Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cream butter and cheese until smooth. Combine flour, salt, sesame seeds and red pepper; add to creamed mixture, blending well. Roll small pieces of dough into 1-inch balls; place on greased baking sheets and flatten to ¼-inch thick rounds. Sprinkle with salt if desired. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove immediately from baking sheets; let cool on wire racks. Store in airtight container. Yield: 5 dozen.