There are few more axiomatic statements than this: Cinnamon rolls are delicious. Consider the success of Cinnabon, the processed-pastry mega-chain whose 880-calorie behemoths tempt weary mall patrons and air travelers at 770 locations worldwide. Each roll from Cinnabon is, as Louis C.K. memorably put it, “a 6-foot high, cinnamon-swirled cake made for one fat man.”

If you’re expecting a smug explanation of why homemade cinnamon rolls are nutritionally superior to Cinnabon’s, forget it. Homemade cinnamon rolls are terrible for you, chockablock with butter, sugar (two kinds), and refined flour, with some egg and salt thrown in for good measure. Healthwise, there’s not much difference between downing a Cinnabon Classic, eating a couple of homemade cinnamon rolls, or injecting buttercream frosting directly into your liver.

That doesn’t mean there are no good reasons to make cinnamon rolls from scratch. For one thing, homemade cinnamon rolls taste better than Cinnabon’s, with none of the latter’s chemical tang. For another, they’re inevitably cheaper than the kind from a kiosk. Finally, and most importantly, you get to eat them in the warm comfort of your own kitchen, rather than in the supremely depressing environments where Cinnabon outlets lurk.