It is demonstrated that the synthesis procedure for preparing three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) Pr-doped ceria catalysts using a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) template not only affects the porous structure, but also the chemistry of the ceria surface. The PMMA template does not affect the crystalline features (type of phases, crystallite size, and cell parameter) of Pr-doped ceria, Ce and Pr location into the particles, and the bulk reduction of the Ce-Pr mixed oxide catalysts. On the contrary, the utilization of the PMMA template improves both the porosity and surface redox properties. 3DOM Ce-Pr mixed oxide catalysts combine micro, meso, and macropores, the most area being in the macropore range, while a reference unshaped catalyst presents poor porosity in all ranges. However, the catalyzed CO oxidation rates do not correlate with the surface area of the catalysts (neither micro nor meso/macro). The Ce-Pr-3DOM catalyst also presents improved surface reducibility with regards to the counterpart reference material prepared without the template, and improved redox behavior under reaction conditions; that is, it has a higher area and this area is reduced and reoxidized more easily. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis evidences that this is mainly attributed to praseodymium cations, which accomplish redox cycles more easily than cerium cations. ; The authors thank the financial support of Generalitat Valenciana (Project PROMETEOII/2014/010), the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Projects MAT2014-61992-EXP and CTQ2015-67597-C2-2-R), the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (grant FPU14/01178) and the UE (FEDER funding).