candy makers of Mexico, these are very special sugar skulls to adorn the home ofrendas. The fancier the better the offering! This probably would be placed on an ofrenda honoring a woman rather than a man.
2 1/2" tall x 3 1/2" wide x 2 1/2" deep.
A2130 $ 25 each

5 beautifully decorated sugar skulls from Toluca, Mexico

Our mascot Bengal cat Tacuba with one of her favorite decorated sugar skulls

Toluca sugar skull

These are authentic, very fancy, sugar skulls that I brought back from the Sugar Skull Fair (Feria de Alfinique) in Toluca, Mexico. They are treasures for any collector or a delight to decorate any ofrenda. They are finely decorated with metallic, sequins, tacky-craps, tiaras and intense colored icing. Limited quantities!
Medium 3 1/2" A1137 $34 each
Small 2 1/2" A1238 $18 each

Comadre sugar figurine
These amazing pieces of sugar are are hard to find! They are detailed with necklaces, feathers, netted hats, fans and hand bags! They are little, but extremely great folk art made entirely of sugar! This is the classic "alfinique" that is different than the boiled sugar skulls, as it's powdered sugar, combined with the secret powder of "chautle" and egg white. It's molded like clay and tinted with paste food colors. These 3-D figurines exemplify the culture of women going to market in their best clothing, and chatting & gossiping with one another. So, this is a very popular piece of sugar folk art bought to place on the ofrenda of a mother, aunt or grandmother! Each piece is unique and hand made with lots of love! 5.5" high x 3" wide x 2" deep
A2015 $26 each

Sombrero hat sugar skull
One of my favorite sugar skulls! These sugar skulls can be traced back to the Colonia period of Mexican history, where they were made in the 1800's and sold in open air markets for men's ofrendas. These molds are extremely difficult to make, let alone, very hard to find a sugar skull maker willing to make such a difficult piece of sugar casting. The hat requires a "break away mold", in many more pieces than a regular sugar skull. While these sombrero charro cowboys are not really finely made; they are more a rough market quality, they do have the heavy sombrero hats and some colored tin foil on the foreheads. Sometimes, I go several years between finding them.
5" high x 5" wide x 5" deep
A2013 $30 each

NEW Sugar Angel

Sugar Angels are favorite boiled sugar figures as they are used on the ofrendas for the "angelitos" on November 1. Blue angels are used for baby boys who died, and pink for girls. But there are many colors. These hefty and well made angels are 3" tall, 2" wide and 1" deep. These have sweet featured faces and are extra special with the gold braid & trim in addition to the icing decorations. I decorate with them at Christmas too!

A2031 $14 each, assorted colors

NEW Decorated Catrina sugar skull

With feathered and flowered hat... in the tradition of Jose Guadalupe Posada, these unique real sugar skulls were hard to pass up at the Feria de Alfinique. Shimmery with beads and foils, this sugar artist went all out to decorate these little sweet treasures. Mexico.

Medium, approx 4 1/2" tall - A1326, $38 each

Hand-decorated sugar skulls These hand decorated sugar skulls are made by a local artist using MexicanSugarSkull.com's Large Original sugar skull mold. Their elaborate, intricate designs are inspired by Mexican sugar skull makers. Designs vary slightly in color. Skulls are the size of softballs, and their prices reflect an additional allowance for the added shipping weight. Approx 4' high x 3.2" wide x 3.7" deep

Decorated Traditional Skull A1158 $21.50	close-up of Traditional Skull (side view)	Decorated Aztec Skull A1159 $21.50 (out)


Sugar skull party favors Make your party perfect with these precious decorated sugar skulls made from our Original medium sugar skull molds. Local women artists do amazing work with their icing bags to create detailed and colorful sugar skulls to make your event memorable! Sugar skulls last about 5 years, Use the skulls as table decorations or place settings or use the provided cello bags, tissue paper and ribbon to make a special packaged skull for your guests to take home. 3.2" h x 2.2" w x 1.5" thick. A2039 $14 each \| A2040 $130 per dozen (out) Customized skulls can be ordered (8 weeks in advance) with initials on the foreheads. Minimum order 100 pieces.

	Authentic decorated Mexican sugar skulls ... dates back to the Colonial period in Mexico where sugar skulls represented a departed soul. Skulls were personalized with names written in icing by the market salesperson. Skulls adorn home altars and cemetery tombs and are a festive icon of the holiday! Made in Mexico Note - These are for decorative use ONLY, not to be eaten!!

EXTRA large Decorated sugar skull 7" h x 6.2"w x 8.5" deep A2033 $64 each	Decorated sugar skulls - these authentic Mexican sugar skulls are colorfully decorated and ready to adorn any ofrenda. Sugar skull making is a tradition passed on from generation to generation. These boiled sugar confections are the "real deal", true folk art, made by artisans in fewer and fewer places each year. If kept dry, they look beautiful for years! Very limited quantities. Large 4.5" h x 4.5" w x 6" deep F2043 $24 \| Medium 3.5" h x 3.5" w x 4" deep F2042 $14 Small 3" h x 2.5" w x 3" deep F2041 $10 \| Mini 2" h x 2" w x 2" deep F2040 $7


Sugar Alfinique long legged sheep Interesting sugar art traditional to Toluca, Mexico used for ofrenda decorations. No one can tell us WHY they always make long legged sheep and deer.... It's a holdover from the Colonial Period. small 3" assorted colored sheep A1138 $18 each	Alfinique sugar coffins with pop-up calaveras Traditional sugar toy from Mexico. These were hand carried back from Toluca and are in great shape for any collector. Assorted colors. Very limited quantities. Medium 4" A1139 $18 \| Large 6" A1140 $24
*Alfinique (al-fin-ee-kay) is a moldable, powdered sugar and egg white paste made in Central Mexico for sugar folk art.

NEW Pillar sugar tombstone

These are traditional to use on ofrendas, both adults & children's, as well as out in the cemetery. Made of cast cooked sugar.
1 1/2" w x 4" tall.
A2029 $12 each

rows of decorated sugar skull tombstones

Decorated sugar tombstone

3.5" x 3.5" x 2" deep
Various colors
A1161 $14 each


Size 1 Metepec decorated sugar skull, mini, 3/4" A1242 $4 each	Beautiful hand-decorated Metepec sugar skulls come in 5 sizes	Size 2 Metepec decorated sugar skull, 1 3/4" A1243 $7 each


Size 4 Metepec decorated sugar skull, 4" A1240 $24 each	Size 5 Metepec decorated sugar skull, 5" A1241 $34 each	Size 3 Metepec decorated sugar skull, 2 3/4" A1239 $12 each


Feather headdress Toluca skull This Aztec sugar head is made by the same sugar artist that made the Aztec headdress plaque to the right. Competition quality. It's a full round skull, with colored tin foil, plastic beads & feather adornments. 5" high x 4.5" wide x 5" deep A2014 $62 each (out)	Aztec headdress plaque with feathers This magnificent sugar mask is incredibly ornamented and arrived in one piece! Spectacular piece for any sugar collector. 12" high (to top of feathers) x 10" wide x 2.5" deep $75 each (out) Pick up only. Contact us for details.