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Chipotle Mayonnaise

September 19, 2024

A little smoky, a little spicy and a LOT easy—homemade chipotle mayonnaise is as simple to make as it is dangerous to keep around. Whip up a batch and start slathering it on everything.

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bowl of creamy chipotle mayonnaise with chipotle powder on the side and sliced limes

Sorry. Also, You’re Welcome.

Do you ever find yourself thinking “how can I fit more mayonnaise into my diet?”. No? Well, we don’t really either. But whip up a batch of this sauce and you may find that there’s a little more room for mayo in your diet than you realized. Thinned and brightened with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, and spiced up with a good dose of chipotle powder, our easy chipotle mayo recipe is one that you’ll have memorized in no time. From drizzling on tacos to dressing up a basic grilled burger, it brings a little extra something to just about everything.

ingredients for chipotle mayonnaise in small bowls

How To Make Chipotle Mayo

Grab a jar of mayo. Grab a jar (or baggie, if you buy spices from the bulk bins) of chipotle chili powder.

  • Turn it into vegan chipotle mayo. Vegan mayo makes a perfectly great sub for regular mayo, so to make this chipotle mayo vegan, just swap vegan mayo for regular.
  • Turn it into chipotle crema! If you’d like to turn this chipotle lime mayo recipe into more of a crema—in other words to make it more of a sauce rather than a dip or spread—just thin the chipotle mayo sauce with a little milk until you’ve got a consistency you’re happy with.
bowl of creamy chipotle mayonnaise with chipotle powder on the side and sliced limes

Chili Powder vs. Chipotle Powder: What’s the Difference?

You may see the terms “chili powder” and “chipotle powder” used interchangeably sometimes—especially in the wild world of internet recipes! However, the difference between chipotle powder and chili powder is actually quite dramatic. Our chipotle mayo is made with chipotle powder, NOT chili powder. Here’s the difference:

  • Chipotle powder is exactly what it sounds like. “Chipotle” peppers are simply smoked jalapeños, and chipotle powder is just chipotles that have been dried and ground into a powder. It’s also an earthy, smoky, heat-bringing powerhouse—keep it around at all times, spice-lovers! This is our favorite brand.
  • Chili powder is a spice blend, and usually contains some combination of spices like cumin, oregano and even paprika.

Tools You’ll Need:

  • Mixing bowl.
  • Whisk.
  • Squeeze bottle! OK, so this is non-essential, but storing your homemade chipotle mayo in a squeeze bottle will not only make you feel like a true domestic god or goddess, it’s easily the best way to apply the spicy mayo to sandwiches, tacos and salads.

Other Sauces that Make Everything Taste Good.

Homemade condiments—are you sold yet!? Here are four sauces that you can and should DIY:

Sandwiches Are Just Big Condiment Delivery Vehicles, Right?

Salads, too, for that matter. And crudité. And chips. The list goes on! Anyway, we hope you try this easy chipotle mayo recipe and that you love it, too! Let us know how it turned out and what you put it on! Snap a photo of your finished chipotle lime mayo, and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!

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Chipotle Mayonnaise

  • Serves:  8
  • Prep Time:  5 min
  • Calories:  189

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from 1 lime
  • 1 -2 tablespoons whole milk, (optional, see Note)
  • 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder

Method

  1. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, lime juice, milk and chipotle chili powder, until smooth.

    ingredients for chipotle mayonnaise in small bowls

Notes

Adding milk is optional, for a thinner mayonnaise sauce or chipotle crema.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories 189
  • Protein 0 g
  • Carbohydrates 0 g
  • Total Fat 21 g
  • Dietary Fiber 0 g
  • Cholesterol 12 mg
  • sodium 175 mg
  • Total Sugars 0 g

Chipotle Mayonnaise

Questions & Reviews

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  • Nicole

    Awesome

    Thank you Nicole!

  • Jenn

    I first tried this on your corn salad recipe (love btw) but now I just make it to put on burgers and sandwiches, it's so delicious!

    Thanks Jenn, we are so glad you loved it!