Red Robin Campfire Sauce Recipe

✔ Updated October 19, 2026 · fixed card amounts + 3-ingredient version and storage times

Red Robin campfire sauce, listed on the menu as Campfire Mayo, is a creamy, smoky dipping sauce that tastes great on burgers, fries and onion rings. I keep a jar in the fridge all summer.

This copycat-style version needs just five ingredients and a whisk: mayonnaise, hickory-smoked barbecue sauce, chipotle hot sauce, ground chipotle and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce. It takes 5 minutes to make, keeps for a week in the fridge and is easy to adjust, from mild and sweet to properly spicy. There's also a 3-ingredient version below if you want it even simpler.

Why You'll Love This Campfire Sauce

• Smoky, creamy and a little sweet, with a gentle chipotle kick you can turn up or down.
• Five pantry ingredients, one bowl and no cooking.
• Goes with everything: burgers, fries, onion rings, chicken tenders and sandwiches.

What Is Red Robin Campfire Sauce?

Campfire sauce is Red Robin's smoky barbecue mayonnaise, called Campfire Mayo on the menu. It is creamy like a burger sauce but tastes like a mild, smoky barbecue sauce, with a little sweetness and a gentle chipotle warmth. Chipotles are smoked, dried jalapeños, so they add smoke as well as heat.

At home it comes together with ingredients I always have on hand. Equal parts mayonnaise and hickory-smoked barbecue sauce make the base, and chipotle hot sauce, ground chipotle and Worcestershire give it depth. For more burger-night copycats, try our Red Robin onion rings.

Ingredients and Easy Swaps

• Mayonnaise: the creamy base. Regular, light or vegan mayonnaise all work; light mayo makes a slightly thinner sauce.
• Hickory-smoked barbecue sauce: brings the smoke and sweetness. Any smoky barbecue sauce works; mesquite is bolder.
• Chipotle hot sauce: adds smoky heat and a little tang. Swap in 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo.
• Ground chipotle chili powder: deepens the smokiness. Smoked paprika plus a pinch of cayenne is the closest substitute.
• Worcestershire sauce: just a few drops for savory depth. Leave it out if you don't have it.

3-Ingredient Campfire Sauce

In a hurry? I do this on busy nights: whisk 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 1/2 cup hickory-smoked barbecue sauce and 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder. It's a little less complex than the full recipe, but still smoky, creamy and very close in flavor.

Step-by-Step Photos

Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.

Tips for Success

• Use a smoky barbecue sauce. A hickory-smoked barbecue sauce gives the campfire flavor. A very sweet or honey barbecue sauce makes the dip sweeter and less smoky.
• Build the heat slowly. Start with the amounts in the card, taste, then add ground chipotle 1/4 teaspoon at a time. A little cayenne works if you don't have chipotle powder, but you'll lose some smokiness.
• Let it rest. The sauce is good right away but better after 30 minutes to 1 hour in the fridge, once the chipotle has bloomed.
• Want it lighter? Swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt. It will be a little tangier and thicker.
• Make it vegan: use a vegan mayonnaise and check that your barbecue sauce and Worcestershire are vegan (many Worcestershire sauces contain anchovies).
• Store it in glass. A clean glass jar with a lid keeps the sauce fresh and won't hold onto old food odors the way some plastic containers do.

What to Serve With Campfire Sauce

• Dipping: fries, steak fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, tater tots, chicken tenders and fried pickles.
• Burgers and sandwiches: spread it on a cheeseburger, a grilled chicken sandwich or a turkey club.
• Wraps and bowls: drizzle it over a chicken wrap, a burger bowl or a loaded baked potato.
• As a dressing: thin it with a splash of milk or buttermilk and toss it through a potato or pasta salad.
• As a glaze: brush it on chicken or pork during the last few minutes of grilling. Don't reuse sauce that has touched raw meat; set some aside for serving first.

How to Store Campfire Sauce

Keep campfire sauce in a clean glass jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or until the earliest use-by date of the mayonnaise and barbecue sauce you used. Always use a clean spoon so you don't introduce crumbs or bacteria. Don't leave it out for more than 2 hours, and don't freeze it: the mayonnaise separates and turns grainy when thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Red Robin campfire mayo made of?

Campfire mayo is a smoky barbecue mayonnaise. This copycat version combines mayonnaise and hickory-smoked barbecue sauce in equal parts, with chipotle hot sauce, ground chipotle chili powder and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce for smoke, heat and depth.

Is campfire sauce the same as campfire mayo?

Yes. Red Robin lists the dipping sauce as Campfire Mayo, and most people call it campfire sauce. It is a creamy blend of mayonnaise and smoky barbecue sauce with chipotle, not to be confused with a plain barbecue sauce.

How do you make 3-ingredient campfire sauce?

Whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup hickory-smoked barbecue sauce and 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder. It tastes very close to the full version. Add a few drops of Worcestershire or a splash of chipotle hot sauce if you have them.

Is campfire sauce spicy?

Only mildly. The chipotle adds a gentle, smoky warmth that most people find kid-friendly in small amounts. For a milder sauce, leave out the chipotle hot sauce; for more heat, add more ground chipotle or a pinch of cayenne.

How long does homemade campfire sauce last?

Store it in a clean, airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or by the earliest use-by date of your mayonnaise and barbecue sauce if that is sooner. Don't leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and don't freeze it, as mayonnaise separates when thawed.