Recipe: Sunday morning apple, bacon and cheddar scones Adapted from SmittenKitchen.com

If you’re not a meat or pork eater, the scones are nearly as good without the bacon. And if you don’t have a stand or hand mixer handy, the author suggests rubbing the cold butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips or with a pastry blender, then hand-chopping the cooked apples coarsely and mixing the rest together with a wooden spoon until combined.

• Makes 6 generous scones
• 2 firm tart apples (approximately one pound)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar plus 1 1/2 tablespoons for sprinkling
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt plus additional for egg wash
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes plus additional for baking sheet if not lining it with parchment
• 1/2 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
• 2 to 3 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 large eggs

Position a rack at the center of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel and core apples, then cut them into one-sixteenths chunks. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them until they take on a little color and feel dry to the touch, about 20 minutes. They will be about half-baked. Let them cool completely. (You can speed this up in the fridge.) Leave oven on.

Sift or whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, along with cooled apple chunks, crumbled bacon, cheese, cream and one egg. Sprinkle flour mixture over the top and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Do not over-mix.

Generously flour your counter top and place the scone dough on top of it. Sprinkle with flour. Use a rolling pin to gently roll (or use your hands to pat) the dough into a 1 1/4-inch thick, 6-inch circle. Cut circle into 6 wedges. Transfer them to a baking sheet that has either been buttered or lined with a fresh sheet of parchment paper. Leave at least 2 inches between each scone.

Beat remaining egg in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Brush the scones with egg wash and sprinkle them with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake until firm and golden, about 30 minutes. With a spatula, lift them to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then try not to eat them all in one sitting.

Do ahead: Scones are best the day they are baked, passable the next day, and pretty horrible by the third day. However, they can be made ahead of time and stored unbaked in the freezer until you need them. Simply brush them with the egg wash and sprinkle them with sugar, and bake them still frozen for just a few extra minutes. This way they are always freshly baked when you want them.

This recipe was adapted by Jessica Webster and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Nov. 17, 2011.