About 7 to 8 medium ears of corn should give you 5 cups of kernels, since one ear usually yields about 3/4 to 1 cup and a more typical estimate is about 3/4 cup per ear.

Quick Scoop

  • If the ears are small , plan on closer to 8 to 10 ears.
  • If the ears are large , 5 to 6 ears may be enough.
  • For a safe grocery estimate, buying 8 ears is a solid middle-ground choice.

Simple math

Using the common estimate of about 3/4 cup per ear , 5÷0.75≈6.75\div 0.75\approx 6.75÷0.75≈6.7, so you’d round up to 7 ears.

If your corn is on the smaller side, the yield can drop enough that 8 ears is safer.

TL;DR: Buy 7 ears for a typical batch, or 8 ears if you want a little extra cushion.