Kale Chips Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 10, 2025 
This easy Kale Chips Recipe makes bold and zesty chips with a rich nutty essence, that will make you want to kick potato chips to the curb!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Remember when kale chips were all over the internet a couple of years ago? It seemed like everyone was making them. Well, everyone except for me. Because at that time, I didn’t like them.
Then one day I saw them at a farmer’s market. The chips sitting out for samples were really crisp, and coated in something spicy. At first taste… bells, whistles, fireworks. That’s when I decided that I must recreate these at home!
The secret to making these insanely delicious baked crispy kale chips is mixing nut butter with the spices to create a rich coating that sits on top of the kale chips as they dry. Then the second secret is to massage the kale, tenderly. The massaging ensures the kale leaves are evenly coated. Then lay them out flat in a single layer and bake. Zippy kale perfection that rivals any chip, in my opinion! If you aren’t a fan of kale chips yet, I can guarantee this recipe will change your mind!
Why You’ll Love These Baked Kale Chips
- Better for you snack – These baked kale chips are SO MUCH better for you than the classic preservative-packed potato chip.
- Easy to make – In just three easy steps and in under 30 minutes you’ll be enjoying this nutrient-packed savory snack.
- Flavor-packed – The coating of almond butter and spices takes these chips from bland to bold.
These kale chips changed the way I snack, and I always have them on hand when I’m craving something savory!
Ingredients and Tips
- Kale – Use a fresh fluffy bunch of kale.
- Almond butter – I love to use smooth almond butter for this recipe.
- Olive oil – To make the chips crisp you’ll need a good quality olive oil. Otherwise, you can also use coconut oil
- Spices – You’ll need a blend of ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper for a little extra heat.
- Salt – Use either table salt or sea salt.
- Make sure to remove excess water before baking by drying the curly kale leaves in a salad spinner and removing the stems!
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Nut-free – Instead of almond butter, you can use tahini.
- Spices – If you want to make these even more savory, sprinkle on some paprika, onion powder or ranch powder.
- Nutritional yeast – For a cheesy twist, use nutritional yeast.
- Lemon juice – I love to drizzle some fresh lemon juice over these baked kale chips.
- Maple syrup – To make these chips sweet and spicy, mix in a little bit of maple syrup.
How To Make Baked Kale Chips
Making these savory Kale Chips at home is totally easy and worth it! You’ll have this nutritious and delicious snack ready in no time.
Find the full Kale Chips recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Store cooled leftover chips in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
Serving Suggestions
You can enjoy these baked kale chips as is, on the go or while watching your favorite movie.
You can also crumble these up over soup, like this Spicy Pumpkin Soup or this Creamy Carrot Soup. I also love to toss these kale chips into salads or grain bowls for an extra crispy crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. This is our favorite combination. Yet feel free to make the most of your spice rack and mix things up!
Yes. However, the nut butter provides a ton of flavor and texture. I wouldn’t skip it, unless there is a nut allergy involved.
Yes! This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, keto, and vegan!
If you have cool spots in your oven, you can take the crispy chips off the baking sheet and continue baking the remaining chips a little longer.
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Video
Ingredients
- 2 bunches kale
- 2 tablespoons almond butter heaping (or any savory nut butter)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder or substitute curry powder, we make them both ways
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wash the kale and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Pull the leaves off the center ribs in large pieces, and pile on a baking sheet. Discard the ribs.
- In a small bowl mix the nut butter, oil, spices, and salt. Pour over the kale. Use your hands to massage the kale leaves until each one is evenly coated with the spice mixture. You don’t want any of the leaves to be drenched in the mixture, so take your time doing this. The more evenly the kale leaves are coated, the better they will bake.
- Lay the kale leaves out flat on 3-4 full sized baking sheets (work in batches if necessary.) Do not overlap. Bake for 10-11 minutes until crisp, but still green. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before moving. If some kale chips are still a little flimsy or damp, remove the crisp chips and place the damp chips back in the oven for a few more minutes. Store in an air-tight container.
I just tried this recipe and I loved it!!!!! It is not easy for me to eat kale and we ate our batch in a second. Thank you!
I have tried 5 other recipes for kale chips none of them came close to the deliciousness of your recipe. We could not stop eating them last night and HAD to buy more kale today. Thanks for the great recipe!
these are in the oven :> YUM
Made these this weekend for the first time… oh wow.. now that’s awesome kale chips. My man even loved them. Headed to the store to buy more kale, found it on sale 3 bundles for $5. The almond butter is where the cost is at $9 for 12oz. Note though, I tried grinding almonds to a paste for the first batch since I didn’t have the butter on hand. It was still great tasting but much much harder to massage onto the leaves. That batch my man was convinced I put bacon bits on them…lol
Thank you so very much for pleasing my taste buds while slimming my waist line. :)
Tip For Storing: I’ve made a ton of these and found that using the technique I figured out on my water logged store bought lettuce and fresh (water logged) kale (and ginger) works to save the day again. The secret being Paper Towels. Water/moisture is crunchy biggest enemy so I’ll take a couple paper towels and line a ziplock bag or line a bowl with them. Any moisture that would normally end up on the leaves leaving them mushy is collected in the towel. Seeing of course you’ve dried them out all the way in the oven like the recipe calls for. This might differ in the winter when humidity is down.
For fresh lettuce and kale that your grocery store has drowned for you. After getting it home and shaking it out again I wrap mine in the paper towels. If the bag is to wet I’ll turn it inside out. When you get it out to use it if your paper towel is full replace it. It’s been like night an day how long my lettuce and kale will last now. Thank you again for the awesome recipe.
Delicious! I’ve tried several versions of kale chips, and this one is up there with my favorites!
I have tried and failed making Kale chips in the past and stumbled onto this recipe.
It worked magnificently and they taste AMAZING!! Even my kids love them. Thanks for the great recipe!!
I never thought I’d find myself massaging kale. And I never thought I’d find myself addicted to a kale recipe. But I did. And I am. I made these chips for the third time last week and wanted to let you know how much I enjoy this recipe. I make the chili powder version with a little less salt and a little chipotle chile pepper thrown in for fun. Even my sisters asked for the recipe after trying them. Thanks, Sommer!
Hey Sadie! So glad you like them, thanks for coming back to tell me. :)
Tried them last night and it was amazing! Thank you for the recipe. Something that made it really easy was buying the bags of kale alread cut and washed. Just watch out for those pesky stems.
WOW!! What a recipe! These are unbelievably delicious and when I had finished covering the kale… I used celery to get ever last drop of the sauce! YUM! Thank you!
These are delist, but I added some apple cider vinegar to the mix. I felt like it needed some acid for more tang. The 4 batches I made are almost gone. Thanks
Why do my chips always go soggy when I put them in a container after I’ve baked them:(?
Hi Sheila, if that’s happening I’d keep them in the oven a little longer. …Or remove any that are well baked and then put those that are still a little damp back in the oven.
I jumped on the kale chips band wagon kinda late I guess. But your recipe is the first batch I’m making and it’s AMAZING! Thanks!!