I’m thrilled to share this updated recipe for Gluten-Free Blue Blueberry Muffins. These vibrant muffins get their color from blue food coloring, which also makes them perfect for participating in the ZOE #bluepoopchallenge — a simple experiment to learn more about your gut. I’m working with ZOE to better understand gut health, and these muffins are a fun way to join the challenge.
This year I’ve been focused on overall health, and that includes learning more about what’s happening inside my body. Our digestive systems are unique, and ZOE’s challenge offers an engaging way to see how different foods travel through your gut. The challenge is straightforward and affordable: you eat two muffins prepared with the recommended dye and then complete a short follow-up quiz a few days later to receive insights about your gut.
ZOE’s approach makes the topic approachable and fun. Everyone produces stool, so there’s no reason to be embarrassed to talk about digestion. The quiz results include a playful “poop personality” and practical information about how your body handles certain foods.
These gluten-free blueberry muffins are delicious whether you eat them for breakfast or as a snack. To ensure the challenge works correctly, use one of the suggested blue food colorings listed in the ingredients. If you prefer not to use dye, other visible markers like nuts, sweet corn, or beetroot can sometimes be seen in stool when consumed in sufficient quantities — for example, about 50 g of almonds or cashews, eaten without excessive chewing, may leave visible particles.
Using the recommended food coloring in small quantities is safe. The dye pigment passes through the digestive tract unchanged, which is why it changes stool color. Because this is a scientific experiment, using the dye when possible will make it easier to observe results.
Please rate the muffins if you try them. For more recipe inspiration and behind-the-scenes photos, you can follow the recipe author on social platforms listed with the original post.
Gluten-Free Blue Blueberry Muffins
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- Author: Teri Turner
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins
Category: Snack
Method: Oven
Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These gluten-free muffins are flavorful and colorful — great for breakfast or a snack and ideal for taking part in a fun gut-health experiment.
Ingredients
For the crumble:
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup gluten-free flour (Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 recommended)
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Blue food coloring, a few drops (adjust to desired shade)
For the muffins:
2 large eggs
½ cup light olive oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
½ cup whole milk
1 ¾ cups plus 1 tablespoon gluten-free flour (Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1), divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon blue food coloring
1 cup fresh blueberries
Zest of 1 lemon
For the glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon whole milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
Blue food coloring, a few drops (optional)
Accepted food coloring options (recommended for clear results):
- Americolor Soft Gel Paste, Royal Blue (or similar concentrated gel pastes)
- High-quality concentrated royal blue gels or concentrated food dyes labeled for baking
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
Make the crumble:
In a small bowl, combine light brown sugar, gluten-free flour, and a pinch of salt. Stir in melted butter and add blue food coloring drops until you reach your desired color. Use your fingers to mix the crumble for 2–3 minutes until evenly colored. Set aside.
Make the muffins:
In a mixing bowl (stand mixer or with a hand mixer), whisk together the eggs, light olive oil, granulated sugar, vanilla, and milk until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk 1 ¾ cups gluten-free flour with the baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon blue food coloring and mix until evenly distributed.
In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour and the lemon zest to coat, then gently fold them into the batter with a spatula.
Using a ¼-cup measure, portion batter evenly into the liners. Sprinkle the prepared crumble on top of each muffin.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let muffins cool briefly in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and blue food coloring until smooth. Drizzle over cooled muffins and serve.