Scrub the carrots under running water, dry them, then trim and peel. Use a vegetable peeler to shave long, very thin ribbons, about 1 mm thick, turning the carrot as needed. Stop before the remaining core becomes difficult to hold safely. Weigh 200 g of prepared ribbons; reserve the thick cores for another meal.

Heat a conventional oven to 350°F (175°C), with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Use parchment rated for the oven temperature.

Whisk together the soy sauce, maple syrup, olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder and pepper in the bowl and toss the carrot ribbons until very lightly coated. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Lift the carrot ribbons from the bowl with tongs and let excess coating drip back into the bowl. Arrange on the sheets in a single layer, without folds or overlap; discard any coating left in the bowl. If the ribbons do not fit without overlap, bake in separate batches.

Bake for about 16–22 minutes, flipping the ribbons with tongs and rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 10 minutes. From 14 minutes, check frequently and remove individual ribbons as the edges brown and curl; the centers should still have a little flexibility. Stop before the glaze becomes black or bitter. Thickness, pan and oven variation can change finishing time.

Leave the ribbons on the sheets for 2 minutes, then move them carefully to the cooling rack for 3 minutes more. Some edges will firm as they cool; thicker centers remain chewy. Divide into 4 small side portions and serve promptly.

Refrigerate in a shallow covered container within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Keep at 40°F or below and use within 3–4 days. Reheat leftovers to 165°F, checking a small stack with a food thermometer. Expect softer texture after storage.